Glial fibrillary acidic protein and myelin basic protein as markers for the immunochemical detection of bovine central nervous tissue in heat-treated meat products.
Because bovine central nervous tissue (CNT) is the main risk material in transmission of the infective agent of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, a suitable test is needed to enforce the ban on CNT in human foodstuffs in the United States and the European Union and to ensure that meat products are free of CNT To detect bovine CNT in heat-treated meat products, we used immunohistochemistry and Western blots with antibodies against glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and myelin basic protein (MBP). Both antigens were resistant to processing methods used for meat products. The anti-GFAP antibody showed a high degree of tissue specificity, whereas the anti-MBP antibody had high species specificity, clearly differentiating between porcine and bovine CNT Therefore, immunochemistry performed with both proteins provides an effective means for detecting bovine CNT in meat products.
Herde
K
K
Institute of Veterinary Anatomy, Histology, and Embryology, Department of Trauma Surgery, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany. katja.a.herde@vetmed.uni-giessen.de
Bergmann
M
M
Lang
C
C
Leiser
R
R
Wenisch
S
S
D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002417:Cattle; D002490:Central Nervous System; D003257:Consumer Product Safety; D005504:Food Analysis; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008461:Meat Products / Q000032:analysis*; D004676:Myelin Basic Protein / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D013045:Species Specificity; D013552:Swine
D000906:Antibodies; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D004676:Myelin Basic Protein