Peng, H. ; Pfeiffer, S. ; Varynskyi, B. ; Qiu, M. ; Srinark, C. ; Jin, X.* ; Zhang, X. ; Williams, K.* ; Groveman, B.R.* ; Foliaki, S.T.* ; Race, B.* ; Thomas, T.* ; Chen, C.* ; Müller, C. ; Kovács, K.J.* ; Arzberger, T.* ; Momma, S.* ; Haigh, C.L.* ; Schick, J.A.
Prion-induced ferroptosis is facilitated by RAC3.
Nat. Commun. 16:5385 (2025)
Prions are infectious agents that initiate transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, causing devastating neuronal destruction in Creutzfeldt-Jakob and Kuru disease. Rapid cell death depends on presence of the endogenous prion protein PrPC, but its mechanistic contribution to pathogenesis is unclear. Here we investigate the molecular role of PrPC, reactive oxygen species and lipid metabolism in ferroptosis susceptibility, a regulated cell death process characterized by lipid peroxidation. We discover that elevated expression of the cellular prion PrPC creates a relaxed oxidative milieu that favors accumulation of unsaturated long-chain phospholipids responsible for ferroptotic death. This condition is sustained by the luminal protein glutathione peroxidase 8, which detoxifies reactive species produced by protein misfolding. Consequently, both PrPC and infectious Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) prions trigger ferroptotic markers and sensitization. This lethality is further enhanced by RAC3, a small GTPase. Depletion of RAC3 is observed solely in pathologically afflicted cortices in CJD patients, revealing a synergistic modulation of lipids and reactive species that drives ferroptosis susceptibility. Together, the results show that PrPC initially suppresses oxidative stress, attenuates cellular defenses, and establishes a systemic vulnerability to the ferroptotic cascade. These results provide insight into the mechanism underlying regulation of ferroptosis in prion diseases and highlight potential therapeutic targets for diseases involving dysregulated cell death processes.
Impact Factor
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Times Cited
Scopus
Cited By
Altmetric
Publikationstyp
Artikel: Journalartikel
Dokumenttyp
Wissenschaftlicher Artikel
Typ der Hochschulschrift
Herausgeber
Schlagwörter
Endoplasmic-reticulum Stress; Induced Oxidative Stress; Cell-death; Protein; Accumulation; Propagation; Expression; Resistant; Transport; Toxicity
Keywords plus
Sprache
englisch
Veröffentlichungsjahr
2025
Prepublished im Jahr
0
HGF-Berichtsjahr
2025
ISSN (print) / ISBN
2041-1723
e-ISSN
2041-1723
ISBN
Bandtitel
Konferenztitel
Konferzenzdatum
Konferenzort
Konferenzband
Quellenangaben
Band: 16,
Heft: 1,
Seiten: ,
Artikelnummer: 5385
Supplement: ,
Reihe
Verlag
Nature Publishing Group
Verlagsort
London
Tag d. mündl. Prüfung
0000-00-00
Betreuer
Gutachter
Prüfer
Topic
Hochschule
Hochschulort
Fakultät
Veröffentlichungsdatum
0000-00-00
Anmeldedatum
0000-00-00
Anmelder/Inhaber
weitere Inhaber
Anmeldeland
Priorität
Begutachtungsstatus
Peer reviewed
POF Topic(s)
30203 - Molecular Targets and Therapies
30202 - Environmental Health
Forschungsfeld(er)
Enabling and Novel Technologies
Environmental Sciences
PSP-Element(e)
G-509800-005
G-504800-001
Förderungen
National Institutes of Health (NIAID)
Undergraduates Training Program for Innovation and Entrepreneurship of Hainan Province
Specific Research Fund of the Innovation Platform for Academicians of Hainan Province
Helmholtz Center Munich
DFG
German Research Foundation (DFG)
Innovation Platform for Academicians of Hainan Province
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (German Research Foundation)
Copyright
Erfassungsdatum
2025-06-27