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Clusterin in bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE)
1The Royal Veterinary College, London, NW1 OTU, UK.
Journal of Comparative Pathology
|July 16, 1999
Summary
Clusterin mRNA increases in the spinal cords of cattle with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). This protein is found in neuroglia and associated with prion protein deposits in affected areas.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Veterinary Pathology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease in cattle.
- Understanding the molecular changes in the central nervous system during BSE is crucial for disease research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the expression and localization of clusterin in the spinal cord of cattle affected with BSE.
- To determine the relationship between clusterin and the deposition of BSE prion protein (PrP(BSE)).
Main Methods:
- Quantitative analysis of clusterin mRNA.
- Immunohistochemical localization of clusterin and PrP(BSE) in spinal cord and thalamus tissues.
- Microscopic examination for axonal degeneration.
Main Results:
- Clusterin mRNA was upregulated in the cervical spinal cord of BSE-affected cattle.
- Clusterin was primarily localized in neuroglia, including astrocytes, in the white matter.
- Increased clusterin immunolabelling was observed in the neuropil of dorsal horns, associated with extracellular PrP(BSE).
- Axonal degeneration was noted in areas with high clusterin mRNA expression.
Conclusions:
- Clusterin is upregulated in the spinal cord during bovine spongiform encephalopathy.
- Clusterin's localization suggests a role in the glial response to prion disease.
- Clusterin may be involved in the pathological processes associated with PrP(BSE) deposition.