title: Expression of genes involved in the T cell signalling pathway in circulating immune cells of cattle 24 months following oral challenge with Bovine Amyloidotic Spongiform Encephalopathy (BASE).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Bovine Amyloidotic Spongiform Encephalopathy (BASE) is a variant of classical BSE that affects cows and can be transmitted to primates and mice. BASE is biochemically different from BSE and shares some molecular and histo-pathological features with the MV2 sub-type of human sporadic Creutzfeld Jakob Disease (sCJD).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The present work examined the effects of BASE on gene expression in circulating immune cells. Ontology analysis of genes differentially expressed between cattle orally challenged with brain homogenate from cattle following intracranial inoculation with BASE and control cattle identified three main pathways which were affected. Within the immune function pathway, the most affected genes were related to the T cell receptor-mediated T cell activation pathways. The differential expression of these genes in BASE challenged animals at 10,12 and 24 months following challenge, vs unchallenged controls, was investigated by real time PCR.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study show that the effects of prion diseases are not limited to the CNS, but involve the immune system and particularly T cell signalling during the early stage following challenge, before the appearance of clinical signs.
authors.affiliation: Parco Tecnologico Padano, via Einstein, Lodi, 26900, Italy. andrea.travato@tecnoparco.org.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Trovato
authors.affiliation: Istituto Sperimentale Italiano Lazzaro Spallanzani, Loc. La Quercia, 26027, Rivolta d'Adda, Italy. simona.panelli@istitutospallanzani.it.
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Panelli
authors.affiliation: Parco Tecnologico Padano, via Einstein, Lodi, 26900, Italy. Francesco.strozzi@tecnoparco.org.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Strozzi
authors.affiliation: Istituto Sperimentale Italiano Lazzaro Spallanzani, Loc. La Quercia, 26027, Rivolta d'Adda, Italy. caterina.cambuli@istitutospallanzani.it.
authors.forename: Caterina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cambulli
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna, via Bianchi 9, 25124, Brescia, Italy. Ilaria.Barbieri@izsler.it.
authors.forename: Ilaria
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Barbieri
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna, via Bianchi 9, 25124, Brescia, Italy. Nicola.Martinelli@izsler.it.
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Martinelli
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna, via Bianchi 9, 25124, Brescia, Italy. guerino.lombardi@izsler.it.
authors.forename: Guerino
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lombardi
authors.affiliation: Istituto Sperimentale Italiano Lazzaro Spallanzani, Loc. La Quercia, 26027, Rivolta d'Adda, Italy. rossana.capoferri@istitutospallanzani.it.
authors.forename: Rossana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Capoferri
authors.affiliation: Parco Tecnologico Padano, via Einstein, Lodi, 26900, Italy. john.williams001@adelaide.edu.au.|Present address: School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, University of Adelaide, Roseworthy, SA, 5371, Australia. john.williams001@adelaide.edu.au.
authors.forename: John L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Williams
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D016643:Encephalopathy, Bovine Spongiform / Q000145:classification* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000235:genetics; D007249:Inflammation / Q000378:metabolism; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000235:genetics; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology*