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Enhanced detection and retrograde axonal transport of PrP c in peripheral nerve
Author(s) -
Moya Kenneth L.,
Hässig Raymonde,
Crémi Christophe,
Laffont Isabelle,
Di Giamberardino Luigi
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
journal of neurochemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.75
H-Index - 229
eISSN - 1471-4159
pISSN - 0022-3042
DOI - 10.1046/j.1471-4159.2003.02150.x
Subject(s) - axon , axoplasmic transport , peripheral , peripheral nerve , cell bodies , nerve agent , microbiology and biotechnology , pathology , chemistry , biology , neuroscience , anatomy , central nervous system , medicine , biochemistry , enzyme , acetylcholinesterase
Neuroinvasion of the CNS during orally acquired transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) may involve the transport of the infectious agent from the periphery to the CNS via the peripheral nerves. If this occurs within axons, the mechanism of axonal transport may be fundamental to the process. In studies of peripheral nerve we observed that the cellular prion protein (PrP c ) is highly resistant to detergent extraction. The implication of this is an underestimation of the abundance of PrP c in peripheral nerve. We have developed nerve extraction conditions that enhance the quantification of the protein in nerve 16‐fold. Application of these conditions to evaluate the accumulation of PrP c distal to a cut nerve now reveals that PrP c is retrogradely transported from the axon ending. These results provide a potential cellular mechanism for TSE infectivity to gain entry to the CNS from the periphery.