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Sola D, Betancor M, Marco Lorente PA, Pérez Lázaro S, Barrio T, Sevilla E, Marín B, Moreno B, Monzón M, Acín C, Bolea R, Badiola JJ, Otero A. Diagnosis in Scrapie: Conventional Methods and New Biomarkers. Pathogens 2023; 12:1399. [PMID: 38133284 PMCID: PMC10746075 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12121399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Revised: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Scrapie, a naturally occurring prion disease affecting goats and sheep, comprises classical and atypical forms, with classical scrapie being the archetype of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies. This review explores the challenges of scrapie diagnosis and the utility of various biomarkers and their potential implications for human prion diseases. Understanding these biomarkers in the context of scrapie may enable earlier prion disease diagnosis in humans, which is crucial for effective intervention. Research on scrapie biomarkers bridges the gap between veterinary and human medicine, offering hope for the early detection and improved management of prion diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego Sola
- Centro de Encefalopatías y Enfermedades Transmisibles Emergentes, Facultad de Veterinaria, IA2, Universidad de Zaragoza, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain; (D.S.)
| | - Marina Betancor
- Centro de Encefalopatías y Enfermedades Transmisibles Emergentes, Facultad de Veterinaria, IA2, Universidad de Zaragoza, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain; (D.S.)
| | - Paula A. Marco Lorente
- Centro de Encefalopatías y Enfermedades Transmisibles Emergentes, Facultad de Veterinaria, IA2, Universidad de Zaragoza, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain; (D.S.)
| | - Sonia Pérez Lázaro
- Centro de Encefalopatías y Enfermedades Transmisibles Emergentes, Facultad de Veterinaria, IA2, Universidad de Zaragoza, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain; (D.S.)
| | - Tomás Barrio
- Unité Mixte de Recherche de l’Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement1225 Interactions Hôtes-Agents Pathogènes, École Nationale Vétérinaire de Toulouse, 31076 Toulouse, France
| | - Eloisa Sevilla
- Centro de Encefalopatías y Enfermedades Transmisibles Emergentes, Facultad de Veterinaria, IA2, Universidad de Zaragoza, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain; (D.S.)
| | - Belén Marín
- Centro de Encefalopatías y Enfermedades Transmisibles Emergentes, Facultad de Veterinaria, IA2, Universidad de Zaragoza, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain; (D.S.)
| | - Bernardino Moreno
- Centro de Encefalopatías y Enfermedades Transmisibles Emergentes, Facultad de Veterinaria, IA2, Universidad de Zaragoza, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain; (D.S.)
| | - Marta Monzón
- Centro de Encefalopatías y Enfermedades Transmisibles Emergentes, Facultad de Veterinaria, IA2, Universidad de Zaragoza, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain; (D.S.)
| | - Cristina Acín
- Centro de Encefalopatías y Enfermedades Transmisibles Emergentes, Facultad de Veterinaria, IA2, Universidad de Zaragoza, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain; (D.S.)
| | - Rosa Bolea
- Centro de Encefalopatías y Enfermedades Transmisibles Emergentes, Facultad de Veterinaria, IA2, Universidad de Zaragoza, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain; (D.S.)
| | - Juan J. Badiola
- Centro de Encefalopatías y Enfermedades Transmisibles Emergentes, Facultad de Veterinaria, IA2, Universidad de Zaragoza, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain; (D.S.)
| | - Alicia Otero
- Centro de Encefalopatías y Enfermedades Transmisibles Emergentes, Facultad de Veterinaria, IA2, Universidad de Zaragoza, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain; (D.S.)
