Detergents modify proteinase K resistance of PrPSc in different transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs)

• Published in: Veterinary microbiology 2012-05, Vol.157 (1-2), p.23-31
• Main Authors: Breyer, Johanna, Wemheuer, Wiebke M., Wrede, Arne, Graham, Catherine, Benestad, Sylvie L., Brenig, Bertram, Richt, Jürgen A., Schulz-Schaeffer, Walter J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; BSE; Chronic wasting disease; Degenerative and inherited degenerative diseases of the nervous system. Leukodystrophies. Prion diseases; Detergent; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Human viral diseases; Indexing in process; Infectious diseases; Medical sciences; Microbiology; Neurology; Non conventional transmissible agents; Prion protein; Proteinase resistance; Scrapie; Viral diseases; Viral diseases of the nervous system
• ISSN: 0378-1135; 1873-2542
• DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2011.12.008

Prion diseases are diagnosed by the detection of their proteinase K-resistant prion protein fragment (PrPSc). Various biochemical protocols use different detergents for the tissue preparation. We found that the resistance of PrPSc against proteinase K may vary strongly with the detergent used. In our study, we investigated the influence of the most commonly used detergents on eight different TSE agents derived from different species and distinct prion disease forms. For a high throughput we used a membrane adsorption assay to detect small amounts of prion aggregates, as well as Western blotting. Tissue lysates were prepared using DOC, SLS, SDS or Triton X-100 in different concentrations and these were digested with various amounts of proteinase K. Detergents are able to enhance or diminish the detectability of PrPSc after proteinase K digestion. Depending on the kind of detergent, its concentration – but also on the host species that developed the TSE and the disease form or prion type – the detectability of PrPSc can be very different. The results obtained here may be helpful during the development or improvement of a PrPSc detection method and they point towards a detergent effect that can be additionally used for decontamination purposes. A plausible explanation for the detergent effects described in this article could be an interaction with the lipids associated with PrPSc that may stabilize the aggregates.