NR AUNA
AU Buchholz,C.J.; Bach,P.; Nikles,D.; Kalinke,U.
TI Prion protein-specific antibodies for therapeutic intervention of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies
QU Expert Opinion on Biological Therapy 2006 Mar; 6(3): 293-300
PT journal article; review
AB Prion diseases, also called transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, are a group of fatal neurodegenerative conditions that affect humans and a wide variety of animals. There is no therapeutic or prophylactic approach against prion diseases available at present. The causative infectious agent is the prion, also termed PrPsc, which is a pathological conformer of the cellular prion protein PrPc. Passive immunisation studies with PrPc-specific antibodies indicated that immunotherapeutic strategies directed against PrPc can prevent prion disease. In this review, putative mechanisms of antibody-mediated prion inactivation, as well as active immunisation strategies, are discussed. Special attention is given to the problem of immunological self-tolerance against PrP.
ZR 61
MH Animals; Antibodies/*administration & dosage; *Antibody Specificity; Humans; Immunization/methods/trends; PrPc Proteins/*immunology/metabolism; Prion Diseases/*immunology/*prevention & control; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
AD Division of Medical Biotechnology, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 51-59, 63225 Langen, Germany. bucch@pei.de
SP englisch
PO England