title: Vaccination against prion diseases.
abstract: Prion diseases are a group of fatal neurodegenerative conditions that affect humans and a wide variety of animals. To date there is no therapeutic or prophylactic approach against prion diseases available. The causative infectious agent is the prion, also termed PrP(Sc), which is a pathological conformer of the cellular prion protein PrP(C). As passive immunization studies with PrP(C)-specific antibodies indicated that immunotherapeutic strategies can prevent prion replication, researchers are now aiming at the development of active prion vaccines.
authors.affiliation: Divisions of Immunology and Medical Biotechnology, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 51-59, 63225 Langen, Germany.
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Kalinke
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bach
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: König
authors.forename: Christian J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Buchholz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D017096:Prion Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011328:Prions / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D014611:Vaccination
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D011328:Prions