Relevance of oral experimental challenge with classical scrapie in sheep.
Oral inoculation is currently considered as the best approach to mimic natural TSE contamination in ruminants. In this study, we compared the timing of abnormal prion protein (PrP(Sc)) dissemination and accumulation in the organism of susceptible sheep either orally inoculated or naturally infected with classical scrapie. Both animal groups shared a similar PrP(Sc) dissemination scheme and accumulation dynamics in lymphoid tissues. However, orally challenged animals displayed an earlier neuro-invasion and a dramatically shorter incubation period than naturally exposed sheep. No differences were observed between the groups with regards to the neuro-invasion route. These results unambiguously indicate that oral inoculation can have an impact on both the earliness of neuro-invasion and the incubation period. They also support the statement that oral inoculation is a relevant model for investigating transmissible spongiform encephalopathy pathogenesis. Nevertheless, data obtained under such experimental conditions should be used with some caution.
Tabouret
Guillaume
G
UMR INRA ENVT 1225, Interactions Hôtes-Agents Pathogènes, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire de Toulouse, 23 Chemin des Capelles, 31076 Toulouse, France.
Lacroux
Caroline
C
UMR INRA ENVT 1225, Interactions Hôtes-Agents Pathogènes, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire de Toulouse, 23 Chemin des Capelles, 31076 Toulouse, France.
Lugan
Séverine
S
UMR INRA ENVT 1225, Interactions Hôtes-Agents Pathogènes, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire de Toulouse, 23 Chemin des Capelles, 31076 Toulouse, France.
Costes
Pierrette
P
UMR INRA ENVT 1225, Interactions Hôtes-Agents Pathogènes, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire de Toulouse, 23 Chemin des Capelles, 31076 Toulouse, France.
Corbière
Fabien
F
UMR INRA ENVT 1225, Interactions Hôtes-Agents Pathogènes, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire de Toulouse, 23 Chemin des Capelles, 31076 Toulouse, France.
Weisbecker
Jean Louis
JL
INRA domaine de Langlade, 31450 Pompertuzat, France.
Schelcher
François
F
UMR INRA ENVT 1225, Interactions Hôtes-Agents Pathogènes, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire de Toulouse, 23 Chemin des Capelles, 31076 Toulouse, France.
Andréoletti
Olivier
O
UMR INRA ENVT 1225, Interactions Hôtes-Agents Pathogènes, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire de Toulouse, 23 Chemin des Capelles, 31076 Toulouse, France.
D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D008221:Lymphoid Tissue / Q000737:chemistry; D009420:Nervous System / Q000737:chemistry; D018620:PrPSc Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D012608:Scrapie / Q000635:transmission*; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000635:transmission*; D013997:Time Factors
D018620:PrPSc Proteins