NR AMVM
AU Ye,X.; Carp,R.I.
TI Histopathological changes in the pituitary glands of female hamsters infected with the 139H strain of scrapie
QU Journal of Comparative Pathology 1996 Apr; 114(3): 291-304
PT journal article
AB Previous studies in hamsters showed that the 139H strain of scrapie injected intracerebrally caused a generalized endocrinopathy and marked hypoglycaemia and hyperinsulinaemia. The low scrapie infectivity levels in the pancreas suggested that the changes noted in that organ were of neuroendocrine origin. In the current study, female weanling Syrian hamsters were inoculated intracerebrally with scrapie strain 139H or 263K, or with homogenate of normal hamster brain. Coronal sections of the pituitary gland were stained with haematoxylin and eosin, Gomori's one-step trichrome, Congo red, thioflavin-S, and antibodies specific for several pituitary hormones. Sections were examined by light microscopy. The hamsters inoculated with scrapie strain 139H showed extensive pituitary vacuolization. Most vacuoles were located in the ventral or ventrolateral parts of the pars distalis. The pituitary glands of 139H-infected hamsters also showed cellular changes, namely, hypertrophy, atrophy and cytoplasmic vesicles. Nuclear changes such as swelling, vesicle formation, chromatin increase, pyknosis, karyorrhexis and karyolysis also occurred. The cellular and nuclear changes were most pronounced in the regions with vacuolation. Hamsters infected with the 263K strain did not show these changes. Immunocytochemical examination suggested that parenchymal cell types which produce different hormones were affected in areas of vacuolation. The changes produced by 139H were not seen in hamsters infected with strain 263K. This study provides the first evidence of cytopathological changes in the pituitary glands of scrapie-infected animals and suggests a relationship between the pituitary changes and the pathological findings in the pancreas and other endocrine organs of 139H-infected hamsters.
IN Jungen Hamsterweibchen wurden Hirnhomegnate gesunder bzw. mit den Scrapiestämmen 139H oder 263K infizierter Hamster in die Gehirne injiziert. Die Hypophysen der mit dem Hamsterscrapiestamm 139H infizierten Tiere wurden stark durchlöchert. Die Zellen zeigen Hypertrophie, Atrophie und cytoplasmatische Vesikel. In den Kernen wurden Schwellungen, Vesikelbildung, Chromatinzunahme, Pyknosis, Karyorrhexis und Karyolyse beobachtet. Bei mit 263K infizierten Hamstern wurden diese Veränderungen nicht beobachtet. Den Zerstörungen in den Hypophysen entsprechen pathologische Veränderungen im Pancreas und anderen endokrinen Organen dieser Hamster.
ZR 16
MH Animal; Comparative Study; Female; Hamsters; Immunoenzyme Techniques; Insulin/blood; Mesocricetus; Obesity/etiology/physiopathology; Pituitary Gland/chemistry/*pathology; Pituitary Hormones/analysis; PrPsc Proteins/analysis/classification/*pathogenicity; Scrapie/complications/*pathology; Species Specificity; Support, Non-U.S. Gov't; Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.; Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.; Vacuoles/ultrastructure; Virulence
AD New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, Staten Island 10314, USA
SP englisch
PO England