Increased expression of the embryonic intermediate filament, nestin, in the brains of scrapie-infected mice.
This study investigated the immunohistochemical localization of nestin and its expression level in the brains of mice infected with scrapie, a disease which is characterized by spongiform neurodegeneration, neuronal vacuolation, and astrogliosis. Western blot analysis showed that the protein level of nestin was significantly increased in scrapie-infected brains compared with those of control brains. Nestin immunoreactivity in vascular endothelial cells was more intense in the brains of scrapie-infected mice compared with those of controls. There was marked nestin immunostaining in reactive astrocytes, but not in the neurons of the scrapie-infected brains. Considering all the findings, this study suggests that the nestin-positive cells, including glial cells and vascular endothelial cells, may have the potential to differentiate into mature glial cells and other neuronal elements, which would replenish lost neurons.
Ilsong Institute of Life Science, Hallym University, Ilsong Building, Dongan-gu, Anyang 431-060, South Korea.
Jae-Kwang
JK
Jin
Byung-Hoon
BH
Jeong
Yeo-Jung
YJ
Na
Yong-Sun
YS
Kim
Richard I
RI
Carp
Myung-Bok
MB
Wie
Changjong
C
Moon
Taekyun
T
Shin
D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western / Q000379:methods; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000502:physiology*; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D007382:Intermediate Filaments / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D064231:Nestin; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D012608:Scrapie / Q000378:metabolism*
D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C577485:Nes protein, mouse; D064231:Nestin; D012333:RNA, Messenger