Immunohistochemical study of macrophage and cytokine dynamics in the gut of scrapie-infected mice.
To study numerical changes in intestinal macrophages and variations in cytokine production by immune cells in the intestine, conventional C57BL/6J mice were orally infected with the Rocky Mountain Laboratory strain of scrapie. Animals were sacrificed at different timepoints, and samples were taken and processed by routine methods for morphological and immunohistochemical analysis. The results point to a possible role for macrophages in the uptake and transport of the infective agent to Peyer's patches. The observed increase in macrophage numbers in subepithelial sites, taken in conjunction with a drop in tumour necrosis factor-alpha production at these sites, suggests a possible secretory inhibition that could be induced by the disease-associated prion protein (PrPd). On the other hand, cytokine dynamics indicated the presence of an impaired Th1-Th2 cell mediated response, which could facilitate the spread of PrPd to the central nervous system. Further research is required to confirm these hypotheses.
Romero-Trevejo
José Lorenzo
JL
Department of Comparative Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain. v82rotrj@uco.es
Gómez-Villamandos
José Carlos
JC
Pedrera
Miriam
M
Blanco
Alfonso
A
Bautista
María José
MJ
Sánchez-Cordón
Pedro José
PJ
D000818:Animals; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D007422:Intestines / Q000473:pathology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D010581:Peyer's Patches / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D011328:Prions / Q000378:metabolism; D012608:Scrapie / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
D016207:Cytokines; D011328:Prions