Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
2186558 | Journal of Molecular Biology | 2009 | 9 Pages |
The 37-kDa/67-kDa laminin receptor (LRP/LR) was identified as a cell surface receptor for prion proteins. The laminin receptor mutant LRP102–295∷FLAG interfered with PrPSc propagation in murine neuronal cells presumably acting as a decoy in a transdominant negative fashion by trapping PrP molecules in the extracellular matrix. Here, we generated hemizygous transgenic mice expressing LRP102–295∷FLAG in the brain. Scrapie-infected transgenic mice exhibit a significantly prolonged incubation time in comparison to scrapie-infected wild-type (FVB) mice. At the terminal stage, transgenic mice revealed significantly reduced proteinase-K-resistant PrP levels by 71% compared to wild-type mice. Our results recommend the laminin receptor decoy mutant as an alternative therapeutic tool for treatment of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies.