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.
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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