Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40631394›Full record

ArticleNeuropathology and applied neurobiology2025

Detection of Human Prion Seeding Activity in Formalin-Fixed Paraffin-Embedded Archival Tissues.

Soňa Baranová, Radoslav Matěj, Jiri G Safar, Karel Holada

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Neuropathology and applied neurobiology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

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0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Soňa BaranováPrion Research Laboratory, Institute of Medical Microbiology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic.ORCID 0000-0003-0188-0241
Radoslav MatějDepartment of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and Thomayer University Hospital, Prague, Czech Republic.ORCID 0000-0002-6152-6343
Jiri G SafarDepartment of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
Karel HoladaPrion Research Laboratory, Institute of Medical Microbiology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic.

Funding

Replication mechanism of human prionsR01NS103848 · NINDS · CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY · PI SAFAR, JIRI G., SUREWICZ, WITOLD K · 2018 to 2022
$2.6M
Replication mechanism of human prionsR01NS074317 · NINDS · CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY · PI SAFAR, JIRI G., SUREWICZ, WITOLD K · 2011 to 2015
$2.6M
Accessing transmissibility and diagnostic marker of skin prions.R21NS096626 · NINDS · CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY · PI KONG, QINGZHONG, SAFAR, JIRI G. · 2016 to 2017
$436k
Charles University 362521Conceptual Development of Research Organization, General University Hospital 00064165Conceptual Development of Research Organization, Thomayer University Hospital 00064190Czech Health Research Council NU23-04-00173Ministry of Health of the Czech RepublicNational Institute for Neurological Research (European Union-Next Generation EU) LX22NPO5107NINDS NIH HHS R01 NS074317NINDS NIH HHS R01 NS103848NINDS NIH HHS R21 NS096626
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

aimsFormalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) samples, routinely used in neuropathology, represent an invaluable resource for studying rare diseases like transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSE). Despite fixation-induced protein cross-linking, prion seeding activity can be effectively detected using the seeding amplification assays. In this study, we employed the second-generation real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC) assay to analyse and quantify human prion seeding activity in FFPE brain tissues.

methodsFFPE frontal brain tissues were deparaffinised in xylene, followed by rehydration through descending concentrations of ethanol. The prion seeding activity in tissue homogenates was assessed by RT-QuIC assay utilising short recombinant hamster prion protein (rHaPrP90-231) as a substrate.

resultsA total of 60 samples, including 30 cases of confirmed TSE, comprising both sporadic and genetic forms, as well as 30 non-TSE controls, were analysed. Prion seeding activity has been detected in all TSE samples except one sCJD (VV2) and one GSS (P102L) case, corresponding to an assay sensitivity of 93.3%. Conversely, we did not detect any RT-QuIC positivity in the control group, resulting in 100% specificity. The mean 50% prion seeding dose of FFPE sporadic TSE samples was 10

conclusionOur study emphasises high sensitivity and specificity of RT-QuIC assay for prion detection in archival human FFPE brain tissues and demonstrates its diagnostic reliability comparable to other tissue types even after years of storage. The applicability of FFPE samples in RT-QuIC assays facilitates retrospective diagnostics and provides logistical advantages for sample preservation and transportation.

Indexed as

BrainPrion DiseasesPrionsAnimalsFormaldehydeHumansParaffin EmbeddingPrion ProteinsTissue FixationFormaldehydePrion ProteinsPrionsFFPEformalin‐fixed paraffin‐embeddedprionprion diseasereal‐time quaking‐induced conversion assayRT‐QuICSAAseeding amplification assay

Identifiers

PMID40631394
PMCPMC12239053

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.