scholarly journals All the Same? The Secret Life of Prion Strains within Their Target Cells

Viruses ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 334 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ina M. Vorberg
Keyword(s):  
Cell Lines ◽  
Cell Biology ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Target Cells ◽  
Genetic Manipulations ◽  
Disease Phenotypes ◽  
Prion Strains ◽  
Quaternary Structures ◽  
Β Sheet ◽  
Insight Into

Prions are infectious β-sheet-rich protein aggregates composed of misfolded prion protein (PrPSc) that do not possess coding nucleic acid. Prions replicate by recruiting and converting normal cellular PrPC into infectious isoforms. In the same host species, prion strains target distinct brain regions and cause different disease phenotypes. Prion strains are associated with biophysically distinct PrPSc conformers, suggesting that strain properties are enciphered within alternative PrPSc quaternary structures. So far it is unknown how prion strains target specific cells and initiate productive infections. Deeper mechanistic insight into the prion life cycle came from cell lines permissive to a range of different prion strains. Still, it is unknown why certain cell lines are refractory to infection by one strain but permissive to another. While pharmacologic and genetic manipulations revealed subcellular compartments involved in prion replication, little is known about strain-specific requirements for endocytic trafficking pathways. This review summarizes our knowledge on how prions replicate within their target cells and on strain-specific differences in prion cell biology.

scholarly journals Tau monomer encodes strains

eLife ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Apurwa M Sharma ◽  
Talitha L Thomas ◽  
DaNae R Woodard ◽  
Omar M Kashmer ◽  
Marc I Diamond
Keyword(s):  
Mouse Model ◽  
Cell Lines ◽  
Cultured Cells ◽  
Corticobasal Degeneration ◽  
Conformational States ◽  
Single Strain ◽  
Diagnosis And Therapy ◽  
Prion Strains ◽  
Insight Into

Tauopathies have diverse presentation, progression, and neuropathology. They are linked to tau prion strains, self-replicating assemblies of unique quaternary conformation, whose origin is unknown. Strains can be propagated indefinitely in cultured cells, and induce unique patterns of transmissible neuropathology upon inoculation into mice. DS9 and DS10 cell lines propagate different synthetic strains that derive from recombinant tau. We previously observed that tau monomer adopts two conformational states: one that is inert (Mi) and one that is seed-competent (Ms) (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bib10">Mirbaha et al., 2018</xref>). We have now found that Ms itself is comprised of multiple stable ensembles that encode unique strains. DS9 monomer inoculated into naive cells encoded only DS9, whereas DS10 monomer encoded multiple sub-strains. Sub-strains each induced distinct pathology upon inoculation into a tauopathy mouse model (PS19). Ms purified from an Alzeimer's disease brain encoded a single strain. Conversely, Ms from a corticobasal degeneration brain encoded three sub-strains, in which monomer from any one re-established all three upon inoculation into cells. Seed competent tau monomer thus adopts multiple, stable seed-competent conformations, each of which encodes a limited number of strains. This provides insight into the emergence of distinct tauopathies, and may improve diagnosis and therapy.

scholarly journals Region-Specific Sialylation Pattern of Prion Strains Provides Novel Insight into Prion Neurotropism

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 828 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natallia Makarava ◽  
Jennifer Chen-Yu Chang ◽  
Ilia V. Baskakov
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Selective Vulnerability ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Infectious Agents ◽  
Prion Infection ◽  
Prion Strains ◽  
Mammalian Prions ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Host Brain

Mammalian prions are unconventional infectious agents that invade and replicate in an organism by recruiting a normal form of a prion protein (PrPC) and converting it into misfolded, disease-associated state referred to as PrPSc. PrPC is posttranslationally modified with two N-linked glycans. Prion strains replicate by selecting substrates from a large pool of PrPC sialoglycoforms expressed by a host. Brain regions have different vulnerability to prion infection, however, molecular mechanisms underlying selective vulnerability is not well understood. Toward addressing this question, the current study looked into a possibility that sialylation of PrPSc might be involved in defining selective vulnerability of brain regions. The current work found that in 22L -infected animals, PrPSc is indeed sialylated in a region dependent manner. PrPSc in hippocampus and cortex was more sialylated than PrPSc from thalamus and stem. Similar trends were also observed in brain materials from RML- and ME7-infected animals. The current study established that PrPSc sialylation status is indeed region-specific. Together with previous studies demonstrating that low sialylation status accelerates prion replication, this work suggests that high vulnerability of certain brain region to prion infection could be attributed to their low sialylation status.

