Study on the molecular mechanisms of prion secretion from microglial cells

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Prions are infectious agents composed of protein, and cause transmissible spongiform encephalopathies which are neurodegenerative diseases in mammals. The molecular mechanisms that regulate the spread of prion from cell to cell still remain obscure. In this study, we examined the role of ATP-gated P2X7 receptor (P2X7R) in the release of prions from microglial cells. We found that P2X7R activation promotes the prion release in microglia ingesting prions. We also found that brilliant blue G (BBG) which is known as a P2X7R antagonist reduces prion accumulation both in vitro and in vivo