Accumulation of prion triggers the enhanced glycolysis via activation of AMKP pathway in prion infected rodent and cell models

Abstract Mitochondrial dysfunction is one of hallmarks in pathophysiology of prion disease and other neurodegenerative diseases. Various metabolic dysfunctions are identified and considered to contribute to the progression of some types of neurodegenerative diseases. In this study, we evaluated the status of glycolysis pathway in prion infected rodent and cell models. The levels of the key enzymes, hexokinase (HK), phosphofructokinase (PFK) and pyruvate kinase (PK) were significantly increased, accompanying with markedly downregulated mitochondrial complexes. Double stained IFAs revealed that the increased HK2 and PFK distributed widely in GFAP-, Iba1- and NeuN-positive cells. We also identified increased levels of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and the downstream signaling. Changes of AMPK activity in prion infected cells by the AMPK-specific inhibitor or activator induced the corresponding alterations not only in the downstream signaling, but also the expressions of three key kinases in glycolysis pathway and the mitochondrial complexes. Transient removal or complete clearance of prion propagation in the prion infected cells partially but significantly reversed the increases of the key enzymes in glycolysis, the upregulation of AMPK signaling pathway, and the decreases of the mitochondrial complexes. Measurements of the cellular oxygen consumption rate (OCR) and extracellular acidification rate (ECAR) showed lower OCR and higher ECAR in prion infected cell line, which were sufficiently reversed by clearance of prion propagation. Those data indicate a metabolic reprogramming from oxidative phosphorylation to glycolysis in the brains during the progression of prion disease. Accumulation of PrPSc is critical for the switch to glycolysis, largely via activating AMPK pathway.