An antipsychotic drug exerts anti-prion effects by altering the localization of the cellular prion protein.

Prion diseases are neurodegenerative conditions characterized by the conformational conversion of the cellular prion protein (PrPC), an endogenous membrane glycoprotein of uncertain function, into PrPSc, a pathological isoform that replicates by imposing its abnormal folding onto PrPC molecules. A g...

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Main Authors: Claudia Stincardini, Tania Massignan, Silvia Biggi, Saioa R Elezgarai, Valeria Sangiovanni, Ilaria Vanni, Michael Pancher, Valentina Adami, Jorge Moreno, Matteo Stravalaci, Giulia Maietta, Marco Gobbi, Alessandro Negro, Jesús R Requena, Joaquín Castilla, Romolo Nonno, Emiliano Biasini
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2017-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0182589&type=printable
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author Claudia Stincardini
Tania Massignan
Silvia Biggi
Saioa R Elezgarai
Valeria Sangiovanni
Ilaria Vanni
Michael Pancher
Valentina Adami
Jorge Moreno
Matteo Stravalaci
Giulia Maietta
Marco Gobbi
Alessandro Negro
Jesús R Requena
Joaquín Castilla
Romolo Nonno
Emiliano Biasini
author_facet Claudia Stincardini
Tania Massignan
Silvia Biggi
Saioa R Elezgarai
Valeria Sangiovanni
Ilaria Vanni
Michael Pancher
Valentina Adami
Jorge Moreno
Matteo Stravalaci
Giulia Maietta
Marco Gobbi
Alessandro Negro
Jesús R Requena
Joaquín Castilla
Romolo Nonno
Emiliano Biasini
author_sort Claudia Stincardini
collection DOAJ
description Prion diseases are neurodegenerative conditions characterized by the conformational conversion of the cellular prion protein (PrPC), an endogenous membrane glycoprotein of uncertain function, into PrPSc, a pathological isoform that replicates by imposing its abnormal folding onto PrPC molecules. A great deal of evidence supports the notion that PrPC plays at least two roles in prion diseases, by acting as a substrate for PrPSc replication, and as a mediator of its toxicity. This conclusion was recently supported by data suggesting that PrPC may transduce neurotoxic signals elicited by other disease-associated protein aggregates. Thus, PrPC may represent a convenient pharmacological target for prion diseases, and possibly other neurodegenerative conditions. Here, we sought to characterize the activity of chlorpromazine (CPZ), an antipsychotic previously shown to inhibit prion replication by directly binding to PrPC. By employing biochemical and biophysical techniques, we provide direct experimental evidence indicating that CPZ does not bind PrPC at biologically relevant concentrations. Instead, the compound exerts anti-prion effects by inducing the relocalization of PrPC from the plasma membrane. Consistent with these findings, CPZ also inhibits the cytotoxic effects delivered by a PrP mutant. Interestingly, we found that the different pharmacological effects of CPZ could be mimicked by two inhibitors of the GTPase activity of dynamins, a class of proteins involved in the scission of newly formed membrane vesicles, and recently reported as potential pharmacological targets of CPZ. Collectively, our results redefine the mechanism by which CPZ exerts anti-prion effects, and support a primary role for dynamins in the membrane recycling of PrPC, as well as in the propagation of infectious prions.
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spelling doaj-art-d848ba388733427eb03e624f9acc04d22025-08-20T02:46:01ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032017-01-01128e018258910.1371/journal.pone.0182589An antipsychotic drug exerts anti-prion effects by altering the localization of the cellular prion protein.Claudia StincardiniTania MassignanSilvia BiggiSaioa R ElezgaraiValeria SangiovanniIlaria VanniMichael PancherValentina AdamiJorge MorenoMatteo StravalaciGiulia MaiettaMarco GobbiAlessandro NegroJesús R RequenaJoaquín CastillaRomolo NonnoEmiliano BiasiniPrion diseases are neurodegenerative conditions characterized by the conformational conversion of the cellular prion protein (PrPC), an endogenous membrane glycoprotein of uncertain function, into PrPSc, a pathological isoform that replicates by imposing its abnormal folding onto PrPC molecules. A great deal of evidence supports the notion that PrPC plays at least two roles in prion diseases, by acting as a substrate for PrPSc replication, and as a mediator of its toxicity. This conclusion was recently supported by data suggesting that PrPC may transduce neurotoxic signals elicited by other disease-associated protein aggregates. Thus, PrPC may represent a convenient pharmacological target for prion diseases, and possibly other neurodegenerative conditions. Here, we sought to characterize the activity of chlorpromazine (CPZ), an antipsychotic previously shown to inhibit prion replication by directly binding to PrPC. By employing biochemical and biophysical techniques, we provide direct experimental evidence indicating that CPZ does not bind PrPC at biologically relevant concentrations. Instead, the compound exerts anti-prion effects by inducing the relocalization of PrPC from the plasma membrane. Consistent with these findings, CPZ also inhibits the cytotoxic effects delivered by a PrP mutant. Interestingly, we found that the different pharmacological effects of CPZ could be mimicked by two inhibitors of the GTPase activity of dynamins, a class of proteins involved in the scission of newly formed membrane vesicles, and recently reported as potential pharmacological targets of CPZ. Collectively, our results redefine the mechanism by which CPZ exerts anti-prion effects, and support a primary role for dynamins in the membrane recycling of PrPC, as well as in the propagation of infectious prions.https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0182589&type=printable
spellingShingle Claudia Stincardini
Tania Massignan
Silvia Biggi
Saioa R Elezgarai
Valeria Sangiovanni
Ilaria Vanni
Michael Pancher
Valentina Adami
Jorge Moreno
Matteo Stravalaci
Giulia Maietta
Marco Gobbi
Alessandro Negro
Jesús R Requena
Joaquín Castilla
Romolo Nonno
Emiliano Biasini
An antipsychotic drug exerts anti-prion effects by altering the localization of the cellular prion protein.
PLoS ONE
title An antipsychotic drug exerts anti-prion effects by altering the localization of the cellular prion protein.
title_full An antipsychotic drug exerts anti-prion effects by altering the localization of the cellular prion protein.
title_fullStr An antipsychotic drug exerts anti-prion effects by altering the localization of the cellular prion protein.
title_full_unstemmed An antipsychotic drug exerts anti-prion effects by altering the localization of the cellular prion protein.
title_short An antipsychotic drug exerts anti-prion effects by altering the localization of the cellular prion protein.
title_sort antipsychotic drug exerts anti prion effects by altering the localization of the cellular prion protein
url https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0182589&type=printable
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