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Detection of Chronic Wasting Disease Prions in Fetal Tissues of Free-Ranging White-Tailed Deer. Viruses 2021; 13:v13122430. [PMID: 34960698 PMCID: PMC8705995 DOI: 10.3390/v13122430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Revised: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The transmission of chronic wasting disease (CWD) has largely been attributed to contact with infectious prions shed in excretions (saliva, urine, feces, blood) by direct animal-to-animal exposure or indirect contact with the environment. Less-well studied has been the role that mother-to-offspring transmission may play in the facile transmission of CWD, and whether mother-to-offspring transmission before birth may contribute to the extensive spread of CWD. We thereby focused on a population of free-ranging white-tailed deer from West Virginia, USA, in which CWD has been detected. Fetal tissues, ranging from 113 to 158 days of gestation, were harvested from the uteri of CWD+ dams in the asymptomatic phase of infection. Using serial protein misfolding amplification (sPMCA), we detected evidence of prion seeds in 7 of 14 fetuses (50%) from 7 of 9 pregnancies (78%), with the earliest detection at 113 gestational days. This is the first report of CWD detection in free ranging white-tailed deer fetal tissues. Further investigation within cervid populations across North America will help define the role and impact of mother-to-offspring vertical transmission of CWD.
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Gallardo MJ, Delgado FO. Animal prion diseases: A review of intraspecies transmission. Open Vet J 2021; 11:707-723. [PMID: 35070868 PMCID: PMC8770171 DOI: 10.5455/ovj.2021.v11.i4.23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal prion diseases are a group of neurodegenerative, transmissible, and fatal disorders that affect several animal species. The causative agent, prion, is a misfolded isoform of normal cellular prion protein, which is found in cells with higher concentration in the central nervous system. This review explored the sources of infection and different natural transmission routes of animal prion diseases in susceptible populations. Chronic wasting disease in cervids and scrapie in small ruminants are prion diseases capable of maintaining themselves in susceptible populations through horizontal and vertical transmission. The other prion animal diseases can only be transmitted through food contaminated with prions. Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) is the only animal prion disease considered zoonotic. However, due to its inability to transmit within a population, it could be controlled. The emergence of atypical cases of scrapie and BSE, even the recent report of prion disease in camels, demonstrates the importance of understanding the transmission routes of prion diseases to take measures to control them and to assess the risks to human and animal health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mauro Julián Gallardo
- Instituto de Patobiología Veterinaria, IPVet, UEDD INTA-CONICET, Hurlingham, Argentina
- Cátedra de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Fernando Oscar Delgado
- Instituto de Patobiología Veterinaria, IPVet, UEDD INTA-CONICET, Hurlingham, Argentina
- Facultad de Cs. Agrarias y Veterinarias, Universidad del Salvador, Pilar, Argentina
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Horigan V, Gale P, Adkin A, Konold T, Cassar C, Spiropoulos J, Kelly L. Assessing the aggregated probability of entry of a novel prion disease agent into the United Kingdom. MICROBIAL RISK ANALYSIS 2020; 16:100134. [PMID: 32837979 PMCID: PMC7428426 DOI: 10.1016/j.mran.2020.100134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2020] [Revised: 07/06/2020] [Accepted: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
In 2018 prion disease was detected in camels at an abattoir in Algeria for the first time. The emergence of prion disease in this species made it prudent to assess the probability of entry of the pathogen into the United Kingdom (UK) from this region. Potentially contaminated products were identified as evidenced by other prion diseases. The aggregated probability of entry of the pathogen was estimated as very high and high for legal milk and cheese imports respectively and very high, high and high for illegal meat, milk and cheese products respectively. This aggregated probability represents a qualitative assessment of the probability of one or more entry events per year into the UK; it gives no indication of the number of entry events per year. The uncertainty associated with these estimates was high due to the unknown variation in prevalence of infection in camels and an uncertain number and type of illegal products entering the UK. Potential public health implications of this pathogen are unknown although there is currently no evidence of zoonotic transmission of prion diseases other than bovine spongiform encephalopathy to humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Verity Horigan
