title: Transmission of sheep-bovine spongiform encephalopathy to pigs.
abstract: Experimental transmission of the bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) agent has been successfully reported in pigs inoculated via three simultaneous distinct routes (intracerebral, intraperitoneal and intravenous). Sheep derived BSE (Sh-BSE) is transmitted more efficiently than the original cattle-BSE isolate in a transgenic mouse model expressing porcine prion protein. However, the neuropathology and distribution of Sh-BSE in pigs as natural hosts, and susceptibility to this agent, is unknown. In the present study, seven pigs were intracerebrally inoculated with Sh-BSE prions. One pig was euthanized for analysis in the preclinical disease stage. The remaining six pigs developed neurological signs and histopathology revealed severe spongiform changes accompanied by astrogliosis and microgliosis throughout the central nervous system. Intracellular and neuropil-associated pathological prion protein (PrP(Sc)) deposition was consistently observed in different brain sections and corroborated by Western blot. PrP(Sc) was detected by immunohistochemistry and enzyme immunoassay in the following tissues in at least one animal: lymphoid tissues, peripheral nerves, gastrointestinal tract, skeletal muscle, adrenal gland and pancreas. PrP(Sc) deposition was revealed by immunohistochemistry alone in the retina, optic nerve and kidney. These results demonstrate the efficient transmission of Sh-BSE in pigs and show for the first time that in this species propagation of bovine PrP(Sc) in a wide range of peripheral tissues is possible. These results provide important insight into the distribution and detection of prions in non-ruminant animals.
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Faculty, Centro de Investigación en Encefalopatías y Enfermedades Transmisibles Emergentes (CIEETE), Universidad de Zaragoza, 50013, Zaragoza, Spain. hedman@unizar.es.
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hedman
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Faculty, Centro de Investigación en Encefalopatías y Enfermedades Transmisibles Emergentes (CIEETE), Universidad de Zaragoza, 50013, Zaragoza, Spain. rbolea@unizar.es.
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bolea
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Faculty, Centro de Investigación en Encefalopatías y Enfermedades Transmisibles Emergentes (CIEETE), Universidad de Zaragoza, 50013, Zaragoza, Spain. belebm@unizar.es.
authors.forename: Belén
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Marín
authors.affiliation: UMR INRA ENVT 1225, Interactions Hôtes Agents Pathogènes, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire de Toulouse, 31076, Toulouse, France. f.corbiere@envt.fr.
authors.forename: Fabien
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cobrière
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Faculty, Centro de Investigación en Encefalopatías y Enfermedades Transmisibles Emergentes (CIEETE), Universidad de Zaragoza, 50013, Zaragoza, Spain. hichamfila@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Hicham
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Filali
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Hospital, Universidad de Zaragoza, 50013, Zaragoza, Spain. pvazquez@unizar.es.
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vazquez
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Faculty, Centro de Investigación en Encefalopatías y Enfermedades Transmisibles Emergentes (CIEETE), Universidad de Zaragoza, 50013, Zaragoza, Spain. jlp@unizar.es.
authors.forename: José Luis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Pitarch
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Faculty, Centro de Investigación en Encefalopatías y Enfermedades Transmisibles Emergentes (CIEETE), Universidad de Zaragoza, 50013, Zaragoza, Spain. vargas@unizar.es.
authors.forename: Antonia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vargas
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Faculty, Centro de Investigación en Encefalopatías y Enfermedades Transmisibles Emergentes (CIEETE), Universidad de Zaragoza, 50013, Zaragoza, Spain. crisacin@unizar.es.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Acín
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Faculty, Centro de Investigación en Encefalopatías y Enfermedades Transmisibles Emergentes (CIEETE), Universidad de Zaragoza, 50013, Zaragoza, Spain. bmoreno@unizar.es.
authors.forename: Bernardino
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Moreno
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Faculty, Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Barcelona, Spain. marti.pumarola@uab.cat.
authors.forename: Martí
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pumarola
authors.affiliation: UMR INRA ENVT 1225, Interactions Hôtes Agents Pathogènes, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire de Toulouse, 31076, Toulouse, France. o.andreoletti@envt.fr.
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Andreoletti
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Faculty, Centro de Investigación en Encefalopatías y Enfermedades Transmisibles Emergentes (CIEETE), Universidad de Zaragoza, 50013, Zaragoza, Spain. badiola@unizar.es.
authors.forename: Juan José
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Badiola
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D016643:Encephalopathy, Bovine Spongiform / Q000635:transmission*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D018620:PrPSc Proteins / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000635:transmission*; D013045:Species Specificity; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D013556:Swine, Miniature
chemical_list: D018620:PrPSc Proteins