title: Isolation of two distinct prion strains from a scrapie-affected sheep.
abstract: We performed a transmission study using mice to clarify the characteristics of the most recent case of scrapie in Japan. The mice that were inoculated with the brain homogenate from a scrapie-affected sheep developed progressive neurological disease, and one of the scrapie-affected mice showed unique clinical signs during primary transmission. This mouse developed obesity, polydipsia, and polyuria. In contrast, the other affected mice exhibited weight loss and hypokinesia. In subsequent passages, the mice showed distinct characteristic scrapie phenotypes. This finding may prove that different prion strains coexist in a naturally affected sheep with scrapie.
authors.affiliation: Prion Disease Research Center, National Institute of Animal Health, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
authors.forename: Kentaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Masujin
authors.forename: Yujing
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shu
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Okada
authors.forename: Yuichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Matsuura
authors.forename: Yoshifumi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Iwamaru
authors.forename: Morikazu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Imamura
authors.forename: Shirou
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mohri
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yokoyama
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D007564:Japan; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D009765:Obesity / Q000503:physiopathology; D018620:PrPSc Proteins / Q000145:classification / Q000378:metabolism / Q000472:pathogenicity; D011328:Prions / Q000145:classification / Q000378:metabolism / Q000472:pathogenicity; D012608:Scrapie / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000635:transmission; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000635:transmission; D013045:Species Specificity; D015431:Weight Loss
chemical_list: D018620:PrPSc Proteins; D011328:Prions