Lack of cellular prion protein causes Amyloid β accumulation, increased extracellular vesicle abundance, and changes to exosome biogenesis proteins

Abstract Alzheimer's disease (AD) progression is closely linked to the propagation of pathological Amyloid β (Aβ), a process increasingly understood to involve extracellular vesicles (EVs), namely exosomes. The specifics of Aβ packaging into exosomes remain elusive, although evidence suggests an ESCRT (Endosomal Sorting Complex Required for Transport)-independent origin to be responsible in spreading of AD pathogenesis. Intriguingly, PrP C , known to influence exosome abundance and bind oligomeric Aβ (oAβ), can be released in exosomes via both ESCRT-dependent and ESCRT-independent pathways, raising questions about its role in oAβ trafficking. Thus, we quantified Aβ levels within EVs, cell medium, and intracellularly, alongside exosome biogenesis-related proteins, following deletion or overexpression of PrP C . The same parameters were also evaluated in the presence of specific exosome inhibitors, namely Manumycin A and GW4869. Our results revealed that deletion of PrP C increases intracellular Aβ accumulation and amplifies EV abundance, alongside significant changes in cellular levels of exosome biogenesis-related proteins Vps25, Chmp2a, and Rab31. In contrast, cellular expression of PrP C did not alter exosomal Aβ levels. This highlights PrP C ’s influence on exosome biogenesis, albeit not in direct Aβ packaging. Additionally, our data confirm the ESCRT-independent exosome release of Aβ and we show a direct reduction in Chmp2a levels upon oAβ challenge. Furthermore, inhibition of opposite exosome biogenesis pathway resulted in opposite cellular PrP C levels. In conclusion, our findings highlight the intricate relationship between PrP C , exosome biogenesis, and Aβ release. Specifically, they underscore PrP C ’s critical role in modulating exosome-associated proteins, EV abundance, and cellular Aβ levels, thereby reinforcing its involvement in AD pathogenesis. Graphical abstract There are two main exosome biogenesis pathways: ESCRT dependent and ESCRT independent. In this study, we explored the effect of the cellular prion protein (PrP C ) on the release of Amyloid β via exosomes. Our findings demonstrate that Amyloid β mainly is released via an ESCRT-independent pathway, independent of PrP C . However, lack of PrP C resulted in upregulation of the ESCRT-dependent proteins Tsg101 and VPS25, a decrease in Chmp2a, and an overall increase in extracellular vesicles. Lack of PrP C also caused an accumulation of cellular, but not exosomal, Amyloid β.