A new study shows that interactions of the cellular prion protein with amyloid-β, tau and α-synuclein oligomers are important in mediating the toxicity of these proteins in Alzheimer disease and Parkinson disease. The findings suggest a shared pathway that could be a therapeutic target common to multiple neurodegenerative diseases.
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The authors thank Nick A. Paras for useful discussions.
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The Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases has a research collaboration with Daiichi Sankyo (Tokyo, Japan). S.B.P. is a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of ViewPoint Therapeutics and a member of the Board of Directors of Trizell. J.I.A. declares no competing interests.
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Ayers, J.I., Prusiner, S.B. Prion protein — mediator of toxicity in multiple proteinopathies. Nat Rev Neurol 16, 187–188 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41582-020-0332-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41582-020-0332-8
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