scholarly journals Insight into the HIV-1 Vif SOCS-box–ElonginBC interaction

Open Biology ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 3 (11) ◽  
pp. 130100 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhisheng Lu ◽  
Julien R. C. Bergeron ◽  
R. Andrew Atkinson ◽  
Torsten Schaller ◽  
Dennis A. Veselkov ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solution Structure ◽  
Hydrophobic Interactions ◽  
Dynamic Information ◽  
Ubiquitin Ligase Complex ◽  
Biophysical Studies ◽  
Viral Infectivity Factor ◽  
Β Sheet ◽  
Socs Box ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Hiv 1

The HIV-1 viral infectivity factor (Vif) neutralizes cell-encoded antiviral APOBEC3 proteins by recruiting a cellular ElonginB (EloB)/ElonginC (EloC)/Cullin5-containing ubiquitin ligase complex, resulting in APOBEC3 ubiquitination and proteolysis. The suppressors-of-cytokine-signalling-like domain (SOCS-box) of HIV-1 Vif is essential for E3 ligase engagement, and contains a BC box as well as an unusual proline-rich motif. Here, we report the NMR solution structure of the Vif SOCS–ElonginBC (EloBC) complex. In contrast to SOCS-boxes described in other proteins, the HIV-1 Vif SOCS-box contains only one α-helical domain followed by a β-sheet fold. The SOCS-box of Vif binds primarily to EloC by hydrophobic interactions. The functionally essential proline-rich motif mediates a direct but weak interaction with residues 101–104 of EloB, inducing a conformational change from an unstructured state to a structured state. The structure of the complex and biophysical studies provide detailed insight into the function of Vif's proline-rich motif and reveal novel dynamic information on the Vif–EloBC interaction.

scholarly journals Monosomy 3 Is Linked to Resistance to MEK Inhibitors in Uveal Melanoma

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (13) ◽  
pp. 6727
Author(s):  
Svenja Mergener ◽  
Jens T. Siveke ◽  
Samuel Peña-Llopis
Keyword(s):  
Cell Lines ◽  
Uveal Melanoma ◽  
Survival Data ◽  
Translation Initiation Factor ◽  
The Cancer Genome Atlas ◽  
Initiation Factor ◽  
Chromosome 3 ◽  
Mek Inhibitors ◽  
Mek Inhibition ◽  
Insight Into

The use of MEK inhibitors in the therapy of uveal melanoma (UM) has been investigated widely but has failed to show benefits in clinical trials due to fast acquisition of resistance. In this study, we investigated a variety of therapeutic compounds in primary-derived uveal melanoma cell lines and found monosomy of chromosome 3 (M3) and mutations in BAP1 to be associated with higher resistance to MEK inhibition. However, reconstitution of BAP1 in a BAP1-deficient UM cell line was unable to restore sensitivity to MEK inhibition. We then compared UM tumors from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) with mutations in BAP1 with tumors with wild-type BAP1. Principal component analysis (PCA) clearly differentiated both groups of tumors, which displayed disparate overall and progression-free survival data. Further analysis provided insight into differential expression of genes involved in signaling pathways, suggesting that the downregulation of the eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2A (EIF2A) observed in UM tumors with BAP1 mutations and M3 UM cell lines might lead to a decrease in ribosome biogenesis while inducing an adaptive response to stress. Taken together, our study links loss of chromosome 3 with decreased sensitivity to MEK inhibition and gives insight into possible related mechanisms, whose understanding is fundamental to overcome resistance in this aggressive tumor.

scholarly journals NK cell-based cancer immunotherapy: from basic biology to clinical development

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sizhe Liu ◽  
Vasiliy Galat ◽  
Yekaterina Galat4 ◽  
Yoo Kyung Annie Lee ◽  
Derek Wainwright ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Immunotherapy ◽  
T Cell Activation ◽  
Cell Biology ◽  
Antigen Processing ◽  
Cell Activation ◽  
Nk Cell ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Clinical Development ◽  
Target Cells ◽  
Immune Effector

AbstractNatural killer (NK) cell is a specialized immune effector cell type that plays a critical role in immune activation against abnormal cells. Different from events required for T cell activation, NK cell activation is governed by the interaction of NK receptors with target cells, independent of antigen processing and presentation. Due to relatively unsophisticated cues for activation, NK cell has gained significant attention in the field of cancer immunotherapy. Many efforts are emerging for developing and engineering NK cell-based cancer immunotherapy. In this review, we provide our current understandings of NK cell biology, ongoing pre-clinical and clinical development of NK cell-based therapies and discuss the progress, challenges, and future perspectives.

scholarly journals Conditionally immortalised leukaemia initiating cells co-expressing Hoxa9/Meis1 demonstrate microenvironmental adaptation properties ex vivo while maintaining myelomonocytic memory

