Detection of bovine central nervous system tissue as bovine spongiform encephalopathy risk material by real-time reverse transcriptase-PCR in raw and cooked beef products.
There is increasing evidence of the association of the new variant of Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease (nvCJD) in humans with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in cattle. Many countries established legislation of banning central nervous system (CNS) tissues, which are regarded as BSE-specified risk materials (SRM), in human food supply because of the potential transmission of BSE to humans. A real-time reverse transcriptase-PCR assay using the bovine glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) mRNA template for the detection of CNS tissues in raw and cooked beef products was developed in this study. The results showed that (1) this method can detect CNS tissues from bovine and ovine origins, but not from porcine and avian ones; (2) GFAP mRNA can only be detected from brain and spinal cords rather than other tissues; (3) the GFAP mRNA was detectable in CNS tissues even after dilution to 0.001%; and (4) the assay was unaffected by heat treatment at 100 degrees C for 30 min or storage at room temperature for 4 days, and at 4 degrees C for at least 15 days.
Shi
Xi-Ju
XJ
Beijing Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau, Beijing, P.R. China.
Ma
Gui-Ping
GP
Li
Bing-Ling
BL
Yang
Jin-Liang
JL
Yu-Wang
Li
Yan-Xin
YX
Liu
Xu-Hui
XH
Liu
Quan-Guo
QG
D000818:Animals; D001717:Birds; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D002417:Cattle; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000737:chemistry*; D016643:Encephalopathy, Bovine Spongiform / Q000473:pathology*; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D006361:Heating; D006801:Humans; D008460:Meat / Q000032:analysis*; D009417:Nerve Tissue / Q000737:chemistry*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012756:Sheep; D013045:Species Specificity; D013552:Swine
D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D012333:RNA, Messenger