Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 15, 2026

Prion Safety Laboratory Swipe Test
Published on: February 14, 2025
Cyclo-oxygenase inhibitors protect against prion-induced neurotoxicity in vitro
Clive Bate1, Scott Rutherford, Mike Gravenor
1Institute of Comparative Medicine, Glasglow University Veterinary School, Glasgow, UK. c.bate@vet.gla.ac.uk
Abstract:
The mechanisms of neuronal loss during the course of the prion diseases are not fully understood. In this study, neurones treated with certain non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) were protected against the otherwise toxic effects of a peptide derived from the prion protein, or extracts containing infectious prions (PrP ). These NSAIDs inhibit the cyclo-oxygenase (cox) enzymes that metabolise arachidonic acid to prostaglandins (PG). Conversely, drugs that inhibited the metabolism of arachidonic acid to leucotrienes enhanced neurotoxicity. Studies with selective inhibitors highlighted the importance of the cox-1 isoform in prion-induced neurotoxicity. The cox-1 inhibitors also inhibited neuronal PGE production and protected both neuroblastoma cells and primary cortical neurones against prions. They also reduced microglia-mediated killing of prion-treated neurones.
Related Concept Videos
Cryptococcal Meningitis
Inhibitors of Viral Protein Synthesis
The Electron Transport Chain
Inhibitors of the electron transport chain
Rotenone, a widely used pesticide, prevents electron transfer from Fe-S cluster to ubiquinone or Q in...
Amyloid Fibrils
Amyloid deposits were observed as early as 1639 in the liver and the spleen. In 1854, Rudolph Virchow performed iodine staining, normally used to...
Anticholinesterase Agents: Poisoning and Treatment
Irreversible agents form a strong bond with the cholinesterase enzyme, making it inactive. The breakdown of the phosphorylated enzyme is slower than the...
Drugs Affecting Neurotransmitter Synthesis