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maike Stahlhut ◽  
Teng Cheong Ha ◽  
Ekaterina Takmakova ◽  
Michael A. Morgan ◽  
Adrian Schwarzer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cell ◽  
Cell Fate ◽  
Cell Lines ◽  
Cell Biology ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Haematopoietic Stem Cell ◽  
Transcriptional Dysregulation ◽  
Conditional Gene Expression ◽  
Exponential Expansion ◽  
Drug Dependent

AbstractRegulation of haematopoietic stem cell fate through conditional gene expression could improve understanding of healthy haematopoietic and leukaemia initiating cell (LIC) biology. We established conditionally immortalised myeloid progenitor cell lines co-expressing constitutive Hoxa9.EGFP and inducible Meis1.dTomato (H9M-ciMP) to study growth behaviour, immunophenotype and morphology under different cytokine/microenvironmental conditions ex vivo upon doxycycline (DOX) induction or removal. The vector design and drug-dependent selection approach identified new retroviral insertion (RVI) sites that potentially collaborate with Meis1/Hoxa9 and define H9M-ciMP fate. For most cell lines, myelomonocytic conditions supported reversible H9M-ciMP differentiation into neutrophils and macrophages with DOX-dependent modulation of Hoxa9/Meis1 and CD11b/Gr-1 expression. Here, up-regulation of Meis1/Hoxa9 promoted reconstitution of exponential expansion of immature H9M-ciMPs after DOX reapplication. Stem cell maintaining conditions supported selective H9M-ciMP exponential growth. H9M-ciMPs that had Ninj2 RVI and were cultured under myelomonocytic or stem cell maintaining conditions revealed the development of DOX-dependent acute myeloid leukaemia in a murine transplantation model. Transcriptional dysregulation of Ninj2 and distal genes surrounding RVI (Rad52, Kdm5a) was detected. All studied H9M-ciMPs demonstrated adaptation to T-lymphoid microenvironmental conditions while maintaining immature myelomonocytic features. Thus, the established system is relevant to leukaemia and stem cell biology.

scholarly journals Targeting Immune-Related Molecules in Cancer Therapy: A ComprehensiveIn VitroAnalysis on Patient-Derived Tumor Models

2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia Maletzki ◽  
Philine Scheinpflug ◽  
Anika Witt ◽  
Ernst Klar ◽  
Michael Linnebacher
Keyword(s):  
Cell Lines ◽  
Cpg Island ◽  
Molecular Subtype ◽  
Combined Treatment ◽  
Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes ◽  
Molecular Characteristics ◽  
Target Cells ◽  
Selective Treatment ◽  
Cpg Island Methylator Phenotype ◽  
The Impact

This study investigated the impact of immune-related pathway inhibition, among them indolamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO), alone and together with immune cells on growth and viability of colorectal cancer (CRC) cells. A panel of patient-derived CRC cell lines with different molecular characteristics (CpG island methylator phenotype, chromosomal, and microsatellite instability) was included. Initial phenotyping of CRC cell lines (n=17) revealed high abundance of immunosuppressive checkpoint-molecules in general, but an individual profile for IDO. Presence of immune-related molecules was independent of the molecular subtype. Selective treatment of CRC cell lines showing high or low IDO expression (n=2 cell lines each) was performed with single agents and combinations of Indoximod, Curcumin, and Gemcitabine with and without the addition of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) in an allogeneic setting. All substances affected CRC cell growth in a cell line specific manner. The combination of Curcumin and Gemcitabine proved to be most effective in tumor cell elimination. Functional read-out analyses identified cellular senescence, after both single and combined treatment. Curcumin alone exerted strong cytotoxic effects by inducing early and late apoptosis. Necrosis was not detectable at all. Addition of lymphocytes generally boosted antitumoral effects of all IDO-inhibitors, with up to 80 % cytotoxicity for the Curcumin treatment. Here, no obvious differences became apparent between individual cell lines. Combined application of Curcumin and low-dose chemotherapy is a promising strategy to kill tumor target cells and to stimulate antitumoral immune responses.

scholarly journals Reconstruction ofmreBExpression in Staphylococcus aureus via a Collection of New Integrative Plasmids

2014 ◽  
Vol 80 (13) ◽  
pp. 3868-3878 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Yepes ◽  
Gudrun Koch ◽  
Andrea Waldvogel ◽  
Juan-Carlos Garcia-Betancur ◽  
Daniel Lopez
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Cell Wall ◽  
Cell Biology ◽  
Genetic Manipulation ◽  
Protein Localization ◽  
Antibiotic Resistance Genes ◽  
Wall Material ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Genetic Manipulations ◽  
Discrete Structures

