PrP的胞内运输与朊病毒病

朊病毒病,即传染性海绵状脑病（transmissible spongiform encephalopathies,TSEs）,是一类致死性的神经退行性疾病,存在散发性、感染性和遗传性3种形式。在朊病毒病的病理过程中,细胞正常朊蛋白PrPc（cellular PrP）转化为异常构象的PrP^Sc（scrapie PrP）是至关重要的,但是朊病毒的增殖如何导致神经元凋亡仍不清楚。PrPc的胞内运输在朊病毒病中发挥重要作用,朊病毒感染后PrP^C转化为PrP^Sc,及遗传性朊病毒病中PrP突变可能影响PrP的生物合成、亚细胞定位及转运过程,通过干扰PrP^C的正常功能或产生毒性中间体而导致神经系统病变。现对近年来关于PrP胞内运输在朊病毒病中的作用进行综述。     

RCMV感染星形胶质细胞对神经干细胞分化的影响

探讨大鼠巨细胞病毒（rat cytomegalovirus,RCMV）感染大鼠星形胶质细胞后,对神经干细胞分化的影响。原代分离培养新生大鼠星形胶质细胞和胚胎海马神经干细胞,将星形胶质细胞感染RCMV后和神经干细胞在Transwell24孔共培养体系下进行共培养,同时设对照组;用免疫荧光染色等方法检测神经干细胞与感染RCMV的星形胶质细胞共培养后,其分化细胞中神经元微管相关蛋白（microtubule-associated protein 2,MAP2）和星形胶质细胞胶质纤维酸性蛋白（glial fibril—lary acidic protein,GFAP）的表达。结果发现,感染RCMV的星形胶质细胞与神经干细胞共培养时,神经干细胞分化减慢,分化成的神经元和星形胶质细胞比率低于对照组,提示星形胶质细胞感染RCMV后可抑制神经干细胞的分化,可能与RCMV影响星形胶质细胞合成和分泌各种营养因子,干扰了神经干细胞的分化进程有关。     

神经功能网络假说浅谈

一、神经功能网络的组成 神经功能网络假说是本人在已知的神经结构和功能的基础上,针对目前就某些神经部位及功能表述上存在的混乱,用动态发展的思想和观点提出的。神经功能网络由神经元和与之共生的神经胶质细胞以及细胞外液理化因素共同组成,是神经系统活动的基本结构和功能单位;三呈三圆互交的关系（图）,既有各自的功能又相互影响;作为一个整体发挥作用。以往对神经元功能的研究结果,实际上包含了胶质细胞在其中的作用。没有神经胶质细胞对神经元的作用,神经元传导、传递和整合信息的功能是不可能实现的;没有内环境理化性质的相对稳定作为条件,神经组织的功能活动亦不可能正常的发生和发展。     

星形胶质细胞糖代谢对神经元的支持及保护作用

脑组织有着极其复杂的功能,这些功能的完成有赖于神经元细胞与胶质细胞之间的广泛合作。星形胶质细胞作为人脑内数量最多的细胞,其与神经元细胞之间的相互作用就显得十分重要。葡萄糖代谢途径包括糖酵解,有氧氧化及磷酸戊糖三条途径。其为脑组织维持其正常功能的前提。研究表明星形胶质细胞和神经元在糖代谢方面有着各自的特点,神经元在能量底物及抗氧化应激中对星形胶质细胞糖代谢途径存在一定的依赖性,干扰星形胶质细胞与神经元之间的代谢过程会导致疾病的发生。本综述主要从糖酵解及磷酸戊糖两条糖代谢途径阐述了星形胶质细胞与神经元的关系。这或许会对研究脑的代谢,脑疾病中神经元的损伤机制及如何保护神经元提供全新的视角,并可能为一些疾病的治疗开辟了新的途径。     