- Department of Epidemiological Sciences, Animal and Plant Health Agency, Woodham Lane, New Haw, Surrey, KT15 3NB, UK
| | - Paul Gale
- Department of Epidemiological Sciences, Animal and Plant Health Agency, Woodham Lane, New Haw, Surrey, KT15 3NB, UK
| | - Amie Adkin
- Department of Epidemiological Sciences, Animal and Plant Health Agency, Woodham Lane, New Haw, Surrey, KT15 3NB, UK
| | - Timm Konold
- Department of Pathology, Animal and Plant Health Agency, Woodham Lane, New Haw, Surrey, KT15 3NB, UK
| | - Claire Cassar
- Department of Pathology, Animal and Plant Health Agency, Woodham Lane, New Haw, Surrey, KT15 3NB, UK
| | - John Spiropoulos
- Department of Pathology, Animal and Plant Health Agency, Woodham Lane, New Haw, Surrey, KT15 3NB, UK
| | - Louise Kelly
- Department of Epidemiological Sciences, Animal and Plant Health Agency, Woodham Lane, New Haw, Surrey, KT15 3NB, UK
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Strathclyde, 26 Richmond St, Glasgow G1 1XH, UK
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Mammadova N, West Greenlee MH, Moore SJ, Hwang S, Lehmkuhl AD, Nicholson EM, Greenlee JJ. Evaluation of Antemortem Diagnostic Techniques in Goats Naturally Infected With Scrapie. Front Vet Sci 2020; 7:517862. [PMID: 33240943 PMCID: PMC7677257 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2020.517862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2019] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Scrapie is a naturally occurring transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) that affects sheep and goats. Sheep and goats can be infected with scrapie as lambs or kids via contact with the placenta or placental fluids, or from ingestion of prions shed in the environment and/or bodily fluids (e.g., saliva, urine, and feces). Like other TSEs, scrapie is generally not diagnosed before extensive and irreversible brain damage has occurred. Therefore, a reliable method to screen animals may facilitate diagnosis. Additionally, while natural scrapie in sheep has been widely described, naturally acquired goat scrapie is less well-characterized. The purpose of this study was to better understand natural goat scrapie in regard to disease phenotype (i.e., incubation period, clinical signs, neuroanatomical deposition patterns of PrPSc, and molecular profile as detected by Western blot) and to evaluate the efficacy of antemortem tests to detect scrapie-positive animals in a herd of goats. Briefly, 28 scrapie-exposed goats were removed from a farm depopulated due to previous diagnoses of scrapie on the premises and observed daily for 30 months. Over the course of the observation period, antemortem biopsies of recto-anal mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (RAMALT) were taken and tested using immunohistochemistry and real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC), and retinal thickness was measured in vivo using optical coherence tomography (OCT). Following the observation period, immunohistochemistry and Western blot were performed to assess neuroanatomical deposition patterns of PrPSc and molecular profile. Our results demonstrate that antemortem rectal biopsy was 77% effective in identifying goats naturally infected with scrapie and that a positive antemortem rectal biopsy was associated with the presence of clinical signs of neurologic disease and a positive dam status. We report that changes in retinal thickness are not detectable over the course of the observation period in goats naturally infected with scrapie. Finally, our results indicate that the accumulation of PrPSc in central nervous system (CNS) and non-CNS tissues is consistent with previous reports of scrapie in sheep and goats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Najiba Mammadova
- Virus and Prion Research Unit, National Animal Disease Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Ames, IA, United States
| | - M Heather West Greenlee
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Ames, IA, United States
| | - S Jo Moore
- Virus and Prion Research Unit, National Animal Disease Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Soyoun Hwang
- Virus and Prion Research Unit, National Animal Disease Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Aaron D Lehmkuhl
- National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) Diagnostic Bacteriology and Pathology Laboratory, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Eric M Nicholson
- Virus and Prion Research Unit, National Animal Disease Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Justin J Greenlee
- Virus and Prion Research Unit, National Animal Disease Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Ames, IA, United States
