Anti-prion antibodies for prophylaxis following prion exposure in mice.
Prion disease is characterized by a conformational change of the normal form of the prion protein (PrP(C)) to the scrapie-associated form (PrP(Sc)). Since the emergence of new variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease a potentially large human population is at risk for developing prion disease. Currently, no effective treatment or form of post-exposure prophylaxis is available for prion disease. We recently showed that active immunization with recombinant PrP prolongs the incubation period of scrapie. Here we show that anti-PrP antibodies following prion exposure are effective at increasing the incubation period of the infection. Stimulation of the immune system is an important therapeutic target for the prion diseases, as well as for other neurodegenerative illnesses characterized by abnormal protein conformation.
Sigurdsson
Einar M
EM
Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, Millhauser Laboratory, 550 First Avenue, New York, NY 10016, USA.
Sy
Man-Sun
MS
Li
Ruliang
R
Scholtzova
Henrieta
H
Kascsak
Richard J
RJ
Kascsak
Regina
R
Carp
Richard
R
Meeker
Harry C
HC
Frangione
Blas
B
Wisniewski
Thomas
T
D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000032:analysis; D007562:Creutzfeldt-Jakob Syndrome / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D018621:PrPC Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D018620:PrPSc Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D017096:Prion Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy*; D011328:Prions / Q000276:immunology*; D012608:Scrapie / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D018621:PrPC Proteins; D018620:PrPSc Proteins; D011328:Prions