A Single Subcutaneous Injection of Cellulose Ethers Administered Long before Infection Confers Sustained Protection against Prion Diseases in Rodents

Prion diseases are fatal, progressive, neurodegenerative diseases caused by prion accumulation in the brain and lymphoreticular system. Here we report that a single subcutaneous injection of cellulose ethers (CEs), which are commonly used as inactive ingredients in foods and pharmaceuticals, markedl...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:PLoS pathogens 2016-12, Vol.12 (12), p.e1006045-e1006045
Main Authors: Teruya, Kenta, Oguma, Ayumi, Nishizawa, Keiko, Kawata, Maki, Sakasegawa, Yuji, Kamitakahara, Hiroshi, Doh-Ura, Katsumi
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Biology and Life Sciences
Cellulose - pharmacology
Cellulose ethers
Cricetinae
Disease Models, Animal
Diseases
Ethers - pharmacology
Hypromellose Derivatives - pharmacology
Injections, Subcutaneous
Male
Medicine and Health Sciences
Mesocricetus
Mice
Mice, Inbred C57BL
Mice, Transgenic
Prevention
Prion diseases
Prion Diseases - pathology
Research and Analysis Methods
Rodents
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Summary:Prion diseases are fatal, progressive, neurodegenerative diseases caused by prion accumulation in the brain and lymphoreticular system. Here we report that a single subcutaneous injection of cellulose ethers (CEs), which are commonly used as inactive ingredients in foods and pharmaceuticals, markedly prolonged the lives of mice and hamsters intracerebrally or intraperitoneally infected with the 263K hamster prion. CEs provided sustained protection even when a single injection was given as long as one year before infection. These effects were linked with persistent residues of CEs in various tissues. More effective CEs had less macrophage uptake ratios and hydrophobic modification of CEs abolished the effectiveness. CEs were significantly effective in other prion disease animal models; however, the effects were less remarkable than those observed in the 263K prion-infected animals. The genetic background of the animal model was suggested to influence the effects of CEs. CEs did not modify prion protein expression but inhibited abnormal prion protein formation in vitro and in prion-infected cells. Although the mechanism of CEs in vivo remains to be solved, these findings suggest that they aid in elucidating disease susceptibility and preventing prion diseases.
ISSN:1553-7374
1553-7366
1553-7374
DOI:10.1371/journal.ppat.1006045