NR AWIA
AU Konold,T.; Howells,L.; Horton,R.; Bellworthy,S.J.
TI Comparison of serotonin levels in cerebrospinal fluid and serum between sheep affected by TSE and healthy sheep
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 DIA-31
PT Konferenz-Poster
AB The serotonergic system plays a major role in the regulation of a wide range of biological, psychological and behavioural functions, and its dysfunction is associated with several medical and psychiatric conditions in humans. In addition, serotonin is thought to be involved in the transmission of pain and central pruritus. Experimental studies have demonstrated reduced serotonin levels in brains of rodents infected with transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, and it was hypothesised that the serotonergic system was affected by these diseases, which could also account for the clinical signs. Reduced serotonin concentrations have also been found in blood from scrapie-affected sheep. Based on these findings, the objective of this pilot study was to investigate if the serotonin concentration in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum is altered in sheep affected by TSEs compared to healthy controls, which could account for the anxiety and pruritus seen in affected sheep and potentially be used as a surrogate marker. Serum and CSF was collected at necropsy from 14 sheep with confirmed TSE and clinical signs that included pruritus (6 sheep naturally infected with scrapie, 8 sheep experimentally infected with BSE) and 10 clinically healthy sheep from a TSE-free flock. Serotonin concentration was determined by High Performance Liquid Chromatography. Results between groups were compared with the MannWhitney U test. There was no statistically significant difference in the serotonin concentration in CSF between sheep affected by TSEs and healthy sheep. By contrast, serum serotonin was significantly reduced in TSEpositive sheep (p=0.03), and when individual groups were compared, in scrapie-affected sheep compared to healthy controls (p=0.04). CSF serotonin is not a useful marker to explain the clinical signs of TSE in sheep or to distinguish TSE-affected sheep from normal sheep. Although the mean serotonin concentration was significantly reduced in sheep affected by TSEs compared to healthy sheep, there was an overlap in the values across both groups, which makes it unsuitable as a diagnostic test.
AD T. Konold, S. Bellworthy: Veterinary Laboratories Agency Weybridge, Neuropathology, New Haw, Addlestone, UK; L. Howells, R. Horton: Veterinary Laboratories Agency Weybridge, TSE Molecular Biology, New Haw, Addlestone, UK. E-mail: t.konold@vla.defra.gsi.gov.uk
SP englisch
PO Italien