Point mutations and polymorphisms of PrPC are associated with genetic prion diseases,33 and several studies have shown an association between the pathogenicity of prion diseases and neuronal differentiation.34, 35 Therefore, we investigated whether the disease-associated mutations of PrPC affect NGF-induced neurite outgrowth in PC12 cells stably expressing WT or disease-associated mutants of PrPC (P102L and MΔ8). This evidence concerns the gene NGF and prion disease.