title: Neuroanatomical distribution of disease-associated prion protein in cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy detected by fallen stock surveillance in Japan.
abstract: Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder of cattle characterized by accumulation of the disease-associated prion protein (PrP(Sc)) in the central nervous system (CNS). The immunohistochemical patterns and distribution of PrP(Sc) were investigated in the CNS, brains, and spinal cords of 7 naturally occurring BSE cases confirmed by the fallen stock surveillance program in Japan. No animals showed characteristic clinical signs of the disease. Coronal slices of 14 different brain areas in each case were immunohistochemically analyzed using an anti-prion protein antibody. Immunolabeled PrP(Sc) deposition was widely observed throughout each brain and spinal cord. Intense PrP(Sc) deposition was greater in the thalamus, brainstem, and spinal cord of the gray matter than in the neocortices. The topographical distribution pattern and severity of PrP(Sc) accumulation were mapped and plotted as immunohistochemical profiles of the different brain areas along the caudal-rostral axis of the brain. The distribution pattern and severity of the immunolabeled PrP(Sc) in the CNS were almost the same among the 7 cases analyzed, suggesting that the naturally occurring cases in this study were at the preclinical stage of the disease. Immunohistochemical mapping of the PrP(Sc) deposits will be used to clarify the different stages of BSE in cattle.
authors.affiliation: Prion Disease Research Center, National Institute of Animal Health, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305–0856, Japan. okadahi@affrc.go.jp
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Okada
authors.forename: Yoshihumi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Iwamaru
authors.forename: Morikazu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Imamura
authors.forename: Kentaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Masujin
authors.forename: Yuichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Matsuura
authors.forename: Yoshihisa
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shimizu
authors.forename: Kazuo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kasai
authors.forename: Masuhiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takata
authors.forename: Shigeo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fukuda
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nikaido
authors.forename: Kei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fujii
authors.forename: Sadao
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Onoe
authors.forename: Shirou
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mohri
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yokoyama
mesh_terms: D000822:Animal Husbandry; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D002417:Cattle; D016643:Encephalopathy, Bovine Spongiform / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000662:veterinary; D007564:Japan; D011159:Population Surveillance; D018620:PrPSc Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D018620:PrPSc Proteins