Intestinal entry of prions.

Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease is thought to be caused by infected prion protein via ingestion of contaminated beef. After ingestion of infected prion proteins, uptake by small intestine may be by either M-cell dependent or M-cell independent routes. A receptor for prion protein, laminin receptor precursor is expressed on the brush border of small intestinal epithelium in 40 % of subjects. The cellular prion protein expressed on the enteric nervous system might serve as the target for conversion to infectious prion protein and a route for spread to the central nervous system.