脑啡肽增强胶质细胞的神经营养作用与NO生成减少有关

本文在ＳＤ大鼠大脑皮层胶质细胞神经元共培养模式上,以神经元存活、突起生长、生长相关蛋白４３（ｇｒｏｗｔｈａｓｏｃｉａｔｅｄｐｒｏｔｅｉｎ４３,ＧＡＰ４３）ｍＲＮＡ的表达为指标,观察了脑啡肽对胶质细胞神经营养作用的影响,并对其机理作了初步探讨。结果表明,经脑啡肽处理的胶质细胞能使神经元的存活计数增加２８％（Ｐ＜００５）,单个神经元突起总长度增加１１％（Ｐ＜００５）,最长突起长度增加１６％（Ｐ＜００５）,ＧＡＰ４３ｍＲＮＡ的表达增加２６％（Ｐ＜００５）。然后又观察了脑啡肽（１０－６～１０－１２ｍｏｌ／Ｌ）对培养胶质细胞生成一氧化氮（ＮＯ）的影响。结果表明,浓度为１０－８,１０－１０ｍｏｌ／Ｌ的脑啡肽能明显抑制其生成（Ｐ＜００５）。结果提示,脑啡肽可能增强胶质细胞的神经营养作用,其机制之一可能是通过抑制胶质细胞ＮＯ的生成。     

羊瘙痒因子263K感染仓鼠临床终末期脑中αB-晶体蛋白表达的研究

αB-晶体蛋白(αB-crystallin)是小热休克蛋白(Small heat shock protein,sHSP)家族的代表成员,已发现与多种神经退行性疾病发生发展密切相关,但至今为止对αB-晶体蛋白在朊病毒病发生发展中可能扮演的角色研究甚少,作用尚不清楚。本研究利用羊瘙痒因子仓鼠敏感株263K感染仓鼠建立的朊病毒实验动物模型,通过免疫印迹(Western blots)和免疫组织化学染色观察到伴随PrPSc在感染终末期动物脑组织中大量沉积,αB-晶体蛋白表达显著上调,比正常对照增高3倍。免疫荧光双染确定其分布的主要细胞类型为星形胶质细胞,神经元中未检测到表达。感染动物中高表达的αB-晶体蛋白与异常沉积的PrPSc无明显共定位。此研究为进一步探讨和揭示αB-晶体蛋白在朊病毒病中可能的作用和分子机制奠定了基础。     

朊病毒感染对细胞中三羧酸循环关键催化酶的影响研究

为了研究朊病毒感染对细胞氧化供能的主要途径—三羧酸循环关键催化酶的影响。使用ATP检测试剂盒检测朊病毒感染后细胞的ATP表达情况,采用蛋白免疫印迹方法检测朊病毒感染细胞中三羧酸循环关键催化酶的表达情况;使用细胞免疫荧光对催化酶进行细胞定位;应用线粒体分离试剂盒分离线粒体,检测线粒体中催化酶的表达情况。结果显示朊病毒感染后的细胞ATP表达水平明显降低,进一步检测三羧酸循环过程中三个主要的催化酶,发现这三个催化酶在朊病毒感染的细胞中表达量明显降低,免疫荧光实验显示催化酶与线粒体标志蛋白具有空间共定位现象,并发现在朊病毒感染细胞的线粒体中这三个催化酶的表达也显著降低。本研究发现朊病毒感染细胞中三羧酸循环催化酶的表达量明显降低,导致ATP产能下降,影响细胞代谢水平。     

神经胶质细胞调控黑腹果蝇生理行为研究进展

生物机体的神经系统由神经元和神经胶质细胞(简称胶质细胞,glia)两部分组成.目前,对神经元的研究已经非常广泛,但是有关胶质细胞的功能研究仍然所知甚少.由于胶质细胞不具兴奋性,无法像神经元一样传递动作电位,传统观点认为胶质细胞主要起到支撑神经元并维持其正常功能的作用.近年来,越来越多的研究结果表明,胶质细胞参与调控生物...     

