The Cellular Prion Protein Increases the Uptake and Toxicity of TDP-43 Fibrils

oleh: Carlo Scialò, Luigi Celauro, Marco Zattoni, Thanh Hoa Tran, Edoardo Bistaffa, Fabio Moda, Robert Kammerer, Emanuele Buratti, Giuseppe Legname

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: MDPI AG 2021-08-01

Deskripsi

Cytoplasmic aggregation of the primarily nuclear TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) affects neurons in most amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and approximately half of frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) cases. The cellular prion protein, PrP<sup>C</sup>, has been recognized as a common receptor and downstream effector of circulating neurotoxic species of several proteins involved in neurodegeneration. Here, capitalizing on our recently adapted TDP-43 real time quaking induced reaction, we set reproducible protocols to obtain standardized preparations of recombinant TDP-43 fibrils. We then exploited two different cellular systems (human SH-SY5Y and mouse N2a neuroblastoma cells) engineered to express low or high PrP<sup>C</sup> levels to investigate the link between PrP<sup>C</sup> expression on the cell surface and the internalization of TDP-43 fibrils. Fibril uptake was increased in cells overexpressing either human or mouse prion protein. Increased internalization was associated with detrimental consequences in all PrP-overexpressing cell lines but was milder in cells expressing the human form of the prion protein. As described for other amyloids, treatment with TDP-43 fibrils induced a reduction in the accumulation of the misfolded form of PrP<sup>C</sup>, PrP<sup>Sc</sup>, in cells chronically infected with prions. Our results expand the list of misfolded proteins whose uptake and detrimental effects are mediated by PrP<sup>C</sup>, which encompass almost all pathological amyloids involved in neurodegeneration.