title: [Effects of prion protein on central nervous system and the mechanisms of action].
abstract: The following questions are discussed in this paper: (1) Can the bovine prion protein PrpRES infect a man? (2) What is the route of PrPRES infection? (3) In what condition the PrPRES may infect animals, (4) What are the normal functions of PrPc at the surface of neurons and neuroglia cells, (5) What is the structure of the prion protein, (6) What is possible mechanism of the PrPRES destroying neurons. Finally, the two possible mechanisms of the PrPRES to affect central nervous system are analysed. One is to destroy the normal function of the PrPC, the other is to raise the sensibility of the neuron to the free radical and increase the content of the oxygen radical.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: D Y
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Ruan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D007562:Creutzfeldt-Jakob Syndrome / Q000821:virology; D016643:Encephalopathy, Bovine Spongiform / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology; D016098:Gerstmann-Straussler-Scheinker Disease / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D011328:Prions / Q000472:pathogenicity* / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D011328:Prions