NR AMXD
AU Yun,S.W.; Choi,E.K.; Ju,W.K.; Ahn,M.S.; Carp,R.I.; Wisniewski,H.M.; Kim,Y.S.
TI Extensive degeneration of catecholaminergic neurons to scrapie agent 87V in the brains of IM mice
QU Molecular and Chemical Neuropathology 1998 Jun-Aug; 34(2-3): 121-32
PT journal article
AB Scrapie is a degenerative disease of the central nervous system of sheep and goats. The causative agent has been passaged to a number of laboratory species, including mice and hamster. Amyloid plaque formation and vacuolation, the signs of senile dementia, are found in the brains of mice infected with 87V scrapie agent. Dopamine (DA) and norepinephrine (NE) concentrations in the brains of scrapie-infected mice were measured with high-performance liquid chromatography-electrochemical detector (HPLC-ECD). A significant decrease in NE level was exhibited in all regions tested, whereas the level of DA decreased significantly only in cerebral cortex. Immunohistochemistry was used to examine immunoreactive catecholamine neurons in substantia nigra and locus ceruleus using antisera against tyrosine hydroxylase (TH). The population of TH-immunoreactive neurons in the substantia nigra and locus ceruleus were significantly decreased in scrapie-infected mice compared to controls. These data suggest that both the noradrenergic and dopaminergic system are sensitive to the action of scrapie agent 87V and that changes in the catecholamine levels in the brains of scrapie-infected mice may contribute to some of the clinical symptoms of the diseases, such as ataxia and apraxia.
MH Animal; Brain/*metabolism/pathology; Cerebellum/metabolism; Cerebral Cortex/metabolism; Dopamine/*metabolism; Female; Hamsters; Mesencephalon/metabolism; Mice; Mice, Inbred Strains; Nerve Degeneration/pathology; Neurons/*metabolism/pathology; Norepinephrine/*metabolism; Organ Specificity; Pons/metabolism; *PrPsc Proteins; Reference Values; Scrapie/*metabolism/pathology; Support, Non-U.S. Gov't; Vacuoles/metabolism/pathology
AD Yong-Sun Kim, Institute of Environment and Life Science, College of Medicine, Hallym University, Chunchon, Korea; Eun-Kyoung Choi, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Havard Medical School, Boston, MS, USA; Myung-Soo Ahn, Department of Neurosurgery, College of Medicine, Hallym University, Chuncheon, Korea
SP englisch
PO USA