脑星形胶质细胞生物学功能研究进展

脑星形胶质细胞是中枢神经系统（CNS）内在数目占绝对优势的一类大胶质细胞,被认为在神经元的整个发育过程中起重要作用。本文主要就参与星形胶质细胞调节神经元活动的主要功能分子,星形胶质细胞在中枢神经系统的生物学功能,及其与疾病的关系作一简要回顾。     

猫内侧膝状体年龄相关性形态学变化

目的比较青年猫和老年猫内侧膝状体神经元及S100蛋白与波形蛋白表达的年龄相关性变化。方法Nissl染色显示内侧膝状体结构及神经元,免疫组织化学方法示S100免疫反应阳性（S100-IRS100-immunoreactive）细胞及波形蛋白免疫反应阳性（Vimentin-IR Vimentin-immunoreactive）细胞。光镜下观察,利用图像分析软件进行图像采集分析。结果青年猫和老年猫内侧膝状体神经元数量及胞体直径无明显改变（P〉0.05）;与青年猫相比,老年猫内侧膝状体各分区中S100-IR细胞与Vimentin-IR细胞密度均显著增大,且免疫阳性反应强度增强（P〈0.01）,提示老年会导致内侧膝状体S100与波形蛋白表达显著增强。结论在衰老过程中,内侧膝状体处于静息和激活状态的星形胶质细胞均出现明显的增生,这对维持老年个体内侧膝状体神经元的正常形态和功能,从而延缓老年性听觉功能衰退可能具有重要作用。     

Neuropathology of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease

The neuropathological features human prion diseases comprise spongiform change, neuronal loss, astrocytic and microglial proliferation and the accumulation of the abnormal isoform of prion protein (PrPRES) in the central nervous system. Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is a novel human prion disease which appears to result from infection by the bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) agent. The neuropathology of variant CJD shows morphological and immunocytochemical characteristics distinct from all other types of human prion disease, and is characterised by abundant florid and cluster plaques in the cerebrum and cerebellum, and widespread accumulation of PrPRES on immunocytochemistry. Spongiform change is most marked in the caudate nucleus and putamen, and the thalamus exhibits severe neuronal loss and gliosis, which is most marked in the posterior nuclei and correlates with the areas of high signal seen in the posterior thalamus on MRI examination of the brain. Western blot analysis of PrPRES on frozen brain tissue in variant CJD tissue shows a uniform isotype, with a glycoform ratio distinct from sporadic CJD. PrPRES accumulation is widespread in lymphoid tissues in vCJD. All cases of variant CJD are methionine homozygotes at codon 129 of the PrP gene. Histological and biochemical techniques will be required to identify cases of 'human BSE' in individuals who are MV or VV at codon 129 of the PrP gene. Continued surveillance is required to investigate this possibility in the UK and other countries where BSE has been reported.     

The Prion Protein Knockout Mouse

The key pathogenic event in prion disease involves misfolding and aggregation of the cellular prion protein (PrP). Beyond this fundamental observation, the mechanism by which PrP misfolding in neurons leads to injury and death remains enigmatic. Prion toxicity may come about by perverting the normal function of PrP. If so, understanding the normal function of PrP may help to elucidate the molecular mechansim of prion disease. Ablation of the Prnp gene, which encodes PrP, was instrumental for determining that the continuous production of PrP is essential for replicating prion infectivity. Since the structure of PrP has not provided any hints to its possible function, and there is no obvious phenotype in PrP KO mice, studies of PrP function have often relied on intuition and serendipity. Here, we enumerate the multitude of phenotypes described in PrP deficient mice, many of which manifest themselves only upon physiological challenge. We discuss the pleiotropic phenotypes of PrP deficient mice in relation to the possible normal function of PrP. The critical question remains open: which of these phenotypes are primary effects of PrP deletion and what do they tell us about the function of PrP?     

The Prion Protein Knockout Mouse: A Phenotype Under Challenge

The key pathogenic event in prion disease involves misfolding and aggregation of the cellular prion protein (PrP). Beyond this fundamental observation, the mechanism by which PrP misfolding in neurons leads to injury and death remains enigmatic. Prion toxicity may come about by perverting the normal function of PrP. If so, understanding the normal function of PrP may help to elucidate the molecular mechansim of prion disease. Ablation of the Prnp gene, which encodes PrP, was instrumental for determining that the continuous production of PrP is essential for replicating prion infectivity. Since the structure of PrP has not provided any hints to its possible function, and there is no obvious phenotype in PrP KO mice, studies of PrP function have often relied on intuition and serendipity. Here, we enumerate the multitude of phenotypes described in PrP deficient mice, many of which manifest themselves only upon physiological challenge. We discuss the pleiotropic phenotypes of PrP deficient mice in relation to the possible normal function of PrP. The critical question remains open: which of these phenotypes are primary effects of PrP deletion and what do they tell us about the function of PrP?Key Words: transmissible spongiform encephalopathy, amyloid, PrP     

