Search results for "PrP"
showing 10 items of 44 documents
Prion protein gene frequencies in three Sicilian dairy sheep populations
2008
The objective of this paper was to investigate the prion protein (PrP) genotype and haplotype frequencies in three Sicilian dairy sheep populations. The three populations were: (1) 1096 Valle del Belice animals, (2) 1143 Comisana animals, and (3) 1771 individuals from 5 flocks with scrapie outbreaks, in which the animals were crossbreds derived from indigenous Sicilian dairy breeds. PrP genotypes are described for the three codons 136 (Alanine or Valine; A, V), 154 (Histidine or Arginine; H, R), and 171 (Glutamine, Arginine or Histidine; Q, R, H) which represent polymorphisms known to be linked with scrapie susceptibility. The Valle del Belice haplotype frequencies were 32.3% ARR, 6.5% AHQ,…
Arthropod 7SK RNA
2008
The 7SK small nuclear RNA (snRNA) is a key player in the regulation of polymerase (pol) II transcription. The 7SK RNA was long believed to be specific to vertebrates where it is highly conserved. Homologs in basal deuterostomes and a few lophotrochozoan species were only recently reported. On longer timescales, 7SK evolves rapidly with only few conserved sequence and structure motifs. Previous attempts to identify the Drosophila homolog thus have remained unsuccessful despite considerable efforts. Here we report on the discovery of arthropod 7SK RNAs using a novel search strategy based on pol III promoters, as well as the subsequent verification of its expression. Our results demonstrate th…
Two novel amino acid substitutions in highly conserved regions of prion protein (PrP) and a high frequency of a scrapie protective variant in native …
2019
Background Polymorphisms of the prion protein gene may influence scrapie susceptibility in small ruminants through modified protein conformation. At least 47 amino acid substitutions and 19 silent polymorphisms have been described in goat PRNP reported from several countries. The objective of this study was to investigate PRNP polymorphisms of native Ethiopian goat breeds and compare the results with other goat breeds. Results The analysis of the prion protein gene PRNP in 229 goats belonging to three of the main Ethiopian native goat breeds showed a remarkably high frequency (> 34.6%) of p.(Asn146Ser) in these breeds, a variant involved in scrapie resistance in Cyprus. In addition, two nov…
Analysis of the influence of the PrP genotype on the litter size in Polish sheep using classification trees and logistic regression
2014
The relation between prion protein (PrP) genotype class and litter size was analysed in Polish Merino, Black-headed, Ile de France and Berrichon du Cher sheep in Poland. Litter size was analysed with the classification tree technique and multiple logistic regression for effects of breed, age of ewe, PrP genotype, litter size of ewe at her birth, and at her rearing and year of ewe's birth. The resulting classification tree was 6-level deep and contained 21 leaves. Age, breed and year of birth were more important determinants of litter size than PrP genotype. Importance of PrP genotype in the tree development was 0.560 relative to age of ewe. While the logistic regression analysis showed that…
Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) in Dental Extraction of Patients at Risk of Bisphosphonate-Related Osteonecrosis of the Jaws: A Two-Year Longitudinal Study
2020
: Dental extraction has often been described as the main trigger event of osteonecrosis of the jaws (ONJ). This longitudinal hospital-based study aimed to evaluate the outcome at 2 years of a standardized medical-surgical protocol for dental extraction, combined with platelet rich-plasma (PRP) application, compared with conventional protocol not combined with PRP or any other autologous platelet concentrate in cancer (ONC) and osteometabolic (OST) patients, at risk of bisphosphonate (BP)-related ONJ. Twenty patients were consecutively recruited: six received BPs for cancer skeletal-related events (34.17 ±
Mathematical models for the diffusion magnetic resonance signal abnormality in patients with prion diseases
2014
In clinical practice signal hyperintensity in the cortex and/or in the striatum on magnetic resonance (MR) diffusion-weighted images (DWIs) is a marker of sporadic Creutzfeldt–Jakob Disease (sCJD). MR diagnostic accuracy is greater than 90%, but the biophysical mechanisms underpinning the signal abnormality are unknown. The aim of this prospective study is to combine an advanced DWI protocol with new mathematical models of the microstructural changes occurring in prion disease patients to investigate the cause of MR signal alterations. This underpins the later development of more sensitive and specific image-based biomarkers. DWI data with a wide a range of echo times and diffusion weightin…
Autologous Platelet-Rich Plasma in the treatment of androgenetic alopecia: results of a 54-patient prospective study
2021
The current medical treatments of androgenetic alopecia (AGA) have hardly achieved a satisfying clinical improvement. Biologic regenerative therapies, such as platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections in the scalp, have been proposed recently. This multidisciplinary prospective study aims to explore the efficacy and safety of autologous PRP injections into the scalp of patients with AGA. Fifty-four patients with AGA (35 men and 19 women) were enrolled. Non-activated autologous PRP was injected into the androgen-related areas of the scalp. The study protocol consisted of three sessions of injections at 3-month interval. The effects were assessed by means of noninvasive methods. Safety profile, p…
Prions, mad cow disease, and preventive measures: a critical appraisal
2003
In 1996 the first key epidemiological study on bovine spongiform encephalitis (BSE) appeared in the renowned journal Nature [1]. In that article it was estimated that by the year 1996, some 750,000 cows with BSE had entered the food chain in Great Britain. Accordingly, millions of people in GB must have consumed contaminated meat. That same year the first report on a new form of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease [variant (v) CJD] manifesting in young patients appeared [26]. A connection between this disease and BSE was assumed. In view of the suspicion that the use of meat and bone meal (MBM) had led to the outbreak of BSE, feeding with MBM was banned in the year 1988. The number of new BSE infecti…
Novel approaches in diagnosis and therapy of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.
2000
The scrapie prion protein, PrP(Sc), as well as its peptide fragment, PrP106-126, are toxic on neuronal cells, resulting in cell death by an apoptotic, rather than necrotic mechanism. The apoptotic process of neuronal cells induced by prion protein supports diagnosis and offers potential targets for therapeutic intervention of the prion diseases. Among the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) proteins, which may serve as markers of neuronal cell death associated with prion diseases, the 14-3-3 protein(s) turned out to be the most promising one. A new sensitive assay allows the detection of even small changes in the normally low levels of these proteins. In vitro, the toxic effects displayed by PrP(Sc) …