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Short Communications |
From the Institute of Clinical Pathology*
and Division
of Immunology, Allergy, and Infectious
Diseases,
Department of Dermatology,
University of Vienna Medical School, Vienna, Austria
| Abstract |
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or interferon (IFN)-
led to an
increase of PrPc protein expression. The presence of
PrPc on epithelial cells of skin and mucous membranes
suggests that these cells represent possible first targets for
peripheral infection with prions.
| Introduction |
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Recently, the occurrence of a variant form of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) has raised the question of interspecies transmission of BSE from cows to humans. Whereas evidence suggests that BSE has spread to man6 , no clear relationship between risk factors and disease occurrence has been established.7 Scrapie of sheep is one of the longest known prion-associated disorders, but the transmission routes have not been clarified for this disease either.2,8 Successful transmission of prion diseases via inoculation into the skin has been recently reported in rodents.5 Several cell types found in the skin, including fibroblasts9 and certain hemopoietic cells,10,11 have been found to express PrPc; however, to the best of our knowledge, the skin compartment itself has otherwise not yet been studied for its possible involvement in prion diseases. Therefore, we set out to investigate the distribution of PrPc in human skin and mucous membranes.
| Materials and Methods |
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Expression of PrPc was analyzed on sections derived from paraffin-embedded specimens collected for routine histopathology. After microwave treatment, immunostaining was performed using either anti-PrP monoclonal antibody (MAb) 3F4 (1:400; Chemicon, Temecula, CA) or 6H4 (1:300; Prionics AG, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland12 ) following a standard protocol.13 Control stainings with irrelevant isotype-matched control MAbs, ie, IgG1 (Coulter, Hialeah, FL) for MAb 6H4 and IgG2a (Coulter) for MAb 3F4 in adequate concentrations were regularly included in our experimental procedures.
Western Blot Analysis
Cells were lysed in a buffer containing 1% Nonidet P-40 and 1% SDS buffer. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and Western transfer to nitrocellulose membranes were performed under standard conditions. For some experiments, gels were electrophoresed in duplicate under identical conditions; one was stained with Coomassie blue and the other was subjected to Western blot analysis to assure equal loading of protein. Membranes were reacted to MAb 3F4 or to an isotype-matched control MAb followed by horseradish-peroxidase-labeled sheep anti-mouse IgG (Amersham Life Science, Little Chalfont, UK). After rinsing in enhanced chemiluminescence reagent (Amersham), membranes were exposed to X-OMAT-AR film (Eastman Kodak, Rochester, NY). For deglycosylation experiments, PNGaseF (New England BioLabs, Schwalbach, Germany) was used according to the manufacturer's instructions. For some experiments, protein glycosylation was inhibited with tunicamycin (5 µg/ml; Calbiochem, San Diego, CA) for 24 hours.
Cell Cultures
Human neonatal foreskin KCs (Clonetics, San Diego, CA) were
cultured under low-Ca2+ conditions (0.15 mmol/L) in
serum-free KC growth medium (KGM) consisting of KC basal medium (KBM)
supplemented with human recombinant epidermal growth factor (0.1
ng/ml), bovine pituitary extract, insulin (5 µg/ml), hydrocortisone
(0.5 µg/ml), and gentamicin/amphotericin B (50 µg/ml/50 ng/ml; all
Clonetics) at 37°C in 5% CO2. Cells were routinely
passaged at a confluence of 60% to 80%. All experiments were carried
out between passages 2 and 5. For stimulation experiments, KCs were
grown either in KBM alone or in KBM supplemented with interferon
(IFN)-
(1000 U/ml; Imukin, Bender-Med, Vienna, Austria),
transforming growth factor (TGF)-
(100 ng/ml; Eubio, Vienna,
Austria), interleukin (IL)-1ß (4 pg/ml; Eubio), tumor necrosis factor
(TNF)-
(50 U/ml; Biomol, Hamburg, Germany) or phorbol myristate
acetate (100 nmol/L; Sigma Aldrich, Vienna, Austria). The epidermoid
carcinoma cell line A431, the immortalized KC cell line HaCaT, and the
melanoma cell line SkMEL28 were grown in RPMI-1640 supplemented with
10% fetal bovine serum and 1% L-glutamine (all GIBCO BRL,
Gaithersburg, MD).
