Ablation of Prion Protein in Wild Type Human Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP) Transgenic Mice Does Not Alter The Proteolysis of APP, Levels of Amyloid-β or Pathologic Phenotype.

The cellular prion protein (PrPC) has been proposed to play an important role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. In cellular models PrPC inhibited the action of the β-secretase BACE1 on wild type amyloid precursor protein resulting in a reduction in amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides. Here we have assessed the effect of genetic ablation of PrPC in transgenic mice expressing human wild type amyloid precursor protein (line I5).

Cellular prion protein expression is not regulated by the Alzheimer's amyloid precursor protein intracellular domain.

There is increasing evidence of molecular and cellular links between Alzheimer's disease (AD) and prion diseases. The cellular prion protein, PrP(C), modulates the post-translational processing of the AD amyloid precursor protein (APP), through its inhibition of the β-secretase BACE1, and oligomers of amyloid-β bind to PrP(C) which may mediate amyloid-β neurotoxicity. In addition, the APP intracellular domain (AICD), which acts as a transcriptional regulator, has been reported to control the expression of PrP(C).

Prion protein interacts with BACE1 protein and differentially regulates its activity toward wild type and Swedish mutant amyloid precursor protein.

In Alzheimer disease amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides derived from the amyloid precursor protein (APP) accumulate in the brain. Cleavage of APP by the β-secretase BACE1 is the rate-limiting step in the production of Aβ. We have reported previously that the cellular prion protein (PrP(C)) inhibited the action of BACE1 toward human wild type APP (APP(WT)) in cellular models and that the levels of endogenous murine Aβ were significantly increased in PrP(C)-null mouse brain.

Host PrP glycosylation: a major factor determining the outcome of prion infection.

The expression of the prion protein (PrP) is essential for transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) or prion diseases to occur, but the underlying mechanism of infection remains unresolved. To address the hypothesis that glycosylation of host PrP is a major factor influencing TSE infection, we have inoculated gene-targeted transgenic mice that have restricted N-linked glycosylation of PrP with three TSE strains. We have uniquely demonstrated that mice expressing only unglycosylated PrP can sustain a TSE infection, despite altered cellular location of the host PrP.

Cellular prion protein regulates beta-secretase cleavage of the Alzheimer's amyloid precursor protein.

Proteolytic processing of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) by beta-secretase, beta-site APP cleaving enzyme (BACE1), is the initial step in the production of the amyloid beta (Abeta) peptide, which is involved in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. The normal cellular function of the prion protein (PrP(C)), the causative agent of the transmissible spongiform encephalopathies such as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans, remains enigmatic. Because both APP and PrP(C) are subject to proteolytic processing by the same zinc metalloproteases, we tested the involvement of PrP(C) in the proteolytic processing of APP.

Predicting susceptibility and incubation time of human-to-human transmission of vCJD.

Background: Identification of possible transmission of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) via blood transfusion has caused concern over spread of the disease within the human population. We aimed to model iatrogenic spread to enable a comparison of transmission efficiencies of vCJD and bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) and an assessment of the effect of the codon-129 polymorphism on human susceptibility.

Methods: Mice were produced to express human or bovine prion protein (PrP) by direct replacement of the mouse PrP gene.

Altered glycosylated PrP proteins can have different neuronal trafficking in brain but do not acquire scrapie-like properties.

N-Linked glycans have been shown to have an important role in the cell biology of a variety of cell surface glycoproteins, including PrP protein. It has been suggested that glycosylation of PrP can influence the susceptibility to transmissible spongiform encephalopathy and determine the characteristics of the many different strains observed in this particular type of disease. To understand the role of carbohydrates in influencing the PrP maturation, stability, and cell biology, we have produced and analyzed gene-targeted murine models expressing differentially glycosylated PrP.

Polymorphisms at codons 108 and 189 in murine PrP play distinct roles in the control of scrapie incubation time.

Susceptibility to transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) is associated strongly with PrP polymorphisms in humans, sheep and rodents. In mice, scrapie incubation time is controlled by polymorphisms at PrP codons 108 (leucine or phenylalanine) and 189 (threonine or valine), but the precise role of each polymorphism in the control of disease is unknown. The L108F and T189V polymorphisms are present in distinct structural regions of PrP and thus provide an excellent model with which to investigate the role of PrP structure and gene variation in TSEs.

Embryonic activation and developmental expression of the murine prion protein gene.

