Early changes in tyrosine hydroxylase and glutamate decarboxylase activity in the golden hamster striatum after intracerebral inoculation of the nigrostriatal system with scrapie agent (strain 263 K).
Unilateral inoculation of hamster substantia nigra (SN) with scrapie agent led to an early decrease in tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) activity in the corresponding striatum, which was detectable by the 5th day. This decrease was accompanied by an increase in glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) observed on the 20th day. Local phenomena related to administration of the agent were investigated by intrastriatal inoculation followed by local measurement of TH, GAD and choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) activities. A rise in GAD activity was observed 20 days later. The decrease in TH activity which occurred 5 days after inoculation of the substantia nigra with scrapie agent constitutes an extremely early indication in hamsters of the slow pathological processes at work: at clinical and behavioural levels, these can be detected at best only 80 days after the intracerebral inoculation.
D000818:Animals; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000201:enzymology*; D006224:Cricetinae; D005968:Glutamate Decarboxylase / Q000378:metabolism*; D007267:Injections; D008647:Mesocricetus; D011328:Prions; D012608:Scrapie / Q000201:enzymology*; D012756:Sheep; D013378:Substantia Nigra; D013997:Time Factors; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000378:metabolism*
D011328:Prions; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase; D005968:Glutamate Decarboxylase