title: Sensitive detection of prion protein in human urine.
abstract: Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies are a group of infectious diseases typically associated with the accumulation of a protease-resistant and beta-sheet-rich prion protein, PrPSc, in affected brains. PrPSc is an altered isoform derived from the host-encoded glycoprotein, PrPC. The expression of PrPC is the highest in brain tissue, but it can also be detected at low levels in peripheral tissue. However, it is unclear whether a significant amount of PrPC is released into body fluid and excreted into urine. We have developed a simple, rapid method for the reliable detection of PrPC in urine from normal subjects by Western blotting. Our method can easily and reliably detect PrPC in apparently healthy individuals using less than 1 ml of urine in which the amount of urinary PrPC is estimated to be in the range of low micrograms/liter.
authors.affiliation: BioTech Global, 22-40 Brentwood Avenue, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK.
authors.forename: Harash K
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Narang
authors.forename: Ayuna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dagdanova
authors.forename: Zhiliang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Qiwei
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Shu G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D006224:Cricetinae; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018620:PrPSc Proteins / Q000652:urine*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D018620:PrPSc Proteins