Heppner
Fakultäten » Medizinische Fakultät » Neuropathologie, Institut für » Prof. Dr. Adriano Aguzzi » Heppner
Completed research project
| Title / Titel | Induction of protective immune responses against prion diseases | ||||||||
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| Abstract (PDF, 14 KB) | |||||||||
| Summary / Zusammenfassung | To date there is no therapy against prion diseases. Only recently, several reports also from our group appeared to indicate that humoral immune responses against the prion protein (PrP) can antagonize prion infection (Aguzzi et al., 2001; Heppner, 2001; Heppner et al., 2001a). However, the induction of an immune response against the cellular form of the prion protein (PrPC) as well as the disease-associated form (PrPSc) in wild-type mice has proven to be rather difficult, most likely due to host tolerance to endogenous PrPC. This points out the need for defining active immunization regimen in wild-type animals by breaking tolerance against PrPC. To this effect, we are currently assessing various protocols of inducing substantial and longstanding anti-PrP titers in wild-type mice. The fundamental principle and common denominator of various immunization protocols, which are currently under investigation, is the display of prion protein or peptides thereof in a highly immunogenic context. A detailed analysis of respective anti-PrP titers is followed by the evaluation of the extent to which these protocols may result in protection against prions. | ||||||||
| Publications / Publikationen | Aguzzi, A., Glatzel, M., Montrasio, F., Prinz, M., and Heppner, F. L. (2001). Interventional strategies against prion diseases. Nat Rev Neurosci 2, 745-749.Heppner, F. L., I. Arrighi, U. Kalinke and A.Aguzzi (2001). Immunity against prions? Trends Mol Med 7, 477-479.Heppner, F. L., Musahl, C., Arrighi, I., Klein, M. A., Rulicke, T., Oesch, B., Zinkernagel, R. M., Kalinke, U., and Aguzzi, A. (2001a). Prevention of Scrapie Pathogenesis by Transgenic Expression of Anti-Prion Protein Antibodies. Science 294, 178-182 | ||||||||
| Keywords / Suchbegriffe | prion disease, transgenic, antibodies, immunization, therapy, prophylaxis | ||||||||
| Project leadership and contacts / Projektleitung und Kontakte |
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| Other links to external web pages | http://www.uzh.ch/pathol/neuropathologie/d/index.html | ||||||||
| Funding source(s) / Unterstützt durch |
EU, Foundation EU grant PRIOVAX, Bonizzi-Theler-Stiftung, Stammbach Stiftung |
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| In collaboration with / In Zusammenarbeit mit |
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| Duration of Project / Projektdauer | Jun 2000 to May 2004 |