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Metallothionein in bovine spongiform encephalopathy
1Department of Zoology and Conway Institute of Biomolecular and Biomedical Sciences, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
Journal of Comparative Pathology
|November 22, 2002
Summary
Metallothionein I and II (MT I/II) levels increase in the brainstem of cattle with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). This suggests MT I/II may play a role in the response to transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) infection.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Biochemistry
- Veterinary Pathology
Background:
- Metallothionein I and II (MT I/II) mRNA concentrations are elevated in the central nervous system of scrapie-infected rodents.
- Metallothioneins are involved in cellular responses to toxins and stress.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate MT I/II immunoreactivity in the brainstem medullary tissue of cattle with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE).
- To compare MT I/II expression in BSE-affected cattle, cattle with other neurological diseases, and healthy cattle.
Main Methods:
- Immunohistochemical analysis of brainstem medullary tissue.
- Comparison of MT I/II immunolabelling across three groups of cattle: BSE-affected, other neurological disease, and healthy.
Main Results:
- Marked astrocytic MT I/II immunolabelling was observed in all BSE-affected cattle.
- No MT I/II immunolabelling was detected in clinically healthy cattle.
- In BSE cases, MT I/II positive astrocytes were localized to areas of vacuolation or abnormal prion protein (PrP(BSE)) deposition.
- A small number of cattle with neurological disease other than BSE also showed MT I/II immunolabelling.
Conclusions:
- Increased MT I/II immunoreactivity is associated with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in cattle.
- MT I/II may play a role in the neuropathological response to transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) infection.
- Further research is needed to elucidate the specific function of MT I/II in TSE pathogenesis.