title: PrP(Sc) accumulation in placentas of ewes exposed to natural scrapie: influence of foetal PrP genotype and effect on ewe-to-lamb transmission.
abstract: Placentas from scrapie-affected ewes are known to be infectious. Nevertheless, placenta infectivity in such ewes is not systematic. Maternal transmission to lambs is highly suspected but contamination of the foetus in utero has not been demonstrated. Using ewes from a naturally scrapie-infected flock, it was demonstrated that abnormal prion protein (PrP(Sc)) accumulation in the placenta (i) is controlled by polymorphisms at codons 136, 154 and 171 of the foetal PrP gene and (ii) is restricted mainly to placentome foetal trophoblastic cells. In order to go deeper into the role of the placenta in scrapie transmission, the pattern of PrP(Sc) dissemination was established in susceptible lambs (genotype VRQ/VRQ) sampled from 140 days post-insemination to the age of 4 months from either VRQ/VRQ ewes with PrP(Sc)-positive placentas or ARR/VRQ ewes with PrP(Sc)-negative placentas. In both VRQ/VRQ lamb groups, PrP(Sc) spatial and temporal accumulation patterns were similar, suggesting post-natal rather than in utero contamination.
authors.affiliation: UMR 959 INRA-ENVT, Physiopathologie Infectieuse et Parasitaire des Ruminants, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire, 23 Chemin des Capelles, 31076 Toulouse Cedex 3, France1.
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Andréoletti
authors.affiliation: UMR 959 INRA-ENVT, Physiopathologie Infectieuse et Parasitaire des Ruminants, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire, 23 Chemin des Capelles, 31076 Toulouse Cedex 3, France1.
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lacroux
authors.affiliation: UMR 959 INRA-ENVT, Physiopathologie Infectieuse et Parasitaire des Ruminants, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire, 23 Chemin des Capelles, 31076 Toulouse Cedex 3, France1.
authors.forename: Armelle
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chabert
authors.affiliation: UMR 959 INRA-ENVT, Physiopathologie Infectieuse et Parasitaire des Ruminants, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire, 23 Chemin des Capelles, 31076 Toulouse Cedex 3, France1.
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Monnereau
authors.affiliation: UMR 959 INRA-ENVT, Physiopathologie Infectieuse et Parasitaire des Ruminants, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire, 23 Chemin des Capelles, 31076 Toulouse Cedex 3, France1.
authors.forename: Guillaume
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tabouret
authors.affiliation: INRA, Laboratoire de Pathologie Infectieuse et Immunologie, Nouzilly, France2.
authors.forename: Frédéric
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lantier
authors.affiliation: INRA, Laboratoire de Pathologie Infectieuse et Immunologie, Nouzilly, France2.
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Berthon
authors.affiliation: INRA, Domaine de Langlade, Pompertuzat, France3.
authors.forename: Francis
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Eychenne
authors.affiliation: NVI, Department of Pathology, Oslo, Norway4.
authors.forename: Sylvie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lafond-Benestad
authors.affiliation: INRA, Station d'Amélioration Génétique des Animaux, Auzeville, France5.
authors.forename: Jean-Michel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Elsen
authors.affiliation: UMR 959 INRA-ENVT, Physiopathologie Infectieuse et Parasitaire des Ruminants, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire, 23 Chemin des Capelles, 31076 Toulouse Cedex 3, France1.
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Schelcher
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D010920:Placenta / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D018620:PrPSc Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D011328:Prions / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012608:Scrapie / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000635:transmission; D012756:Sheep
chemical_list: D018620:PrPSc Proteins; D011328:Prions