NR AGLJ
AU Kimberlin,R.H.; Millson,G.C.; Mackenzie,A.
TI Biochemical and histopathological changes in the brains of mice inoculated with scrapie by the intraperitoneal route
QU Journal of Comparative Pathology 1971 Oct; 81(4): 469-77
PT journal article
AB
Groups of mice were inoculated by the intraperitoneal route with suspensions of scrapie or normal brain, respectively. A study was made throughout the incubation period of a number of abnormalities which are known to occur preclinically in mice inoculated by the intracerebral route.
The titre of scrapie agent in brain increased progressively starting at 4 weeks after inoculation and clinical signs appeared at 19 weeks. There was no evidence that an increased number of glial cells which synthesise DNA occurred in the brains of mice inoculated intraperitoneally, a finding in marked contrast to previous results with intracerebrally-inoculated mice. The other abnormalities studied, namely, vacuolation, astrocyte hypertrophy, increased incorporation of [3H] thymidine into whole brain DNA and increased activities of acid deoxyribo-nuclease, ?-glucuronidase and N-acetyl-?-D-glucosaminidase, all showed progressive changes in scrapie brain starting 12 to 14 weeks after inoculation. Quantitatvely, the changes seen after intraperitoneal inoculation were the same as those found previously after intracerebral inoculation but there were some definite differences in the distribution of lesions.
A comparison of the present results with previously published data suggests that once the agent starts to accumulate in brain the development of lesions and of the clinical disease follows a similar pattern, irrespective of the route of inoculation. The increased length of the incubation period after intraperitoneal inoculation corresponds with the delay before the agent reaches the brain.
MH Animal; Brain/enzymology/metabolism/*pathology; DNA/biosynthesis/metabolism; Deoxyribonucleases/analysis; Female; Glucosaminidase/analysis; Glucuronidase/analysis; Injections, Intraperitoneal; Mice; Neuroglia/cytology; Prions/pathogenicity; Scrapie/metabolism/*pathology; Sheep; Thymidine/metabolism; Tritium
AD Institute for Research on Animal Diseases, Compton, Newbury, Berkshire, UK
SP englisch
PO England