Differential gene expression in central nervous system tissues of sheep with natural scrapie

The expression of nine genes was analyzed by real-time RT-PCR in the central nervous system in order to investigate the molecular pathogenesis of natural scrapie. An up-regulation of genes related to glial activation (GFAP) and apoptosis (CASP3) was detected in obex and cerebrum, indicating a reactive glia. Another glial activation-related gene (CTSS) was slightly up-regulated in obex, whereas constitutive expression was detected for SOD1, YWHAZ, PRNP, and the apoptosis-related genes BCL2, MCL1, and BAX. This differential gene expression might reflect a spatial-temporal and tissue-specific molecular pathogenesis of scrapie.