Northern Hybridization
For Northern blot analysis, total RNA was size fractionated in 1% agarose gels containing 1.48% formaldehyde and transferred to nylon membranes (Nytran, Schleicher and Schüll, Dassel, Germany) as described previously.14 For hybridization, a mouse PrPc cDNA probe (kindly provided by A. Aguzzi15 ) was used under high-stringency conditions.
| Results |
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and transforming TGF-
but not by IL-1ß or
TNF-
(Figure 3a)
also
strongly induced the expression of PrPc in HaCaT (Figure 3a)
resulted in strong expression of an additional band of
approximately 23 kd, corresponding to nonglycosylated
PrPc.19
Deglycosylation experiments with either
PNGase F or incubation of cells with tunicamycin confirmed that the
molecular weight of the KC-derived PrPc protein backbone
was indeed approximately 23 kd (Figure 3b)
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| Discussion |
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and IFN-
. As
TGF-
is strongly expressed in psoriatic epidermis20
and
IFN-
is produced at inflammatory sites by activated T lymphocytes,
these cytokines may also in vivo be involved in the
regulation of PrPc expression by KCs in an autocrine and
paracrine manner. In recent years, it has been found that PrPc is expressed not only by neurons but also by several non-neuronal tissues.9-11,21 Functionally, PrPc in the CNS is involved in synaptic transmission in nerve cells,22 in survival of Purkinje cells,23 and in sleep regulation.24 In both human and murine lymphocytes it plays a role in mitogen-induced lymphocyte activation.10,17 Despite intensive research, the function of PrPc in other tissues, including the epidermis, is unknown. The fact that PrPc is a glycolipid-anchored cell surface glycoprotein3 is suggestive for a role in signaling and/or adhesion. Recent data indeed indicate that at least two ligands, ie, a 37-kd laminin receptor precursor25 and a 66-kd membrane protein,26 exist that are able to bind to PrPc. However, the in vivo significance and possible functional implications of these findings remain to be determined.
As to the involvement of PrPc in the pathogenesis of prion
diseases, it has been amply documented that its presence is the
prerequisite for the development of transmissible spongiform
encephalopathies.1-3
Therefore, the clinically most
relevant question is whether or not epithelia-associated
PrPc plays a role in the acquisition of prion diseases. It
is conceivable or even likely that if prions penetrate into the
epidermis they would be able to start the conversion of KC-derived
PrPc to PrPSc. Penetration is certainly
possible via the broken skin barrier in eczema and ulcerations. As in
these disorders KCs do strongly express PrPc, the scenario
would be particularly favorable for a transmission to occur. After
inoculation, the skin-associated lymphoid tissue could play a role in
the further propagation of prions to lymphoid organs and to the
CNS.5
Infiltrating mononuclear cells in eczema and
psoriasis, mainly composed of T lymphocytes and
macrophages,16
are PrPc positive (Figure 1c)
.
They thus represent appropriate targets for conversion of
PrPc to PrPSc in the skin, in the course of
primary infection, and could account for the spread of the altered
protein to the lymphoid organs. Conversely, in infected individuals,
skin-homing lymphocytes might encounter PrPSc in the
lymphoid organs and transport it back to the skin at sites of
inflammation. Lymphocyte-associated PrPSc could thus gain
access to the epidermis causing the conversion of KC-associated
PrPc. However, in contrast to other organs where
PrPSc accumulates within cells and in intercellular
spaces,1-3
the epidermis is constantly self-renewing and
sheds terminally differentiated cells. This mechanism would probably
not allow that PrPSc accumulates intraepidermally and
induces epidermal pathologies. On the other hand, such a mechanism
might lead to the shedding of contaminated material from the body
surface. Sheep affected by scrapie suffer from severe pruritus,
prompting them to rub their hindquarters on any objects.2
If PrPSc were present in the skin as argued above, it could
readily be deposited on these objects and passed on to noninfected
animals that use the same objects for rubbing.