Naturally prion resistant mammals

Each known abnormal prion protein (PrP^Sc) is considered to have a specific range and therefore the ability to infect some species and not others. Consequently, some species have been assumed to be prion disease resistant as no successful natural or experimental challenge infections have been reported. This assumption suggested that, independent of the virulence of the PrP^Sc strain, normal prion protein (PrP^C) from these ‘resistant’ species could not be induced to misfold. Numerous in vitro and in vivo studies trying to corroborate the unique properties of PrP^Sc have been undertaken. The results presented in the article “Rabbits are not resistant to prion infection” demonstrated that normal rabbit PrP^C, which was considered to be resistant to prion disease, can be misfolded to PrP^Sc and subsequently used to infect and transmit a standard prion disease to leporids. Using the concept of species resistance to prion disease, we will discuss the mistake of attributing species specific prion disease resistance based purely on the absence of natural cases and incomplete in vivo challenges. The BSE epidemic was partially due to an underestimation of species barriers. To repeat this error would be unacceptable, especially if present knowledge and techniques can show a theoretical risk. Now that the myth of prion disease resistance has been refuted it is time to re-evaluate, using the new powerful tools available in modern prion laboratories, whether any other species could be at risk.     

Prion interference is due to a reduction in strain-specific PrPSc levels

When two prion strains infect a single host, one strain can interfere with the ability of the other to cause disease but it is not known whether prion replication of the second strain is also diminished. To further investigate strain interference, we infected hamsters in the sciatic nerve with the long-incubation-period transmissible mink encephalopathy (TME) agent DY TME prior to superinfection of hamsters with the short-incubation-period HY TME agent. Increases in the interval between TME agent inoculations resulted in an extension of the incubation period of HY TME or a complete block of the ability of the HY TME agent to cause disease. The sciatic nerve route of inoculation gave the two TME strains access to the same population of neurons, allowing for the potential of prion interference in the lumbar spinal cord. The ability of the DY TME agent to extend the incubation period of HY TME corresponds with detection of DY TME PrP(Sc), the abnormal isoform of the prion protein, in the lumbar spinal cord. The increased incubation period of HY TME or the inability of the HY TME agent to cause disease in the coinfected animals corresponds with a reduction in the abundance of HY TME PrP(Sc) in the lumbar spinal cord. When the two strains were not directed to the same populations of neurons within the lumbar spinal cord, interference between HY TME and DY TME did not occur. This suggests that DY TME agent replication interferes with HY TME agent replication when the two strains infect a common population of neurons.     

Zinc, copper, and carnosine attenuate neurotoxicity of prion fragment PrP106-126

Prion diseases are progressive neurodegenerative diseases that are associated with the conversion of normal cellular prion protein (PrP(C)) to abnormal pathogenic prion protein (PrP(SC)) by conformational changes. Prion protein is a metal-binding protein that is suggested to be involved in metal homeostasis. We investigated here the effects of trace elements on the conformational changes and neurotoxicity of synthetic prion peptide (PrP106-126). PrP106-126 exhibited the formation of β-sheet structures and enhanced neurotoxicity during the aging process. The co-existence of Zn(2+) or Cu(2+) during aging inhibited β-sheet formation by PrP106-126 and attenuated its neurotoxicity on primary cultured rat hippocampal neurons. Although PrP106-126 formed amyloid-like fibrils as observed by atomic force microscopy, the height of the fibers was decreased in the presence of Zn(2+) or Cu(2+). Carnosine (β-alanyl histidine) significantly inhibited both the β-sheet formation and the neurotoxicity of PrP106-126. Our results suggested that Zn(2+) and Cu(2+) might be involved in the pathogenesis of prion diseases. It is also possible that carnosine might become a candidate for therapeutic treatments for prion diseases.     

