Story Summary: The regulating protein Srebp2 drives cholesterol formation, which prions need for their propagation, in prion-infected neuronal cells. With these findings, published in the current issue of the Journal of Biological Chemistry, scientists of Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen and Technische Universitat Munchen anticipate new approaches in drug development to combat prion infection. Unlike a virus, a prion only consists of protein – called prion-protein in its pathological form (PrPSc). To achieve this, Srebp2 binds to a special segment encoding the gene to be transcribed – the sterol regulatory element. This activates the gene, leading to the biosynthesis of the corresponding protein. In every step of cholesterol biosynthesis Srebp2 switches on different genes, thus exactly controlling gene expression, i. e. the translation of gene information into the corresponding protein. Remarkably, only neuronal cells react in this way – microglia cells exposed to prions do not increase their cholesterol production, said Professor Hermann Schatzl of the Institute of Virology of Technische Universitat Munchen, who led the research together with Dr. Ina Vorberg. As leading center oriented toward Environmental Health, it focuses on chronic and complex diseases which develop from the interaction of environmental factors and individual genetic disposition. The head office of the center is located in Neuherberg to the north of Munich on a 50-hectare research campus. The research group of Dr. Ina Vorberg is specialized in cell culture models for studying prions and prion-like proteins. The research group of Dr. Ina Vorberg is specialized in cell culture models for studying prions and prion-like proteins….Read the Full Story

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