Reduction of PrPCin human cerebrospinal fluid after spinal cord injury

Abstract

It has been estimated that cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) contains approximately 80 proteins that significantly increase or decrease in response to various clinical conditions. Here we have evaluated the CSF protein PrPC (cellular prion protein) for possible increases or decreases following spinal cord injury. The physiological function of PrPC is not yet completely understood; however, recent findings suggest that PrPC may have neuroprotective properties. Our results show that CSF PrPC is decreased in spinal cord injured patients 12 h following injury and is absent at 7 days. Given that normal PrPC has been proposed to be neuroprotective, we speculate that the decrease in CSF PrPC levels may influence neuronal cell survival following spinal cord injury. © 2010 Landes Bioscience.