PrP(CWD) in the myenteric plexus, vagosympathetic trunk and endocrine glands of deer with chronic wasting disease.
Accumulated evidence in experimental and natural prion disease systems supports a neural route of infectious prion spread from peripheral sites of entry to the central nervous system. However, little is known about prion trafficking routes in cervids with a naturally occurring prion disease known as chronic wasting disease (CWD). In the brain, the pathogenic isoform of the prion protein (PrP(CWD)) accumulates initially in the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus nerve. To assess whether alimentary-associated neural pathways may play a role in prion trafficking, neural and endocrine tissues from mule deer naturally infected with CWD (n=6) were examined by immunohistochemistry. PrP(CWD) was detected in the myenteric plexus, vagosympathetic trunk, nodose ganglion, pituitary, adrenal medulla and pancreatic islets. No to scant PrP(CWD) staining was detected in other nerves or ganglia (brachial plexus, sciatic nerve, gasserian ganglion, coeliac ganglion, cranial cervical ganglion, spinal nerve roots) of CWD-positive deer and no PrP(CWD) was detected in nerves or endocrine tissues from 11 control deer. These findings suggest that: (i) transit of PrP(CWD) in nerves, either centrifugally or centripetally, is one route of prion trafficking and organ invasion and (ii) endocrine organs may also be targets for cervid pathogenic prion accumulation.
Sigurdson
Christina J
CJ
Department of Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1671, USA1.
Spraker
Terry R
TR
Colorado State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, 300 West Drake Road, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1671, USA2.|Department of Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1671, USA1.
Miller
Michael W
MW
Colorado Division of Wildlife, Wildlife Research Center, 317 West Prospect Road, Fort Collins, CO 80526-2097, USA3.
Oesch
Bruno
B
Prionics AG, University of Zürich 44J30, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057 Zürich, Switzerland4.
Hoover
Edward A
EA
Department of Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1671, USA1.
D000818:Animals; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003670:Deer; D004702:Endocrine Glands / Q000737:chemistry*; D005724:Ganglia / Q000737:chemistry; D009197:Myenteric Plexus / Q000737:chemistry*; D017096:Prion Diseases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000662:veterinary*; D011328:Prions / Q000032:analysis*; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000737:chemistry*; D014630:Vagus Nerve / Q000737:chemistry*; D019282:Wasting Syndrome / Q000378:metabolism / Q000662:veterinary*
D011328:Prions