Plasma metabolites indicate energy metabolism disruption during the preclinical phase of bovine spongiform encephalopathy infection.
During the preclinical phase of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), significantly increased concentrations of lactic acid were measured in the blood of infected dairy cows. Other plasma metabolites, including alanine, leucine, serine, and glutamic acid, also showed significantly altered concentrations in the preclinical BSE animals compared to a control group. This appears consistent with the exaggerated stress response observed in clinical BSE, and precedes the development of clinical signs and overt behavioural changes. A number of other plasma metabolites including other amino acids and components of the plasma fatty acid content showed no association with BSE status.
Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research, Plas Gogerddan, Aberystwyth, SY23 3EB, UK. jon.moorby@bbsrc.ac.uk
J M
JM
Moorby
P
P
Begley
R J
RJ
Nash
M K
MK
Theodorou
A R
AR
Austin
D000596:Amino Acids / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D016643:Encephalopathy, Bovine Spongiform / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000097:blood
D000596:Amino Acids; D005227:Fatty Acids; D019344:Lactic Acid