NR AREF
AU Thumdee,P.; Griese,J.; Ponsuksili,S.; Gilles,M.; Tesfaye,D.; Schellander,K.; Wimmers,K.
TI PRNP expression in the maternal and embryonic tissues of sheep and cattle
QU TSE-Forum, 4. Kongress - Nationale TSE-Forschungsplattform, Düsseldorf 28.10.-29.10.2004, Poster GL-14
PT Konferenz-Poster
AB Conversion of the cellular prion protein (PrPc) into an abnormal protease-resistant form (PrPsc) is central to the pathogenesis of prion diseases. Eventhough oral inoculation is known to be the most important mode of infection, knowledge about epidemiological importance and means of possible maternal-vertical infection are still ambiguous. Since expression of PrPc is a prerequisite for the infection to start, this study aims to determine the PRNP expression in different tissues and stages of pregnant animals and their conceptuses. Sheep were classified as resistant (R1) or high susceptible (R5) to scrapie according to their PrP genotype at codons 136, 154 and 171. Six R1 and six R5 ewes were mated to rams of the same risk group. Maternal tissues such as ovary, oviduct, endometrium, myometrium and caruncle as well as fetal tissues of chorion, amnion, allantoic, navel cord, cotyledon, brain, lung, heart, liver, spleen, intestine, muscle, skin, bone and thymus were collected at the 1st, 3rd and 5th month of pregnancy. For cattle, maternal and embryonic samples were collected at 2-3 weeks after insemination. PRNP expression analysis was performed using semi-quantitative reverse transcription PCR. The results showed that the PRNP was expressed in all bovine maternal tissues investigated consisting of endometrium, brain, lung, spleen, intestine and muscle. In addition, the gene transcript was also found in chorion, amnion, allantoic, cotyledon, liver and stomach of bovine fetal tissues. In sheep, the PrP transcript was detected as early as the first month of pregnancy in all maternal and fetal tissues examined. In fetal tissues, high expression level was found in the brain, spinal cord and cotyledon and low level was detected in liver and bone. The PRNP expression profile were likely similar in resistant and high susceptible to scrapie conceptuses. Moreover, the expression level of the gene in various tissues was changed through the embryo development process. Results of the present study will contribute for the efforts being done in the identification of mechanisms underlying prion disease development and transmission.
AD Patama Thumdee, Josef Griese, Siriluck Ponsuksili, Markus Gilles, Dawit Tesfaye, Karl Schellander, Klaus Wimmers, Institute of Animal Breeding and Genetics, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany; Siriluck Ponsuksili, Klaus Wimmers, Present address: Research Institute for the Biology of Farm Animals, Dummerstorf, Germany
SP englisch
PO Deutschland
OR Tagungsband