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Parschat K, Schreiber S, Wartenberg D, Engels B, Jennewein S. High-Titer De Novo Biosynthesis of the Predominant Human Milk Oligosaccharide 2'-Fucosyllactose from Sucrose in Escherichia coli. ACS Synth Biol 2020; 9:2784-2796. [PMID: 32966739 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.0c00304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) are unique components of human breast milk. Their large-scale production by fermentation allows infant formulas to be fortified with HMOs, but current fermentation processes require lactose as a starting material, increasing the costs, bioburden, and environmental impact of manufacturing. Here we report the development of an Escherichia coli strain that produces 2'-fucosyllactose (2'-FL), the most abundant HMO, de novo using sucrose as the sole carbon source. Strain engineering required the expression of a novel glucose-accepting galactosyltransferase, overexpression of the de novo UDP-d-galactose and GDP-l-fucose pathways, the engineering of an intracellular pool of free glucose, and overexpression of a suitable α(1,2)-fucosyltransferase. The export of 2'-FL was facilitated using a sugar efflux transporter. The final production strain achieved 2'-FL yields exceeding 60 g/L after fermentation for 84 h. This efficient strategy facilitates the lactose-independent production of HMOs by fermentation, which will improve product quality and reduce the costs of manufacturing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katja Parschat
- Jennewein Biotechnologie GmbH, Maarweg 32, 53619 Rheinbreitbach, Germany
| | - Sandra Schreiber
- Jennewein Biotechnologie GmbH, Maarweg 32, 53619 Rheinbreitbach, Germany
| | - Dirk Wartenberg
- Jennewein Biotechnologie GmbH, Maarweg 32, 53619 Rheinbreitbach, Germany
| | - Benedikt Engels
- Jennewein Biotechnologie GmbH, Maarweg 32, 53619 Rheinbreitbach, Germany
| | - Stefan Jennewein
- Jennewein Biotechnologie GmbH, Maarweg 32, 53619 Rheinbreitbach, Germany
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Abstract
In sheep, scrapie is a fatal neurologic disease that is caused by a misfolded protein called a prion (designated PrPSc). The normal cellular prion protein (PrPC) is encoded by an endogenous gene, PRNP, that is present in high concentrations within the CNS. Although a broad range of functions has been described for PrPC, its entire range of functions has yet to be fully elucidated. Accumulation of PrPSc results in neurodegeneration. The PRNP gene has several naturally occurring polymorphisms, and there is a strong correlation between scrapie susceptibility and PRNP genotype. The cornerstone of scrapie eradication programs is the selection of scrapie-resistant genotypes to eliminate classical scrapie. Transmission of classical scrapie in sheep occurs during the prenatal and periparturient periods when lambs are highly susceptible. Initially, the scrapie agent is disseminated throughout the lymphoid system and into the CNS. Shedding of the scrapie agent occurs before the onset of clinical signs. In contrast to classical scrapie, atypical scrapie is believed to be a spontaneous disease that occurs in isolated instances in older animals within a flock. The agent that causes atypical scrapie is not considered to be naturally transmissible. Transmission of the scrapie agent to species other than sheep, including deer, has been experimentally demonstrated as has the transmission of nonscrapie prion agents to sheep. The purpose of this review is to outline the current methods for diagnosing scrapie in sheep and the techniques used for studying the pathogenesis and host range of the scrapie agent. Also discussed is the US scrapie eradication program including recent updates.
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Haley N, Donner R, Henderson D, Tennant J, Hoover E, Manca M, Caughey B, Kondru N, Manne S, Kanthasamay A, Hannaoui S, Chang S, Gilch S, Smiley S, Mitchell G, Lehmkuhl A, Thomsen B. Cross-validation of the RT-QuIC assay for the antemortem detection of chronic wasting disease in elk. Prion 2020; 14:47-55. [PMID: 31973662 PMCID: PMC6984646 DOI: 10.1080/19336896.2020.1716657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic wasting disease is a progressively fatal, horizontally transmissible prion disease affecting several members of the cervid species. Conventional diagnosis relies on ELISA or IHC evaluation using tissues collected post-mortem; however, recent research has focused on newly developed amplification techniques using samples collected antemortem. The present study sought to cross-validate the real-time quaking-induced conversion assay (RT-QuIC) evaluation of rectal biopsies collected from an elk herd with endemic CWD, assessing both binary positive/negative test results as well as relative rates of amplification between laboratories. We found that results were correlative in both categories across all laboratories performing RT-QuIC, as well as to conventional IHC performed at a national reference laboratory. A significantly higher number of positive samples were identified using RT-QuIC, with results seemingly unhindered by low follicle counts. These findings support the continued development and implementation of amplification assays in the diagnosis of prion diseases of veterinary importance, targeting not just antemortem sampling strategies, but post-mortem testing approaches as well.
