Complex proteinopathies and neurodegeneration: insights from the study of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies

ABSTRACT

Protein misfolding diseases are usually associated with deposits of single “key” proteins that somehow drive the pathology; β-amyloid and hyperphosphorylated tau accumulate in Alzheimer's disease, α-synuclein in Parkinson's disease, or abnormal prion protein (PrP^TSE) in transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs or prion diseases). However, in some diseases more than two proteins accumulate in the same brain. These diseases might be considered “complex” proteinopathies. We have studied models of TSEs (to explore deposits of PrP^TSE and of “secondary proteins”) infecting different strains and doses of TSE agent, factors that control incubation period, duration of illness and histopathology. Model TSEs allowed us to investigate whether different features of histopathology are independent of PrP^TSE or appear as a secondary result of PrP^TSE. Better understanding the complex proteinopathies may help to explain the wide spectrum of degenerative diseases and why some overlap clinically and histopathologically. These studies might also improve diagnosis and eventually even suggest new treatments for human neurodegenerative diseases.

RESUMEN

La acumulación de proteínas con conformación anormal es observada en numerosas enfermedades degenerativas del sistema nervioso. Tales enfermedades están generalmente asociadas con el depósito de una proteína que es importante para la patogenia de la enfermedad; amiloide-β e hiperfosforilación de tau en la Enfermedad de Alzheimer, α-sinucleína en la Enfermedad de Parkinson, y acúmulo de proteína prion anormal (PrP^TSE) en las encefalopatías espongiformes transmisibles (EET). Sin embargo, en algunas enfermedades más de dos proteínas se acumulan en el sistema nervioso central. Estas enfermedades pueden considerarse “proteinopatías complejas”. Hemos estudiado varios modelos de EET para analizar los depósitos de PrP^TSE y la posible acumulación de otras proteínas (que podríamos llamar “proteínas secundarias”). La relación entre proteínas mal plegadas y neurodegeneración no es claro. La mayor parte de las enfermedades neurodegenerativas evolucionan por décadas; por lo tanto los acúmulos proteicos podrían generar diferentes efectos patogénicos en los diferentes estadios de la enfermedad. Alternativamente los acúmulos proteicos podrían ser el resultado de alteraciones del sistema nervioso y no su causa. Dado que la etiología de las ETT es relativamente bien conocido y es atribuido a infección por agentes autoreplicantes que generan malformacion de la proteína prion normal (la isoforma patologica, PrP^TSE, propuesta como el agente infeccioso) hemos estudiado varios modelos animales, cepas de agente infectante y dosis del agente causal de ETT. Estos factores controlan el período de incubación, duración de la enfermedad e histopatología. Los modelos animales estudiados nos han permitido investigar si las diferentes características histopatológicas son independientes de PrP^TSE o podrían ser secundarias a la acumulación de la misma. Un mejor conocimiento de las proteinopatías complejas podría ayudar a analizar el espectro de enfermedades degenerativas y a su vez, investigar el motivo de la superposición clínico-patológico en algunas de ellas. Estos estudios podrían ayudar en el diagnóstico y eventualmente sugerir nuevas posibles terapéuticas para las enfermedades neurodegenerativas humanas.

Keywords:

Dementia - amyloidogenic proteins - prion diseases

Palabras-clave:

Demencia - proteínas amiloidogénicas - enfermedades por príon

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