Molecular analysis of bovine spongiform encephalopathy infection by cDNA arrays

Here, the first cDNA array analysis of differential gene expression in bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) is reported, using a spotted cDNA array platform representing nearly 17 000 mouse genes. Array analysis identified 296 gene candidates for differential expression in brain tissue from VM mice in late-stage infection with the 301V strain of BSE, compared with brain tissue from normal, age-matched VM mice. Real-time PCR confirmed differential expression of 25 of 31 genes analysed. Some of the genes identified by array analysis as being expressed differentially are associated with ubiquitin/proteasome function, lysosomal function, molecular chaperoning of protein folding or apoptosis. Other genes are involved in calcium ion binding/homeostasis, zinc ion binding/homeostasis or regulation of transcription. Principal-component analysis shows that the global gene-expression profiles of the BSE-infected samples have gene-expression signatures that are markedly different from, and completely non-overlapping with, those obtained from the normal controls.