Abstract
Rat cortical cells were incubated with the Scrapie prion protein, Prion Sc. At concentrations of 3 ng/ml of Prion Sc and higher, the viability of the cells decreased significantly after a 12-h incubation period. Simultaneously, the degree of DNA fragmentation increased. In control experiments with antibodies against Prion Sc, Prion Sc lost its deleterious effect on neurons. Prion Sc did not affect the viability of astrocytes. Drugs known to block NMDA receptor channels, such as memantine (1-amino-3,5-dimethyl-adamantane) (Mem), its analogue 1-N-methylamino-3,5-dimethyl-adamantane as well as (+)-5-methyl-10,11-dihydro-5H-dibenzo[a,d]cyclohepten-5,10-imine maleate (MK-801) prevented the effect of Prion Sc. Production of Prion Sc in the Scrapie prion-infected subclone of N 2a cells (ScN 2a cells) was not affected by memantine. We conclude that antagonists of the NMDA receptor-channel complex (i) abolish the Prion Sc-induced neuronal injury in vitro and/or the processing of Prion Sc.
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