NR ATOT
AU Bodemer,W.; Schrod,A.; Becker,T.; Schulz-Schaeffer,W.J.; Kaup,F.J.
TI A Rhesus Monkey Model for TSE
QU International Conference - Prion 2005: Between fundamentals and society's needs - 19.10.-21.10.2005, Congress Center Düsseldorf - Poster Session: Pathogenesis PATH-04
PT Konferenz-Poster
AB
Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy is investigated in a non-human primate model after intraperitoneal sCJD-, vCJD-, and BSE-inoculation in the rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta). Changes in sleep and wake cycles and behavior were evaluated by telemetry and by direct observation. In addition, tissues like muscle, neuronal tissue and blood samples were obtained and provided to several European cooperators for subsequent analyses. The project is ongoing.
The rhesus monkey TSE model offered several advantages when compared to current rodent models. Their complex socio-sexual interactions certainly make primates more suitable for assessing behavioural changes. Furthermore, it allowed additional experiments aiming at the distribution of infectivity and detection of biochemical markers of prion diseases like the suspected AHSP (EDRF/ERAF) mRNA abundance in a close-to-the human model. Detection of PrP reactivity (if and when it is found) is notably slower than the expression of clinical symptoms. Novel techniques like Immuno-PCR could be used to assess quantitatively PrP in biopsy specimens and body fluids. At present, our animals are supposedly at a midway time point between intraperitoneal inoculation and clinical disease which may allow experiments to develop intervention measures. Thus, our experimental approach combines aspects of TSE with respect to organismic biology and molecular pathology of this enigmatic neurodegenerative disease.
The project had been conceived by J. Collinge in London and A. Aguzzi in Zürich with J. Dittami and his group in Vienna as ethologists.The project was funded from 2001-2004 by the EU, later on from 2004-2005 by the DPZ and from 2005-2007 by the DFG.
Acknowledgement:
The skillfull technical assistance of Th. Eggers, G. Fleckenstein, N. Schwandt, A. Kues, P. Kiesel and V. Liebau is highly appreciated.
AD W.Bodemer, A.Schrod, T.Becker, F.-J.Kaup, German Primate Center, Germany; W.Schulz-Schaeffer, University Hospital Göttingen, Prion and Dementia Group, Germany
SP englisch
PO Deutschland