While it is well established that cellular prion protein (PrP(C)) expression is required for the development of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), the physiological function of PrP(C) has yet to be determined. A number of studies have examined PrP expression in different tissues and in the later stages of embryonic development. However, the relative levels of expression of PrP RNA and protein in tissues outside the central nervous system (CNS) is not well documented and the exact point of transcriptional activation of PrP during embryogenesis is unknown.

PRNP contains both intronic and upstream regulatory regions that may influence susceptibility to Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease.

The Prion protein (PrP) plays a central role in Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) and other transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs). Mutations in the protein coding region of the human PrP gene (PRNP), which have been proposed to alter the stability of the PrP protein, have been linked to a number of forms of TSE. However, the majority of CJD cases are not associated with mutations in the PRNP coding region and alternative mechanisms must therefore underlie susceptibility to these forms of CJD.

A single amino acid alteration in murine PrP dramatically alters TSE incubation time.

In order to investigate mutations linked to human TSEs, we have used the technique of gene targeting to introduce specific mutations into the endogenous murine PrP gene which resulted in a P101L substitution (Prnp(a101L)) in the murine PrP gene. This mutation is equivalent to the 102L mutation in the human PrP gene which is associated with Gerstmann-Sträussler syndrome. Since the mutated gene is in the correct chromosomal location and control of the mutant gene expression is identical to that of the wild type murine PrP gene, the precise effect of the 101L mutation in the uninfected and TSE infected mouse can be investigated in this transgenic model.

A single amino acid alteration (101L) introduced into murine PrP dramatically alters incubation time of transmissible spongiform encephalopathy.

A mutation equivalent to P102L in the human PrP gene, associated with Gerstmann-Straussler syndrome (GSS), has been introduced into the murine PrP gene by gene targeting. Mice homozygous for this mutation (101LL) showed no spontaneous transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) disease, but had incubation times dramatically different from wild-type mice following inoculation with different TSE sources. Inoculation with GSS produced disease in 101LL mice in 288 days.

Characterisation of two promoters for prion protein (PrP) gene expression in neuronal cells.

The neuronal membrane protein, PrP, has a key role in the development of the transmissible spongiform encephalopathies and the level of expression of the PrP gene has been shown to affect the disease profile. In order to define the sequences that are responsible for the normal expression of the PrP gene we have isolated and sequenced a 5' region of the murine PrP gene, which includes 1.2 kb upstream from exon 1, intron I and exon 2.

Inhibition of macrophage differentiation and function by cortisol.

Neuroendocrine mechanisms are involved in modulation of the immune system, but the mode of action of the complex interplay between hormones and the immune system is only partially understood. This study examines the role of cortisol in monocyte differentiation and function, with regard to interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) expression. The differentiation of the human histiocytic lymphoma cell line U 937 into macrophage-like cells by phorbol ester [phorbol myristate acetate (PMA)] is inhibited by cortisol.

Molecular cloning and sequencing of the F and 22K membrane protein genes of the RSS-2 strain of respiratory syncytial virus.

The nucleotide sequences of the adjacent genes coding for the F protein and 22K protein of the RSS-2 strain of human respiratory syncytial (RS) virus were determined from cDNA clones of genomic RNA. Comparison of these sequences and the inferred amino acid sequences of the F and 22K proteins with the corresponding published sequences of another subgroup A virus, the A2 strain of RS virus, reveals extensive overall homology (greater than 95%) at both the nucleotide and amino acid levels, even though these two viruses were isolated 15 years apart in different continents. The intergenic region and the hydrophobic amino-terminal signal sequence of the F proteins of the two viruses, however, are much less conserved.

The molecular biology of rotaviruses. VII. Detailed structural analysis of gene 10 of bovine rotavirus.

cDNA cloning and nucleotide sequence analysis have allowed detailed structural studies on RNA segment 10 of the U.K. bovine rotavirus to be undertaken.

Adaptation of coronavirus JHM to persistent infection of murine sac(-) cells.

Coronaviruses can establish persistent infections in the central nervous system of rodents, and these are associated with demyelinating encephalomyelitis. The effects of persistence on the virus are difficult to study in vivo but may have a crucial influence on the course of infection. We therefore produced a persistent infection in vitro using the neurotropic coronavirus JHM, in order to investigate the events underlying the establishment of such an infection and the adaptation of the virus to persistence.

The effect of polyamines on herpes simplex virus type 1 DNA polymerase purified from infected baby hamster kidney cells (BHK-21/C13).

The DNA polymerase whose synthesis is directed by the herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) DNA was purified 545-fold from BHK-21/C13 cells 16 h after infection with the virus. Spermidine and spermine stimulated the activity of the polymerase over the concentration range 0.5 mM to 2.