Humic substances interfere with detection of pathogenic prion protein

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• 作者：Christen B. Smith ; Clarissa J. Booth ; Tyler J. Wadzinski ; Giuseppe Legname ; Rick Chappell ; Christopher J. Johnson ; Joel A. Pedersen
• 关键词：Transmissible spongiform encephalopathy ; Prion ; Natural organic matter ; Humic substances ; Immunoblotting ; Protein detection
• 刊名：Soil Biology & Biochemistry
• 出版年：January, 2014
• 年：2014
• 卷：68
• 期：Complete
• 页码：309-316
• 全文大小：875 K

文摘

Studies examining the persistence of prions (the etiological agent of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies) in soil require accurate quantification of pathogenic prion protein (PrP^TSE) extracted from or in the presence of soil particles. Here, we demonstrate that natural organic matter (NOM) in soil impacts PrP^TSE detection by immunoblotting. Methods commonly used to extract PrP^TSE from soils release substantial amounts of NOM, and NOM inhibited PrP^TSE immunoblot signal. The degree of immunoblot interference increased with increasing NOM concentration and decreasing NOM polarity. Humic substances affected immunoblot detection of prion protein from both deer and hamsters. We also establish that after interaction with humic acid, PrP^TSE remains infectious to hamsters inoculated intracerebrally, and humic acid appeared to slow disease progression. These results provide evidence for interactions between PrP^TSE and humic substances that influence both accurate measurement of PrP^TSE in soil and disease transmission.