Immunochemical characterization of proteins from scrapie-infected hamster brain, using immunoblot analysis

Preparations of brain plasma membrane from scrapie-infected or noninfected hamsters were extracted with a solvent and were used to inoculate rabbits. Antisera evaluated by immunoblot analysis revealed a protein of 45 kD in scrapie-infected hamster brain that had a greater signal compared with proteins of comparable relative mass in noninfected brain. This 45-kD protein was not increased in scrapie-infected mouse, sheep, or goat brain. Seemingly, the 45-kD protein may be a degradation product of glial fibrillary acidic protein.