Variant Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease: between lymphoid organs and brain

Prion diseases are often caused by peripheral uptake of the infectious agent. To reach their ultimate target, the central nervous system (CNS), prions enter their host, replicate in lymphoid organs and spread via peripheral nerves. Once the agent has reached the CNS disease progression is rapid, res...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Trends in microbiology (Regular ed.) 2004-02, Vol.12 (2), p.51-53
Main Authors: Glatzel, Markus, Giger, Olivier, Seeger, Harald, Aguzzi, Adriano
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Autonomic Nervous System - metabolism
Autonomic Nervous System - pathology
Brain - pathology
Brain - physiopathology
Central Nervous System - metabolism
Central Nervous System - pathology
Creutzfeldt-Jakob Syndrome - metabolism
Creutzfeldt-Jakob Syndrome - pathology
Ganglia, Sympathetic - metabolism
Ganglia, Sympathetic - pathology
Humans
Lymphatic Diseases - etiology
Lymphoid Tissue - metabolism
Lymphoid Tissue - pathology
Nervous System Diseases - etiology
prion protein
Prions - metabolism
Prions - pathogenicity
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Summary:Prion diseases are often caused by peripheral uptake of the infectious agent. To reach their ultimate target, the central nervous system (CNS), prions enter their host, replicate in lymphoid organs and spread via peripheral nerves. Once the agent has reached the CNS disease progression is rapid, resulting in neurodegeneration and death. Many of these mechanisms have been uncovered using genetically modified mice. A recently published study has demonstrated the presence of pathological prion protein in sympathetic ganglia of patients suffering from variant Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease, suggesting that these mechanisms might apply to humans.
ISSN:0966-842X
1878-4380
DOI:10.1016/j.tim.2003.12.001