Although there are only few hard data available on the route of transmission of prion diseases, it appears that the intimate contact with contaminated material, by direct inoculation or ingestion, is necessary. CJD is transmitted in the course of dura grafting or after parenteral administration of natural human growth hormone.2 Infection by ingestion of prion-contaminated material has recently aroused great interest as a result of the BSE crisis where cows have been infected most likely after being fed meat and bone meals derived from scrapie-infected sheep. Kuru, a prion-mediated disease of the Fore people, was acquired during cannibalistic rites and the ingestion of organs of relatives.3 In the light of our finding it is conceivable that, in addition to the gut, PrPc-expressing squamous epithelium of the upper gastrointestinal tract might constitute a target for primary generation of PrPSc in both BSE and kuru. Interestingly, in transmission of kuru, also contamination during the preparation of the ritual meals and peripheral inoculation has been suggested to be involved.27 As inflammatory skin diseases were frequent among the Fore people,27 epidermal PrPc might have indeed represented a relevant first target for prions in kuru. As to other human prion diseases, ie, CJD and its new variant,7 there exists no epidemiological indication that acquisition of prions via the skin plays a role in their spread. Nevertheless, we believe that our data on the expression of PrPc in epithelial cells of skin and mucous membranes justify the inclusion of these organs in future studies on prion disease transmission and pathogenesis.
A potential further implication of our findings concerns the current practice of grafting of skin substitutes. Skin substitutes contain in vitro expanded keratinocytes and are routinely used for autologous and allogeneic grafting on surgical and burn wounds and chronic leg ulcers.28 Growth of these cells mostly is carried out in medium supplemented with either fetal bovine serum or with bovine pituitary extracts.29 If epithelial PrPc indeed constituted a possible target for prions, skin substitutes may represent a possible route for inoculation of bovine prions into humans. As currently there are no routine tests available to detect prion-contaminated material, our data emphasize the necessity to develop cell culture systems devoid of undefined animal proteins.
| Acknowledgements |
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| Footnotes |
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Supported in part by the Ludwig Boltzmann-Institut for the Investigation of Infectious Venerodermatological Diseases.
Accepted for publication July 24, 1998.
| References |
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in psoriatic epidermis. Science 1989, 243:811-814This article has been cited by other articles:
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R. Linden, V. R. Martins, M. A. M. Prado, M. Cammarota, I. Izquierdo, and R. R. Brentani Physiology of the Prion Protein Physiol Rev, April 1, 2008; 88(2): 673 - 728. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
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Y. Pan, L. Zhao, J. Liang, J. Liu, Y. Shi, N. Liu, G. Zhang, H. Jin, J. Gao, H. Xie, et al. Cellular prion protein promotes invasion and metastasis of gastric cancer FASEB J, September 1, 2006; 20(11): 1886 - 1888. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
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N. F. McLennan, P. M. Brennan, A. McNeill, I. Davies, A. Fotheringham, K. A. Rennison, D. Ritchie, F. Brannan, M. W. Head, J. W. Ironside, et al. Prion Protein Accumulation and Neuroprotection in Hypoxic Brain Damage Am. J. Pathol., July 1, 2004; 165(1): 227 - 235. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
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H. Budka Neuropathology of prion diseases Br. Med. Bull., June 1, 2003; 66(1): 121 - 130. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
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M. Moudjou, Y. Frobert, J. Grassi, and C. La Bonnardiere Cellular prion protein status in sheep: tissue-specific biochemical signatures J. Gen. Virol., August 1, 2001; 82(8): 2017 - 2024. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
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C. Lemaire-Vieille, T. Schulze, V. Podevin-Dimster, J. Follet, Y. Bailly, F. Blanquet-Grossard, J.-P. Decavel, E. Heinen, and J.-Y. Cesbron Epithelial and endothelial expression of the green fluorescent protein reporter gene under the control of bovine prion protein (PrP) gene regulatory sequences in transgenic mice PNAS, May 9, 2000; 97(10): 5422 - 5427. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
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