Detection of proteinase K-resistant prion protein and infectivity in mouse spleen by 2 weeks after scrapie agent inoculation.
The sequential accumulation of the protease-resistant form of the endogenous prion protein (PrP-res) was compared to levels of scrapie infectivity in the spleen and brain of scrapie-infected mice at various times after inoculation. In mouse spleen PrP-res was detected 1 week after inoculation, and increased 65-fold between 1 and 3 weeks post-inoculation and an additional 15-fold during the next 17 weeks. Infectivity in spleen reached a maximum plateau level by 3 weeks. In contrast, in mouse brain PrP-res was not detected until 8 weeks after inoculation and then increased 200-fold during the next 12 weeks. During this same time, infectivity increased approximately 10,000-fold. Therefore, in both spleen and brain of scrapie-infected mice accumulation of PrP-res and infectivity appear to be associated. However, it was not possible to show quantitative correlations between PrP-res detection and infectivity, perhaps owing to the inaccuracy of the infectivity assay.
National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, Hamilton, Montana 59840.
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D000818:Animals; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D019286:Endopeptidase K; D051379:Mice; D018620:PrPSc Proteins; D011328:Prions / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D012608:Scrapie / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000635:transmission*; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000494:pharmacology; D013154:Spleen / Q000737:chemistry; D013997:Time Factors
D018620:PrPSc Proteins; D011328:Prions; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; D019286:Endopeptidase K