Lysosomal Enhancement Prevents Infection with PrPSc, α-Synuclein & Tau Prions

Abstract

Prion diseases are fatal neurodegenerative diseases of humans and other mammals with no current treatment options. Here, we describe the characterization of a novel anti-prion compound, elacridar (GW120918), which has sub-micromolar activity in assays of prion infection, propagation and toxicity. Elacridar acts at an early step in the prion infection process, enhancing degradation of newly formed PrPSc. The lysosome is the likely site of elacridars anti-prion effects, based on transcriptomic analysis and the use of functional lysosomal probes. Elacridar alters gene expression networks controlling lysosomal sterol and lipid metabolism but, unlike other lysosomotropic drugs, it prominently upregulates genes that control lysosomal pH. Surprisingly, these effects occur independently of TFEB nuclear translocation, suggesting novel regulatory mechanisms. The anti-prion effects of elacridar extend to -synuclein and tau prions, highlighting lysosomal enhancement as a general strategy for treatment of protein misfolding neurodegenerative diseases. Graphical abstract O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=200 SRC="FIGDIR/small/661349v3_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1"> View larger version (58K): org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@171030forg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@8004e4org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@c139eborg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1c19aab_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP M_FIG C_FIG