title: Cell-surface expression of PrPC and the presence of scrapie prions in the blood of goats.
abstract: Although host-encoded prion protein (PrP(C)) expression in ovine PBMCs and prion infectivity in scrapie-infected sheep blood have been demonstrated, such studies have not been reported in goats. Therefore, this study characterized cell-surface expression of PrP(C) on PBMC subsets derived from normal goats and sheep, by flow cytometry, and determined prion infectivity in blood from a scrapie-infected goat using a transfusion bioassay in goat kids. Cell-surface PrP(C) expression was detected on all subsets of goat PBMCs. The highest PrP(C) cell-surface expression was found in CD2(+) T lymphocytes in goats. Transmission of infection was detected in all three recipients who received whole blood from a goat with classical scrapie. It was concluded that caprine PBMCs express PrP(C) similarly to sheep but with relative differences among PBMCs subsets, and that blood-borne infectious prions can be detected in scrapie-infected goats. Thus, similar to sheep, goat blood may be a suitable diagnostic target for the detection of scrapie infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-7040, USA.
authors.forename: Rohana P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Dassanayake
authors.affiliation: Animal Disease Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, US Department of Agriculture, Pullman, WA 99164-6630, USA.
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.affiliation: Animal Disease Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, US Department of Agriculture, Pullman, WA 99164-6630, USA.
authors.forename: Lynn M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Herrmann-Hoesing
authors.affiliation: Animal Disease Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, US Department of Agriculture, Pullman, WA 99164-6630, USA.
authors.forename: Thomas C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Truscott
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-7040, USA.
authors.forename: William C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.affiliation: Animal Disease Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, US Department of Agriculture, Pullman, WA 99164-6630, USA.|Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-7040, USA.
authors.forename: Katherine I
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: O'Rourke
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D015870:Gene Expression; D015511:Goat Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D006041:Goats; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000737:chemistry*; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D018621:PrPC Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D012608:Scrapie / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D012756:Sheep
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D018621:PrPC Proteins