Acute LPS exposure enhances susceptibility to peripheral prion infection

Abstract After peripheral infections, the initial accumulation of prions within secondary lymphoid tissues is essential for the transmission of disease to the brain. Macrophages are considered to sequester or destroy prions, but little was known of their impact on disease susceptibility after a peri...

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Main Authors: Reiss Pal, Charlotte M. Thomas, Khalid Salamat, Stephen J. Jenkins, Barry M. Bradford, Neil A. Mabbott
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-03-01
Series:Scientific Reports
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-94003-3
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author Reiss Pal
Charlotte M. Thomas
Khalid Salamat
Stephen J. Jenkins
Barry M. Bradford
Neil A. Mabbott
author_facet Reiss Pal
Charlotte M. Thomas
Khalid Salamat
Stephen J. Jenkins
Barry M. Bradford
Neil A. Mabbott
author_sort Reiss Pal
collection DOAJ
description Abstract After peripheral infections, the initial accumulation of prions within secondary lymphoid tissues is essential for the transmission of disease to the brain. Macrophages are considered to sequester or destroy prions, but little was known of their impact on disease susceptibility after a peripheral infection. Inflammation in the peritoneal cavity can trigger the macrophage disappearance reaction, whereby the macrophages are temporarily contained within cellular aggregates on the mesothelium. We studied the impact of the bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-mediated macrophage disappearance reaction on susceptibility to an intraperitoneal prion infection. Intraperitoneal LPS injection significantly enhanced prion disease susceptibility approximately 100X when given 24–3 h before infection. The effects on disease susceptibility coincided with the reduced abundance of macrophages within the peritoneal cavity at the time of infection and the enhanced early accumulation of prions in the spleen. This suggests that the reduced recoverable abundance of macrophages in the peritoneal cavity following acute LPS-treatment, increased disease susceptibility by enhancing the initial propagation of the prions from site of exposure (peritoneal cavity) to the spleen from where they subsequently spread to the brain. Further studies may help identify novel macrophage-targeted treatments that can reduce susceptibility to peripherally acquired prion infections.
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publishDate 2025-03-01
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spelling doaj-art-e9c9b31bd84c40a8856d02d7b46e105f2025-08-20T02:41:33ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-03-0115111510.1038/s41598-025-94003-3Acute LPS exposure enhances susceptibility to peripheral prion infectionReiss Pal0Charlotte M. Thomas1Khalid Salamat2Stephen J. Jenkins3Barry M. Bradford4Neil A. Mabbott5The Roslin Institute & Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of EdinburghThe Roslin Institute & Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of EdinburghThe Roslin Institute & Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of EdinburghQueens Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh Centre for Inflammation ResearchThe Roslin Institute & Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of EdinburghThe Roslin Institute & Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of EdinburghAbstract After peripheral infections, the initial accumulation of prions within secondary lymphoid tissues is essential for the transmission of disease to the brain. Macrophages are considered to sequester or destroy prions, but little was known of their impact on disease susceptibility after a peripheral infection. Inflammation in the peritoneal cavity can trigger the macrophage disappearance reaction, whereby the macrophages are temporarily contained within cellular aggregates on the mesothelium. We studied the impact of the bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-mediated macrophage disappearance reaction on susceptibility to an intraperitoneal prion infection. Intraperitoneal LPS injection significantly enhanced prion disease susceptibility approximately 100X when given 24–3 h before infection. The effects on disease susceptibility coincided with the reduced abundance of macrophages within the peritoneal cavity at the time of infection and the enhanced early accumulation of prions in the spleen. This suggests that the reduced recoverable abundance of macrophages in the peritoneal cavity following acute LPS-treatment, increased disease susceptibility by enhancing the initial propagation of the prions from site of exposure (peritoneal cavity) to the spleen from where they subsequently spread to the brain. Further studies may help identify novel macrophage-targeted treatments that can reduce susceptibility to peripherally acquired prion infections.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-94003-3Prion diseasesTransmissible spongiform encephalopathiesDisease susceptibilityMacrophageLPSSpleen
spellingShingle Reiss Pal
Charlotte M. Thomas
Khalid Salamat
Stephen J. Jenkins
Barry M. Bradford
Neil A. Mabbott
Acute LPS exposure enhances susceptibility to peripheral prion infection
Scientific Reports
Prion diseases
Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies
Disease susceptibility
Macrophage
LPS
Spleen
title Acute LPS exposure enhances susceptibility to peripheral prion infection
title_full Acute LPS exposure enhances susceptibility to peripheral prion infection
title_fullStr Acute LPS exposure enhances susceptibility to peripheral prion infection
title_full_unstemmed Acute LPS exposure enhances susceptibility to peripheral prion infection
title_short Acute LPS exposure enhances susceptibility to peripheral prion infection
title_sort acute lps exposure enhances susceptibility to peripheral prion infection
topic Prion diseases
Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies
Disease susceptibility
Macrophage
LPS
Spleen
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-94003-3
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AT stephenjjenkins acutelpsexposureenhancessusceptibilitytoperipheralprioninfection
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