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Changes in brain gene expression shared by scrapie and Alzheimer disease
J R Duguid1, C W Bohmont, N G Liu
1Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, Edith N. Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital, Bedford, MA 01730.
Summary
Researchers identified increased sulfated glycoprotein 2 (SGP2) RNA in scrapie-infected hamster brains and Alzheimer
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
Background:
- Scrapie is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy.
- Identifying genes modulated by scrapie is crucial for understanding neurodegeneration.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify genes with altered RNA abundance in scrapie-infected hamster brains.
- To investigate the relevance of these genes in human neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer disease and Pick disease.
Main Methods:
- Isolation of recombinant cDNAs from scrapie-infected hamster brain.
- DNA sequence analysis to identify gene sequences.
- RNA abundance analysis in human neurodegenerative disease tissues.
Main Results:
- Two cDNAs were isolated, corresponding to sulfated glycoprotein 2 (SGP2) and transferrin genes.
- SGP2 RNA abundance increased in scrapie-infected hamster brains.
- SGP2 RNA abundance was also elevated in hippocampus from patients with Alzheimer disease and Pick disease.
- Transferrin RNA levels were not significantly modulated in these human neurodegenerative conditions.
- Expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein and metallothionein genes, previously linked to scrapie, was also increased in Alzheimer disease and Pick disease.
Conclusions:
- SGP2 is upregulated in scrapie and in human neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer disease, Pick disease).
- SGP2 may play a role in the pathogenesis of these neurological disorders.
- Transferrin is not a primary marker for Alzheimer disease or Pick disease in this context.