Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies & Prion-like associated diseases
Research themes
PRIONS team focuses its research about the study of prion diseases and their zoonotic/iatrogenic associated risks.
Detection and characterization of prion protein (non-conventional transmissible agent causing these neuropathologies; misfolded form of a protein physiologically expressed in both animals and human) involves the implementation of domain specific methodologies at different levels (in vivo, in vitro or ex vivo).
Prion research focuses on three areas:
- Prion strains plasticity
- Inter-/intra-species transmission of prion diseases
- Pathogenesis of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies
The approaches used in the team remain at the forefront of technological advances. The results they obtained have notably enabled to provide a more detailed assessment of the current health measures and to argue in favour of their continuation.
A second investigation domain is currently developed by the team in regard to « Prion-like diseases ». Indeed, other neurologic diseases like Parkinson, Alzheimer or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis have been shown to be associated with accumulation of misfolded protein forms by a mechanism similar to that of the Prion. Through its expertise in the prion mechanisms field, the PRIONS team intends to use its knowledge in order to apply it to the “Prion-like” domain.
People
- Olivier ANDREOLETTI (DR1, team leader)
- Tomás BARRIO (CR2, co-leader)
- François SCHELCHER (PReX)
- Jean-Yves DOUET (MC)
- Hervé CASSARD (IR-PH)
- Oihane ALZUGUREN (IR)
- Alvina HUOR (AI)
- Séverine LUGAN (TReX)
- Naïma ARON (TR)
5 main publications
Douet JY, Huor A, Cassard H, Lugan S, Aron N, Arnold M, Vilette D, Torres JM, Ironside JW, Andreoletti O. (2021, Mar) Wide distribution of prion infectivity in the peripheral tissues of vCJD and sCJD patients. Acta Neuropathol.,141(3):383-397.
Huor A, Espinosa JC, Vidal E, Cassard H, Douet JY, Lugan S, Aron N, Marín-Moreno A, Lorenzo P, Aguilar-Calvo P, Badiola J, Bolea R, Pumarola M, Benestad SL, Orge L, Thackray AM, Bujdoso R, Torres JM, Andreoletti O. (2019, Dec 26) The emergence of classical BSE from atypical/Nor98 scrapie. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A.,116(52):26853-26862.
Lacroux C, Cassard H, Simmons H, Douet JY, Corbière F, Lugan S, Costes P, Aron N, Huor A, Tillier C, Schelcher F, Andreoletti O. (2017, Aug) Classical scrapie transmission in ARR/ARR genotype sheep. J Gen Virol.,98(8):2200-2204.
Cassard H, Torres JM, Lacroux C, Douet JY, Benestad SL, Lantier F, Lugan S, Lantier I, Costes P, Aron N, Reine F, Herzog L, Espinosa JC, Beringue V, Andréoletti O. (2014, Dec 16) Evidence for zoonotic potential of ovine scrapie prions. Nat Commun.,5:5821.
Andréoletti O, Litaise C, Simmons H, Corbière F, Lugan S, Costes P, Schelcher F, Vilette D, Grassi J, Lacroux C. (2012) Highly efficient prion transmission by blood transfusion. PLoS Pathog.;8(6):e1002782.