Copper-hydrogen peroxide destroys mal-formed prions.

[Kathy]

Copper to the rescue!

J. Infect Dis. 2006 Sep 15;194(6):865-9. Epug 2006 Aug. 10. The University of Chicago Press.

A novel copper-hydrogen peroxide formulation for prion decontamination.

Solassol J, Pastore M, Crozet C, Perrier V, Lehmann S.

Institut de Genetique Humaine du Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UPR1142, 34396 Montpellier, France. [email protected]

With the appearance of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) and the detection of infectious prions in the peripheral organs of persons with sporadic CJD, the development of decontamination methods that are compatible with medical equipment has become a major issue. Here, we show that a formulation of copper metal ions in combination with hydrogen peroxide dramatically reduces the level of prion protein (PrP)(Sc) (the scrapie isoform of PrP) present in homogenates of samples from prion-infected brains, including brain samples from humans with CJD. An animal bioassay confirmed the reduction in prion infectivity, indicating that this novel Cu(2+)-H(2)O(2) formulation has great potential for prion decontamination.

PMID: 16941355

Copper-hydrogen peroxide was also found to be effective at destroying, or killing spores - like anthrax.

"Killing of Bacillus Spores by Aqueous Dissolved Oxygen, Ascorbic Acid, and Copper Ions"

Appl Environ Microbiol. 2003 April; 69(4): 2245–2252.

J. B. Cross,1 R. P. Currier,1* D. J. Torraco,1 L. A. Vanderberg,1 G. L. Wagner,2 and P. D. Gladen2

Chemistry Division,1 Biosciences Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 875452

*Corresponding author. Mailing address: Chemistry Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545. Phone: (505) 665-3601. Fax: (505) 667-0440. E-mail: [email protected].

Received August 16, 2002; Accepted December 26, 2002.

"ABSTRACT: An approach to decontamination of biological endospores is discussed. Specifically, the performance of an aqueous modified Fenton reagent is examined. A modified Fenton reagent formulation of cupric chloride, ascorbic acid, and sodium chloride is shown to be an effective sporicide under aerobic conditions. The traditional Fenton reaction involves the conversion of hydrogen peroxide to hydroxyl radical by aqueous ionic catalysts such as the transition metal ions. Our modified Fenton reaction involves the conversion of aqueous dissolved oxygen to hydrogen peroxide by an ionic catalyst (Cu2+) and then subsequent conversion to hydroxyl radicals. Results are given for the modified Fenton reagent deactivating spores of Bacillus globigii. (NB – as a surrogate for anthrax). A biocidal mechanism is proposed that is consistent with our experimental results and independently derived information found in the literature. This mechanism requires diffusion of relatively benign species into the interior of the spore, where dissolved O2 is then converted through a series of reactions which ultimately produce hydroxyl radicals that perform the killing action."

The idea for using copper-hydrogen peroxide for destroying prions on surgical instruments came from this earlier paper above (free on line) read their suggestion:

…."Due to the propensity of copper to form complexes with biological proteins, the modified Fenton reagent may prove capable of destroying prion proteins through the use of site-specific binding, subsequent reduction of copper, and the formation of HO· species. It has been reported (27, 30) that Cu2+ binds strongly in a site-specific region of the prion protein, and one can expect the highly reactive hydroxyl to be capable of breaking the protein apart. Since prion proteins are involved in a number of neurodegenerative diseases and have been found to be resistant to normal disinfection methods, investigation into new methods of disinfection would be an important avenue for future study."

Interesting developments here; another study found Titanium Dioxide could destroy prions:

J Gen Virol. 2006 Oct;87(Pt 10):3125-30.

Titanium dioxide photocatalytic inactivation of prions.

Paspaltsis I, Kotta K, Lagoudaki R, Grigoriadis N, Poulios I, Sklaviadis T.
Prion Disease Research Group, Laboratory of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, and B' Neurological Clinic, AHEPA University Hospital, Greece.

Prions are postulated to be the infectious agents of a family of transmissible, fatal, neurodegenerative disorders affecting both humans and animals. The possibility of prion transmission constitutes a public-health risk that confronts regulatory authorities everywhere. The main problem in handling prions is the fact that they are extremely resistant to standard decontamination methods. Thus, the use of harsh and expensive practices to destroy prions is inevitable. The development of applicable and efficient prion-inactivation practices is still highly important for the prevention of accidental transmission. In the search for effective and environmentally friendly methods to eliminate organic compounds and bacteria, much attention has been focused on the so-called advanced oxidation processes. These are based on the formation of hydroxyl radicals, which are known to possess a high reductive potential. This study tested the potential of titanium dioxide, an inexpensive and completely inert reagent, to inactivate prions in a heterogeneous photocatalytic process. Initial in vitro experiments were followed by a bioassay with the scrapie strain 263K in Syrian hamsters. The results obtained from this study indicate that titanium dioxide photocatalytic treatment of scrapie-infected brain homogenates reduces infectivity titres significantly.

PMID: 16963773

What is the true "unconventional tranmissible agent" ? Why is the Los Alamos National Laboratory (Nuclear Weapons Laboratory) so interested?