Deduction of the evaluation limit and termination timing of multi-round protein misfolding cyclic amplification from

Atsuko Takeuchi1, Mayumi Komiya, Tetsuyuki Kitamoto

  • 1Department of Neurological Science, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Japan.

Insights

This study evaluated disinfectant efficacy against misfolded prion proteins using multi-round protein misfolding cyclic amplification (PMCA). Several disinfectants demonstrated high effectiveness, achieving log reduction factors (LRFs) of 5.8-6.1 log, indicating significant prion inactivation.

Area of Science:

  • Prion biology and infectious diseases
  • Biochemistry and molecular biology
  • Disinfection and sterilization technologies

Background:

  • Prion diseases are fatal neurodegenerative disorders caused by misfolded prion proteins.
  • Effective inactivation of prions is crucial for preventing disease transmission.
  • Assessing disinfectant efficacy against prions requires sensitive and reliable methods.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the efficacy of various disinfectants in reducing protease-resistant prion protein.
  • To establish a quantitative method for disinfectant assessment using multi-round protein misfolding cyclic amplification (PMCA).
  • To determine the log reduction factors (LRFs) of tested disinfectants against prions.

Main Methods:

  • Hamster brains infected with scrapie strain 263K were homogenized and treated with disinfectants or mock conditions.
  • Treated samples underwent multi-round PMCA to amplify residual prion seeds.
  • Serial dilutions of mock-treated samples established a titration curve for LRF calculation.

Main Results:

  • Multi-round PMCA demonstrated a linear correlation between amplification rounds and prion dilution, yielding LRFs of 3.8-7.3 log for mock-treated samples.
  • NaOH treatments (1M and 2M) resulted in LRFs of 6.1 and 5.8 log, respectively.
  • Alkaline cleaner and sodium dodecyl sulfate showed LRFs exceeding the evaluation limit (≥7.3 log), indicating very high efficacy.

Conclusions:

  • Multi-round PMCA is a valuable tool for assessing disinfectant efficacy against prions.
  • Tested disinfectants, including alkaline cleaner and sodium dodecyl sulfate, are highly effective in prion inactivation.
  • The established evaluation limit for PMCA is useful for disinfectant assessment and process validation in prion safety.

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