What Is Our Current Understanding of PrPSc-Associated Neurotoxicity and Its Molecular Underpinnings?

The prion diseases are a collection of fatal, transmissible neurodegenerative diseases that cause rapid onset dementia and ultimately death. Uniquely, the infectious agent is a misfolded form of the endogenous cellular prion protein, termed PrPSc. Despite the identity of the molecular agent remainin...

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Main Authors: Daniel Hughes, Mark Halliday
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2017-12-01
Series:Pathogens
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/6/4/63
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author Daniel Hughes
Mark Halliday
author_facet Daniel Hughes
Mark Halliday
author_sort Daniel Hughes
collection DOAJ
description The prion diseases are a collection of fatal, transmissible neurodegenerative diseases that cause rapid onset dementia and ultimately death. Uniquely, the infectious agent is a misfolded form of the endogenous cellular prion protein, termed PrPSc. Despite the identity of the molecular agent remaining the same, PrPSc can cause a range of diseases with hereditary, spontaneous or iatrogenic aetiologies. However, the link between PrPSc and toxicity is complex, with subclinical cases of prion disease discovered, and prion neurodegeneration without obvious PrPSc deposition. The toxic mechanisms by which PrPSc causes the extensive neuropathology are still poorly understood, although recent advances are beginning to unravel the molecular underpinnings, including oxidative stress, disruption of proteostasis and induction of the unfolded protein response. This review will discuss the diseases caused by PrPSc toxicity, the nature of the toxicity of PrPSc, and our current understanding of the downstream toxic signaling events triggered by the presence of PrPSc.
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spelling doaj.art-ab37a384d88e4d26b68a0b3e4655c5fb2022-12-22T04:24:19ZengMDPI AGPathogens2076-08172017-12-01646310.3390/pathogens6040063pathogens6040063What Is Our Current Understanding of PrPSc-Associated Neurotoxicity and Its Molecular Underpinnings?Daniel Hughes0Mark Halliday1MRC Toxicology Unit, Hodgkin Building, University of Leicester, Lancaster Road, Leicester LE1 9HN, UKDepartment of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge CB2 0AH, UKThe prion diseases are a collection of fatal, transmissible neurodegenerative diseases that cause rapid onset dementia and ultimately death. Uniquely, the infectious agent is a misfolded form of the endogenous cellular prion protein, termed PrPSc. Despite the identity of the molecular agent remaining the same, PrPSc can cause a range of diseases with hereditary, spontaneous or iatrogenic aetiologies. However, the link between PrPSc and toxicity is complex, with subclinical cases of prion disease discovered, and prion neurodegeneration without obvious PrPSc deposition. The toxic mechanisms by which PrPSc causes the extensive neuropathology are still poorly understood, although recent advances are beginning to unravel the molecular underpinnings, including oxidative stress, disruption of proteostasis and induction of the unfolded protein response. This review will discuss the diseases caused by PrPSc toxicity, the nature of the toxicity of PrPSc, and our current understanding of the downstream toxic signaling events triggered by the presence of PrPSc.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/6/4/63prion diseaseneurodegenerationneurotoxicityproteostasisPrPSc
spellingShingle Daniel Hughes
Mark Halliday
What Is Our Current Understanding of PrPSc-Associated Neurotoxicity and Its Molecular Underpinnings?
Pathogens
prion disease
neurodegeneration
neurotoxicity
proteostasis
PrPSc
title What Is Our Current Understanding of PrPSc-Associated Neurotoxicity and Its Molecular Underpinnings?
title_full What Is Our Current Understanding of PrPSc-Associated Neurotoxicity and Its Molecular Underpinnings?
title_fullStr What Is Our Current Understanding of PrPSc-Associated Neurotoxicity and Its Molecular Underpinnings?
title_full_unstemmed What Is Our Current Understanding of PrPSc-Associated Neurotoxicity and Its Molecular Underpinnings?
title_short What Is Our Current Understanding of PrPSc-Associated Neurotoxicity and Its Molecular Underpinnings?
title_sort what is our current understanding of prpsc associated neurotoxicity and its molecular underpinnings
topic prion disease
neurodegeneration
neurotoxicity
proteostasis
PrPSc
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/6/4/63
work_keys_str_mv AT danielhughes whatisourcurrentunderstandingofprpscassociatedneurotoxicityanditsmolecularunderpinnings
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