Effect of infection with the 139H scrapie strain on the number, area and/or location of hypothalamic CRF- and VP-immunostained neurons.
Scrapie is a transmissible neurodegenerative disease which shares some characteristics with Alzheimer disease (AD). Recent studies show abnormal enlargement of the adrenal glands and kidneys in 139H-affected hamsters. Using immunocytochemical techniques with antibodies to corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) and vasopressin (VP), we observed the following: (1) a significantly higher number of CRF-immunostained neurons in the preoptic nucleus of hypothalamus of 139H-affected hamsters than controls; (2) the area of VP-immunostained (ir-VP) neurons in the lateral hypothalamus, which includes the internuclear group of magnocellular neurons and the nucleus circularis, was significantly lower for 139H-affected hamsters than for controls; and (3) no significant difference between 139H-affected and control hamsters with regard to the number of ir-VP neurons in the dorsal-medial hypothalamus (DMH), including the paraventricular hypothalamus, or the supraoptic nuclei. However, the population of ir-VP neurons in the DMH shifted to the anterior part of the hypothalamus in 139H-affected hamsters. Three-dimensional models of the immunostaining were prepared and these provide clear depictions of the changes noted. The changes in the CRF and VP systems in 139H-affected hamsters suggest that the neuroendocrine system can be affected by unconventional slow infections.
Ye
X
X
New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, Staten Island 10314.
Carp
R I
RI
Yu
Y
Y
Kozielski
R
R
Kozlowski
P
P
D000818:Animals; D002452:Cell Count; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000378:metabolism*; D006224:Cricetinae; D005260:Female; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D012608:Scrapie / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D014667:Vasopressins / Q000378:metabolism*
D014667:Vasopressins; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone