Major histocompatibility complex genes have an increased brain expression after scrapie infection.
We have examined the expression of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigens and related genes in scrapie-infected hamster brain. Both the class I and the class II MHC genes as well as the class II-associated invariant chain were found to have an increased brain expression after scrapie infection. The increased expression of the class I complex was immunohistochemically localized primarily to neurons, though some astrocytes contained much smaller amounts of the class I complex. While there is no detectable immune response to scrapie infection, the possibility that increased MHC expression affords some defense against the scrapie agent is discussed.
Duguid
J
J
Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis.
Trzepacz
C
C
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D006224:Cricetinae; D015870:Gene Expression; D005805:Genes, MHC Class I; D005802:Genes, MHC Class II; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008285:Major Histocompatibility Complex; D008647:Mesocricetus; D012313:RNA / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012016:Reference Values; D012608:Scrapie / Q000276:immunology*
D012367:RNA, Viral; D012313:RNA