NR AWBL
AU Bardsen,K.; Ulvund,M.J.
TI Gene expression related to neuropathogenesis in sheep with experimental scrapie
QU International Conference - Prion 2006: Strategies, advances and trends towards protection of society - 3.10.-6.10.2006, Torino, Italy, Lingotto Conference Centre - Poster sessions PA-05
PT Konferenz-Poster
AB Transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) diseases are also known as prion diseases and scrapie is the prion disease of sheep and goats. Prion diseases are recognised by the conversion of a cellular and soluble form of the prion protein (PrPc) into a stable, insoluble form PrPsc. Expression of the normal form of the protein is necessary for propagation of the disease with pathological changes predominantly located to the brain. Different experimental models, both on the cellular and animal level, have recently given some insight into the neuropathology behind prion diseases, but much more data are needed to describe the damaging effects of PrPsc in detail. Here we present data from a study on experimental scrapie in sheep, and to our knowledge, this is one of the first studies on gene expression related to the neuropathogenesis of scrapie in its original host organism under standardised and controlled conditions. Two months old lambs were inoculated orally with homogenized scrapie infected brain tissues, the inoculation material carrying the same genotype as the experimental animal. The animals were kept isolated, and housed two or three individuals together, with video surveillance. At certain time points after inoculation, animals were killed and samples for gene expression analysis were collected. Realtime polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis on the expression level of selected genes was performed using SYBRgreen I on the LightCycler instrument. Levels of different genes measured at the level of mRNA amount in different parts of the brain were obtained and will be presented. Some of these genes are regulated by astrogliosis, a hallmark for prion diseases, and the cellular stress this pathological process has on astrocytes and neurons. Changes of expression of genes related to overall function of neurons will also be presented. All together, this information contributes to new important information of neuropathological effects of scrapie in sheep.
AD Norwegian School of Veterinary Science, Section for Small Ruminant Research, Kyrkjevegen 332/334, 4325 Sandnes, Norway
SP englisch
PO Italien