NR AOTX
AU Hempfling,P.K.; Plesker,R.; Schroeder,B.; Montrasio,F.; Löwer,J.
TI Differential Gene Expression in Scrapie Infected Mouse Organs
QU International Conference - Prion diseases: from basic research to intervention concepts - TSE-Forum, 08.10.-10.10.2003, Gasteig, München - Poster session - IV-20
PT Konferenz-Poster
AB
The pathological hallmarks of Scrapie infected brain tissues are characteristic deposits of PrPsc, vacuolization, astrogliosis and neurodegeneration. However the pathological mechanisms leading to that hallmarks are still poorly understood. There is also evidence that processes ongoing in lymphoid tissues after Scrapie infection may play a role in Scrapie pathogenesis. The aim of the study was therefore the investigation of differential gene expression in order to find genes that are up or down regulated during Scrapie infection in mice organs.
We performed RNA arbitrarily primed PCR (RAP-PCR) and selective subtractive hybridisation (SSH) on brain and spleen tissues of mice affected with Scrapie and unaffected controls. The results were confirmed by a differential screening step, sequence analyses and northern-blotting.
A search for known homologues yielded several candidates, some of which, like GFAP, Apolipoprotein D, Vimentin, Mx-Protein, MHC I and II, were previously described as up regulated in Scrapie infected brains. Few other up regulated candidates like cytochrome oxidase and the ubiqitination factor E4a as well as the down regulated stathmin gene, were so far not known to be affected by Scrapie infection. Furthermore we found a sequence producing a differentially expressed splicing variant without homology to any other known sequence.
The investigation of gene expression in infected mouse tissues contributes to a better understanding of the pathogenesis of Scrapie on a molecular level. Differentially expressed genes may also be useful as surrogat markers in early diagnosis or for the development of strategies for therapeutic intervention.
AD Petra K. Hempfling, Roland Plesker, Fabio Montrasio, Johannes Löwer, Department Pr1 - TSE-Research, Paul-Ehrlich-Institute, Langen, Germany; Bjoern Schroeder, Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica GmbH, Ingelheim, Germany
SP englisch
PO Deutschland