title: Pathological characterization of TgElk mice injected with brain homogenate from elk with chronic wasting disease.
abstract: Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is classified as a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy or prion disease that affects cervids. CWD has been reported in 15 US states, two Canadian provinces, and in imported elk on several farms in Korea. This study was conducted to examine the molecular biological and pathogenic characteristics of a CWD-associated prion isolated in Korea. The epidemiological origin of this pathogen was also determined. Homozygous TgElk mice were infected with a CWD-affected elk brain pool prepared from the brain of an imported Canadian elk. We measured the incubation time of the pathogen, neuropathological changes by immunohistochemical staining, the pattern(s) of scrapie prion protein (PrPSc) deposition, and PrPSc protein profiles by Western blotting. We found that TgElk mice infected with brain homogenate from the elk suffering from CWD showed incubation times, vacuolar degeneration, and PrPSc accumulation similar to those previously reported in the literature. Our results suggest that homozygous TgElk mice efficiently transmit CWD with short incubation times and that this animal can serve a valuable research model and reliable in vivo diagnostic tool.
authors: Ilsong Institute of Life Science, Hallym University, Anyang 431-060, Korea.
authors: Yong-Chul
authors: YC
authors: Jeon
authors: Jin-Kyu
authors: JK
authors: Choi
authors: Eun-Kyung
authors: EK
authors: Choi
authors: Richard I
authors: RI
authors: Carp
authors: Yong-Sun
authors: YS
authors: Kim
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D003670:Deer; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D011328:Prions; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D034081:Wasting Disease, Chronic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000635:transmission
chemical_list: D011328:Prions
keywords: cervidized PrP mouse; chronic wasting disease; lesion profile; prion isolate; transmissibility
references: J Vet Med Sci. 2002 Sep;64(9):855-8
references: 12399615
references: Curr Top Microbiol Immunol. 2004;284:193-214
references: 15148993
references: J Virol. 2006 Sep;80(18):9104-14
references: 16940522
references: J Neurosci. 2005 Aug 31;25(35):7944-9
references: 16135751
references: J Gen Virol. 2006 Dec;87(Pt 12):3773-3780
references: 17098997
references: Hybridoma (Larchmt). 2006 Oct;25(5):271-7
references: 17044782
references: Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2000 Aug 29;355(1400):1043-50
references: 11186305
references: J Virol. 2007 Apr;81(8):4305-14
references: 17287284
references: J Neuropathol Exp Neurol. 1990 Mar;49(2):106-13
references: 2106573
references: J Virol. 2004 Dec;78(23):13345-50
references: 15542685
references: J Vet Med Sci. 2005 Aug;67(8):753-9
references: 16141661