ABSTRACTProtein localization has been traditionally explored in unicellular organisms, whose ease of genetic manipulation facilitates molecular characterization. The two rod-shaped bacterial modelsEscherichia coliandBacillus subtilishave been prominently used for this purpose and have displaced other bacteria whose challenges for genetic manipulation have complicated any study of cell biology. Among these bacteria is the spherical pathogenic bacteriumStaphylococcus aureus. In this report, we present a new molecular toolbox that facilitates gene deletion in staphylococci in a 1-step recombination process and additional vectors that facilitate the insertion of diverse reporter fusions into newly identified neutral loci of theS. aureuschromosome. Insertion of the reporters does not add any antibiotic resistance genes to the chromosomes of the resultant strains, thereby making them amenable for further genetic manipulations. We used this toolbox to reconstitute the expression ofmreBinS. aureus, a gene that encodes an actin-like cytoskeletal protein which is absent in coccal cells and is presumably lost during the course of speciation. We observed that inS. aureus, MreB is organized in discrete structures in association with the membrane, leading to an unusual redistribution of the cell wall material. The production of MreB also caused cell enlargement, but it did not revert staphylococcal shape. We present interactions of MreB with key staphylococcal cell wall-related proteins. This work facilitates the useS. aureusas a model system in exploring diverse aspects of cellular microbiology.

scholarly journals Pain Detection and the Privacy of Subjective Experience

2007 ◽  
Vol 33 (2-3) ◽  
pp. 433-456 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam J. Kolber
Keyword(s):  
Subjective Experience ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Physical Pain ◽  
Medical Evidence ◽  
Functional Magnetic Resonance ◽  
Positron Emission ◽  
Pain Symptoms ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Neuroimaging Techniques

A neurologist with abdominal pain goes to see a gastroenterologist for treatment. The gastroenterologist asks the neurologist where it hurts. The neurologist replies, “In my head, of course.” Indeed, while we can feel pain throughout much of our bodies, pain signals undergo most of their processing in the brain. Using neuroimaging techniques like functional magnetic resonance imaging (“fMRI”) and positron emission tomography (“PET”), researchers have more precisely identified brain regions that enable us to experience physical pain. Certain regions of the brain's cortex, for example, increase in activation when subjects are exposed to painful stimuli. Furthermore, the amount of activation increases with the intensity of the painful stimulus. These findings suggest that we may be able to gain insight into the amount of pain a particular person is experiencing by non-invasively imaging his brain.Such insight could be particularly valuable in the courtroom where we often have no definitive medical evidence to prove or disprove claims about the existence and extent of pain symptoms.

scholarly journals Binding of Hepatitis C Virus-Like Particles Derived from Infectious Clone H77C to Defined Human Cell Lines

2002 ◽  
Vol 76 (3) ◽  
pp. 1181-1193 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sabine Wellnitz ◽  
Bettina Klumpp ◽  
Heidi Barth ◽  
Susumu Ito ◽  
Erik Depla ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hepatitis C Virus ◽  
Hepatitis C ◽  
Cell Lines ◽  
Human Cell ◽  
Envelope Glycoprotein ◽  
Infectious Clone ◽  
Cell Interactions ◽  
Target Cells ◽  
Human Cell Lines ◽  
Glycoprotein E2

ABSTRACT Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a leading cause of chronic hepatitis in the world. The study of viral entry and infection has been hampered by the inability to efficiently propagate the virus in cultured cells and the lack of a small-animal model. Recent studies have shown that in insect cells, the HCV structural proteins assemble into HCV-like particles (HCV-LPs) with morphological, biophysical, and antigenic properties similar to those of putative virions isolated from HCV-infected humans. In this study, we used HCV-LPs derived from infectious clone H77C as a tool to examine virus-cell interactions. The binding of partially purified particles to human cell lines was analyzed by fluorescence-activated cell sorting with defined monoclonal antibodies to envelope glycoprotein E2. HCV-LPs demonstrated dose-dependent and saturable binding to defined human lymphoma and hepatoma cell lines but not to mouse cell lines. Binding could be inhibited by monoclonal anti-E2 antibodies, indicating that the HCV-LP-cell interaction was mediated by envelope glycoprotein E2. Binding appeared to be CD81 independent and did not correlate with low-density lipoprotein receptor expression. Heat denaturation of HCV-LPs drastically reduced binding, indicating that the interaction of HCV-LPs with target cells was dependent on the proper conformation of the particles. In conclusion, our data demonstrate that insect cell-derived HCV-LPs bind specifically to defined human cell lines. Since the envelope proteins of HCV-LPs are presumably presented in a virion-like conformation, the binding of HCV-LPs to target cells may allow the study of virus-host cell interactions, including the isolation of HCV receptor candidates and antibody-mediated neutralization of binding.

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