Genotype-dependent Molecular Evolution of Sheep Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) Prions in Vitro Affects Their Zoonotic Potential

Prion diseases are rare fatal neurological conditions of humans and animals, one of which (variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease) is known to be a zoonotic form of the cattle disease bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). What makes one animal prion disease zoonotic and others not is poorly understood, but it appears to involve compatibility between the prion strain and the host prion protein sequence. Concerns have been raised that the United Kingdom sheep flock may have been exposed to BSE early in the cattle BSE epidemic and that serial BSE transmission in sheep might have resulted in adaptation of the agent, which may have come to phenotypically resemble scrapie while maintaining its pathogenicity for humans. We have modeled this scenario in vitro. Extrapolation from our results suggests that if BSE were to infect sheep in the field it may, with time and in some sheep genotypes, become scrapie-like at the molecular level. However, the results also suggest that if BSE in sheep were to come to resemble scrapie it would lose its ability to affect humans.     

Molecular advances in understanding inherited prion diseases

The prion diseases are neurodegenerative disorders that have attracted great interest because of the possible link between bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) and variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CTD) in humans. Possible transmission of these diseases has been linked to a single protein termed the prion protein. This protein is an abnormal isoform of a normal synaptic glycoprotein. The majority of prion diseases does not appear to be caused by transmission of an infectious agent but occur spontaneously with no known cause. The strongest supporting evidence that the prion protein is the causative agent in prion disease comes from specific inheritable forms of prion disease which are linked to single point mutations in the prion protein gene. Paradoxically, these point mutations, although autosomal dominant with 100% penetrance do not lead to disease until late in life. Molecular techniques are now being used extensively to determine how these point-mutations alter the prion protein’s normal structure and activity. This review deals with the latest insights into how inherited mutations in the prion protein gene lead to neurodegenerative disease.     

Naturally prion resistant mammals: A utopia?

Each known abnormal prion protein (PrP^Sc) is considered to have a specific range and therefore the ability to infect some species and not others. Consequently, some species have been assumed to be prion disease resistant as no successful natural or experimental challenge infections have been reported. This assumption suggested that, independent of the virulence of the PrP^Sc strain, normal prion protein (PrP^C) from these ‘resistant’ species could not be induced to misfold. Numerous in vitro and in vivo studies trying to corroborate the unique properties of PrP^Sc have been undertaken. The results presented in the article “Rabbits are not resistant to prion infection” demonstrated that normal rabbit PrP^C, which was considered to be resistant to prion disease, can be misfolded to PrP^Sc and subsequently used to infect and transmit a standard prion disease to leporids. Using the concept of species resistance to prion disease, we will discuss the mistake of attributing species specific prion disease resistance based purely on the absence of natural cases and incomplete in vivo challenges. The BSE epidemic was partially due to an underestimation of species barriers. To repeat this error would be unacceptable, especially if present knowledge and techniques can show a theoretical risk. Now that the myth of prion disease resistance has been refuted it is time to re-evaluate, using the new powerful tools available in modern prion laboratories, whether any other species could be at risk.     

Prion infection of epithelial Rov cells is a polarized event

During prion infections, the cellular glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored glycoprotein PrP is converted into a conformational isoform. This abnormal conformer is thought to recruit and convert the normal cellular PrP into a likeness of itself and is proposed to be the infectious agent. We investigated the distribution of the PrP protein on the surface of Rov cells, an epithelial cell line highly permissive to prion multiplication, and we found that PrP is primarily expressed on the apical side. We further show that prion transmission to Rov cells is much more efficient if infectivity contacts the apical side, indicating that the apical and basolateral sides of Rov cells are not equally competent for prion infection and adding prions to the list of the conventional infectious agents (viruses and bacteria) that infect epithelial cells in a polarized manner. These data raise the possibility that apically expressed PrP may be involved in this polarized process of infection. This would add further support for a crucial role of PrP at the cell surface in prion infection of target cells.