Excitatory neuron-prone prion propagation and excitatory neuronal loss in prion-infected mice.

ABSTRACT: The accumulation of a disease-specific isoform of prion protein (PrP^Sc) and histopathological lesions, such as neuronal loss, are unevenly distributed in the brains of humans and animals affected with prion diseases. This distribution varies depending on the diseases and/or the combinations of prion strain and experimental animal. The brain region-dependent distribution of PrP^Sc and neuropathological lesions suggests a neuronal cell-type-dependent prion propagation and vulnerability to prion infection. However, the underlying mechanism is largely unknown. In this study, we provided evidence that the prion 22L strain propagates more efficiently in excitatory neurons than inhibitory neurons and that excitatory neurons in the thalamus are vulnerable to prion infection. P

SUBMITTER: Erdenebat T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11669680 | biostudies-literature | 2024

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature