PRNP and infection: Intracranial infection with EMCV-B resulted in similar viral titers in wild-type and Prnp knockout mice, however, mice lacking PrPC showed higher numbers of apoptotic neurons, while wild-type mice had more activation of microglial cells as well as more severe infiltration of immune cells in the hippocampal area (128), suggesting that PrPC affected the inflammatory response, while also serving a protective, anti-apoptotic role during the infection.