title: Cerebellar degeneration in cattle grazing Solanum bonariense ("Naranjillo") in Western Uruguay.
abstract: Cattle in western Uruguay that were eating Solanum bonariense developed periodic episodes of ataxia, hypermetria, hyperesthesia, head and thoracic limb extension, opisthotonus, nystagmus, and falling to the side or backward. Similar clinical signs were experimentally reproduced in cattle by administration of S. bonariense via rumen cannula at a dose of 1,024 g/kg body mass. No significant gross lesions were observed in field cases or experimentally induced cases. Spontaneous and induced histologic lesions were similar and included vacuolation, degeneration, and loss of Purkinje cells. Axonal spheroids, microcavitations, and other changes of wallerian-type degeneration in cerebellar white matter were also observed. Ultrastructural changes included increased number of electron-dense residual storage bodies in membrane-bound vesicles in affected Purkinje cells, and similar vesicles and mitochondria in axonal spheroids. No histologic lesions were detected in the other examined tissues. The Purkinje-cell swelling and vacuolation with subsequent cerebellar degeneration are suggestive of Purkinje-cell specific toxin that produces abnormal lysosome function and cell specific axonal transport. This is the first report of S. bonariense toxicity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Veterinary Faculty, Universidad de la República Oriental del Uruguay.
authors.forename: José Manuel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Verdes
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moraña
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gutiérrez
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Battes
authors.forename: Luis Eusebio
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Fidalgo
authors.forename: Florentina
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Guerrero
mesh_terms: D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000201:enzymology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D002526:Cerebellar Diseases / Q000201:enzymology / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D006651:Histocytochemistry / Q000662:veterinary; D008297:Male; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission / Q000662:veterinary; D019636:Neurodegenerative Diseases / Q000201:enzymology / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D010947:Plants, Toxic; D011689:Purkinje Cells / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D032322:Solanum; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase