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Updated: Jun 27, 2026
Assessing Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy Species Barriers with an In Vitro Prion Protein Conversion Assay
Published on: March 10, 2015
Transmission of atypical bovine prions to mice transgenic for human prion protein
Vincent Béringue1, Laëtitia Herzog, Fabienne Reine
1Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, Jouy-en-Josas, France. vincent.beringue@jouy.inra.fr
Abstract:
To assess risk for cattle-to-human transmission of prions that cause uncommon forms of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), we inoculated mice expressing human PrP Met129 with field isolates. Unlike classical BSE agent, L-type prions appeared to propagate in these mice with no obvious transmission barrier. H-type prions failed to infect the mice.
Insights
L-type bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) prions may transmit from cattle to humans, as they propagated in mice without a barrier. H-type prions did not infect the mice, indicating a lower transmission risk.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary neurology
- Prion diseases
- Zoonotic disease transmission
Background:
- Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease in cattle.
- Uncommon BSE strains, like L-type and H-type, pose potential zoonotic risks.
- Understanding prion transmission barriers is crucial for public health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the risk of cattle-to-human prion transmission from uncommon BSE forms.
- To investigate the species barrier for L-type and H-type BSE agents.
Main Methods:
- Mice expressing human prion protein (PrP Met129) were inoculated with cattle L-type and H-type BSE field isolates.
- Prion propagation and infectivity were assessed in the inoculated mouse model.
Main Results:
- L-type BSE prions propagated efficiently in mice with human PrP Met129, suggesting a low transmission barrier.
- H-type BSE prions failed to infect the same mouse model, indicating a significant barrier.
Conclusions:
- L-type BSE represents a potential zoonotic agent with a capacity for cattle-to-human transmission.
- H-type BSE poses a lower zoonotic risk due to a failure to cross the species barrier in this model.
