Isolation of infectious, non-fibrillar and oligomeric prions from a genetic prion disease

Ilaria Vanni, L. Pirisinu, C. Acevedo-Morantes, R. Kamali-Jamil, V. Rathod, M. A. Di Bari, C. D’Agostino, S. Marcon, E. Esposito, G. Riccardi, S. Hornemann, A. Senatore, A. Aguzzi, U. Agrimi, H. Wille and R. Nonno

BRAIN 2020: 143; 1512–1524

Selezionato dal Lettore: Elisabetta Belli, UO Neurologia - Università di Pisa

Prions cause fatal neurodegenerative diseases for whom a treatment is still lacking. This study provides evidences for the molecular structure of prionic proteins and for the role of the oligomers in the propagation of the disease. The rationale of my choice is that highlightening the molecular mechanisms beyond prionic diseases represents the first step towards the developement fo an efficacious treatment.