In vitro and in vivo neurotoxicity of prion protein oligomers.

The mechanisms underlying prion-linked neurodegeneration remain to be elucidated, despite several recent advances in this field. Herein, we show that soluble, low molecular weight oligomers of the full-length prion protein (PrP), which possess characteristics of PrP to PrPsc conversion intermediates such as partial protease resistance, are neurotoxic in vitro on primary cultures of neurons and in vivo after subcortical stereotaxic injection. Monomeric PrP was not toxic.

Evaluation of modified vaccinia virus Ankara as an alternative vaccine against smallpox in chronically HIV type 1-infected individuals undergoing HAART.

The fear of malevolent use of variola virus by terrorists has led to the implementation of a health care worker vaccination program and to the consideration of vaccination for the general public. However, due to concerns about side effects of the classical smallpox vaccine, especially for immunocompromised individuals, a safer vaccine is urgently needed. We characterized the immunogenicity of modified vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA), one of the more promising alternative smallpox vaccines, in a cohort of 10 chronically HIV-1-infected individuals undergoing highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART).

Humoral immune response to native eukaryotic prion protein correlates with anti-prion protection.

Prion diseases are characterized by the deposition of an abnormal form (termed PrP(Sc)) of the cellular prion protein (PrP(C)). Because antibodies to PrP(C) can antagonize deposition of PrP(Sc) in cultured cells and mice, they may be useful for anti-prion therapy. However, induction of protective anti-prion immune responses in WT animals may be hindered by host tolerance.

Recognition of lumenal prion protein aggregates by post-ER quality control mechanisms is mediated by the preoctarepeat region of PrP.

Prion diseases are fatal transmissible neurodegenerative disorders linked to an aberrant conformation of the cellular prion protein (PrP(c)). We have shown previously that the chemical compound suramin induced aggregation of fully matured PrP(c) in post-ER compartments, thereby, activating a post-ER quality control mechanism and preventing cell surface localization of PrP by intracellular re-routing of aggregated PrP from the Golgi/TGN directly to lysosomes. Of note, drug-induced PrP aggregates were not toxic and could easily be degraded by neuronal cells.

Stability and conformational properties of doppel, a prion-like protein, and its single-disulphide mutant.

Both prion protein and the structurally homologous protein doppel are associated with neurodegenerative disease by mechanisms which remain elusive. We have prepared murine doppel, and a mutant with one of the two disulphide bonds removed, in the expectation of increasing the similarity of doppel to prion protein in terms of conformation and stability. Unfolding studies of doppel and the mutant have been performed using far-UV CD over a range of solution conditions known to favour the alpha-->beta transformation of recombinant prion protein.

Polyclonal anti-PrP auto-antibodies induced with dimeric PrP interfere efficiently with PrPSc propagation in prion-infected cells.

Prion diseases are neurodegenerative infectious disorders for which no prophylactic regimens are known. In order to induce antibodies/auto-antibodies directed against surface-located PrP(c), we used a covalently linked dimer of mouse prion protein expressed recombinantly in Escherichia coli. Employing dimeric PrP as an immunogen we were able to effectively overcome autotolerance against murine PrP in PrP wild-type mice without inducing obvious side effects.

Prion-protein-specific aptamer reduces PrPSc formation.

The critical initial event in the pathophysiology of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) appears to be the conversion of the cellular prion protein (PrP(C)) into the abnormal isoform PrP(Sc). This isoform forms high-molecular-weight protease K (PK) resistant aggregates that accumulate in the central nervous system of affected individuals. We have selected nuclease-resistant 2'-amino-2'-deoxypyrimidine-modified RNA aptamers which recognize a peptide comprising amino acid residues 90-129 of the human prion protein with high specificity.