NR AOZU
AU Thomzig,A.; Diringer,H.; Beekes,M.
TI Clinico-Pathological and Biochemical Characteristics of a New BSE-Isolate in Hamsters
QU International Conference - Prion diseases: from basic research to intervention concepts - TSE-Forum, 08.10.-10.10.2003, Gasteig, München - Poster session - PG-08
PT Konferenz-Poster
AB
Aim: The objective of the study was i) to transmit BSE directly or via an intermediate host from cattle to hamsters, ii) to characterise the clinical phenotype, neuropathology and biochemical PrPsc properties of the resulting hamster-passaged BSE-isolate and iii) to compare the characteristics of this isolate with those of scrapie strains 263K and ME7-H.
Methods: Syrian hamsters were intracerebrally inoculated with BSE agent from a German BSE-cow or from mice as well as with scrapie strains 263K and ME7-H. Brain samples were examined by histology, immunohistochemistry, Western- and paraffin-embedded tissue (PET) blotting.
Results: We confirmed, with inoculum from a German BSE case, that BSE agent from cattle fails to transmit disease to hamsters. However, this barrier can be bypassed by passaging the agent through mice. When adapted to hamsters, the new BSE-isolate (BSE-H) causes clinical symptoms easily distinguishable from those of 263K- and ME7-H scrapie and provokes prominent plaque-like PrPsc-deposits in the brain. Biochemically, the BSE-H isolate can be differentiated from strains 263K and ME7-H by its distinct electrophoretic PrPsc migration pattern following proteinase K digestion. Finally BSE-H is characterized by an area-specific pattern of PrPsc deposition in the brain, which considerably differs from that of 263K and Me7-H.
Conclusion: The clinico-pathological and biochemical features of the newly established BSE-isolate in hamsters differ from those observed for hamster-adapted scrapie strains 263K and ME7-H, however, they show similarities to characteristics which have been described for transmissible spongiform encephalopathies caused by BSE agent in other animal species and humans. Our results suggest that hamster may provide a useful animal model for studying the species barrier in BSE transmission and for investigating the spread of ingested BSE agent from the alimentary tract to the brain.
AD
Achim Thomzig, Heino Diringer, Michael Beekes, Robert Koch-Institute, Germany
SP englisch
PO Deutschland