Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 24, 2026
10:40
Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Co-Cultured with Primary Mixed Glia to Reduce Prion-Induced Inflammation
Published on: August 11, 2023
Could immunomodulation be used to prevent prion diseases?
Thomas Wisniewski1, Fernando Goñi
1New York University School of Medicine, 560 First Avenue, New York, NY 10016, USA. thomas.wisniewski@nyumc.org
Expert Review of Anti-Infective Therapy
|March 9, 2012
Summary
Prion diseases are fatal and untreatable. Mucosal immunization offers a promising strategy to prevent prion entry and transmission, balancing immune response with reduced toxicity.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Immunology
- Veterinary Medicine
Background:
- Prion diseases, or prionoses, are fatal neurodegenerative disorders caused by misfolded proteins (PrPSc).
- Current treatments are ineffective, necessitating novel prophylactic and therapeutic strategies.
- Epidemics like chronic wasting disease (CWD) underscore the urgent need for interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore mucosal immunization as a strategy against prion diseases.
- To evaluate the potential for preventing prion entry via the alimentary tract.
- To achieve a modulated systemic immunity with minimal toxicity.
Main Methods:
- Investigating the efficacy of mucosal immunization in preventing prion transmission.
- Developing methods to induce a local immune response at the gut barrier.
- Balancing humoral immunity with autoimmune inflammatory responses.
Main Results:
- Mucosal immunization presents a potential method to prevent prion entry across the gut barrier.
- This approach may induce a modulated systemic immunity with reduced toxicity.
- The strategy aims to control prionoses, particularly infectious forms in animals.
Conclusions:
- Mucosal immunization is a promising approach for prion disease prevention and control.
- Further research is needed to optimize immunomodulatory strategies targeting self-antigens like PrPC.
- Addressing prion diseases like CWD requires innovative solutions to prevent transmission and protect public health.
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