Prions and DNA Viruses I and II Flashcards
Prion Disease: General
what is the incubation period? why are they hard to study?
- caused by aberrant infectious protiens
- can incubate long periods of time (30 yrs- hence they are difficult to study)
No genome or immune response is involved. Rather, misfolding and protein aggregation caused tissue stress, particularly to the NS.
PRP C
what does it do, size, structure?
which chromosome
- Normal protein= PRP C
- 27-30 kDa membrane glyocprotein)
- Protease Sensitive, alpha helical, ch. 20
- MODULATES K channels in brain
PRP SC is proteinase resistant
PRP SC
what is ti resistant to? what does it polymerize into?
- resistant to heat, disinfectants, radiation
- mostly B-sheets that aggregate into amyloid rods (fibrils)
Creutzafeldt-Jakob Disease
Three types of cause?
Causes
1. Sporadic (90%)- peak in 6th decade of life
2. Genetic (10%)- Fatal Familial Insomnia and Gerstmann–Sträussler–Scheinker syndrome (SSS)
3. Acquired (1%)- Kuru (person to person) and CJD and vCJD
Gerstmann–Sträussler–Scheinker syndrome
- prions in the cerebellum
- symptoms: ataxia, incoordination
Fatal Familial Insomnia
- genetic cause
- progressively worse insomnia
- prions build up primarily in the thalamus
Kuru
- means “to shiver”
- symptoms: loss of coordination, muscle twitching, dementia
- spread of cannabalism
- erosion of the cerebellum
Prion Disease Pathogenesis
Three different pathways:
1. sporadic
2. hereditary
3. acquired
General Characteristics of Human Prion Diseases
Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies
VCJD
- slow degenerative disease
- spongiform accumulation in brain
- symptoms take decades to appear but once they appear, death is rapid.
4.mean age- 68 yrs (adult); vCJD younger but >14 yrs (avg is 28 yrs)
vCJD - shorter incubation & rapid progression (mean age - 28y)
vCJD
variant CJD- bovine transmission
shorter incubation & rapid progression (mean age - 28y)
fCJD
- inherited form of CJD (mutation in prion gene)
- thalamus impacted
FFI is clinically characterized by alterations in the sleep–wake cycle causing progressive insomnia and dementia. It is associated with the D178N mutation in combination with methionine at codon 129. If the D178N mutation occurs in combination with valine at codon 129 then an fCJD phenotype manifests.
General Symptoms of HUman Prion Disease
● Rapidly developing dementia
● Difficulty walking and changes in gait
● Hallucinations
● Muscle stiffness
● Confusion
● Fatigue
● Difficulty speaking
Diagnosis of Prion Disease
- brain MRI shows amyloid in cerebellum
- prions accumulate in **tonsils **
- Elevated tau or 14-3-3 in CSF
- Western Blot biopsy of PRP SC in tonsil
- Real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC) assay: incubate sample with normal PRP C and see if aggregates form- these are detected with fluorescent dyes, ELISA, etc.
14-3-3 proteins were originally discovered as a family of proteins that are highly expressed in the brain. Through interactions with a multitude of binding partners, 14-3-3 proteins impact many aspects of brain function including neural signaling, neuronal development and neuroprotection.
Real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC) assay:
incubate sample with normal PRP C and see if aggregates form- these are detected with fluorescent dyes, ELISA, etc.
Parvoviruses
- smallest DNA virus
- Linear ss DNA
- Naked
- Icosahedral
- B19 and Bocavirus
Bocavirus
a recent virus, can cause acute respiratory disease
Not a test answer
B19 Epidemiology
- childhood (4-15 yrs)
- late winter and spring
- respiratory droplet and oral secretions (need close contact
- Mother to Fetus during pregnancy
- very common (65% by 40)
B19 initial infection
- nasopharynx, then via viremia to BM
- target erythroid precursor cells that possess P antigens. ??
- leads to anemia (from cell lysis) and immune response (rash and arthralgia
- 4-12d incubation, mild prodrome (fever, myalgia, itching).
arthralgia- joint pain
myalgia-muscle aches and pain
B19 infection->Slapped-cheek syndrome
- AKA erythema infectiosum
- facial rash that spreads to body
- possible polyarthropathy
Polyarthropathy is more common in adults, especially women.
Hydrops Fetalis
- B19 Virus
- transplacental transmission
- fetal erythroid precursor cells and fetal tissues
- resulst in anemia
- may result in still birth
- extensive edema?
Diagnosis:
1. facial rash
2. serology
3. PCR.