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Affiliation(s)
- N.J. Haley
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Graduate Studies, Midwestern University, Glendale, AZ, USA,CONTACT N.J. Haley Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Graduate Studies, Midwestern University, Glendale, AZ, USA
| | - R. Donner
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Graduate Studies, Midwestern University, Glendale, AZ, USA
| | - D.M. Henderson
- Prion Research Center, Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - J. Tennant
- Prion Research Center, Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - E.A. Hoover
- Prion Research Center, Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - M. Manca
- TSE/Prion Biochemistry Section, Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Hamilton, MT, USA
| | - B. Caughey
- TSE/Prion Biochemistry Section, Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Hamilton, MT, USA
| | - N. Kondru
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | - S. Manne
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | - A. Kanthasamay
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | - S. Hannaoui
- Calgary Prion Research Unit, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada,Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada,Department of Comparative Biology and Experimental Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - S.C. Chang
- Calgary Prion Research Unit, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada,Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada,Department of Comparative Biology and Experimental Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - S. Gilch
- Calgary Prion Research Unit, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada,Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada,Department of Comparative Biology and Experimental Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - S. Smiley
- National and OIE Reference Laboratory for Scrapie and CWD, Canadian Food Inspection, Agency, Ottawa Laboratory-Fallowfield, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - G. Mitchell
- National and OIE Reference Laboratory for Scrapie and CWD, Canadian Food Inspection, Agency, Ottawa Laboratory-Fallowfield, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - A.D. Lehmkuhl
- United States Department of Agriculture, APHIS, VS, National Veterinary Services Laboratories, Ames, IA, USA
| | - B.V. Thomsen
- United States Department of Agriculture, APHIS, VS, National Veterinary Services Laboratories, Ames, IA, USA,United States Department of Agriculture, APHIS, VS, Center for Veterinary Biologics, Ames, IA, USA
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Genotyping of prion protein in black merino sheep from the Iberian Peninsula. Small Rumin Res 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.smallrumres.2019.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Madsen-Bouterse SA, Highland MA, Dassanayake RP, Zhuang D, Schneider DA. Low-volume goat milk transmission of classical scrapie to lambs and goat kids. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0204281. [PMID: 30235307 PMCID: PMC6147516 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0204281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2018] [Accepted: 09/04/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The risk of classical scrapie transmission in small ruminants is highest during the neonatal period with the placenta recognized as a significant source of infection. Milk has also been identified as a source of scrapie with sheep-to-sheep transmission occurring after neonatal consumption of as little as 1-2 liters of milk; concurrent mastitis due to small ruminant lentivirus (SRLV) infection may be associated with increased scrapie transmission via milk in sheep. In contrast, goat-to-sheep transmission has been documented only after prolonged consumption of >30 liters of milk. The goal of the current study was to assess transmission of scrapie to goat kids and lambs following low volume, short duration consumption of milk from infected goats. Milk from two does (female goats) with pre-clinical scrapie was fed to four goat kids (≤4.5 L each) and four lambs (~3.7 L each) beginning ~24 hours after birth. Scrapie transmission was detected in three sheep as early as 18 months post inoculation; transmission was also detected in two goats but not until postmortem analyses at 33 months post inoculation. Each milk donor goat also had naturally-acquired infection with SRLV. Different degrees of lymphohistiocytic inflammation and PrPSc accumulation were observed in mammary gland tissues of the donors, which appeared to associate with transmission of scrapie via milk. Thus, similar to the risks of milk transmission of scrapie from sheep, even limited exposure to milk from goats can pose significant risk for scrapie transmission to both goat kids and lambs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sally A. Madsen-Bouterse
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, United States of America
| | - Margaret A. Highland
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, United States of America
- Animal Disease Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Pullman, Washington, United States of America
- Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, United States of America
- Paul G. Allen School for Global Animal Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, United States of America
| | - Rohana P. Dassanayake
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, United States of America
| | - Dongyue Zhuang
- Animal Disease Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Pullman, Washington, United States of America
| | - David A. Schneider
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, United States of America
- Animal Disease Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Pullman, Washington, United States of America
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Meling S, Skovgaard K, Bårdsen K, Helweg Heegaard PM, Ulvund MJ. Expression of selected genes isolated from whole blood, liver and obex in lambs with experimental classical scrapie and healthy controls, showing a systemic innate immune response at the clinical end-stage. BMC Vet Res 2018; 14:281. [PMID: 30208891 PMCID: PMC6134718 DOI: 10.1186/s12917-018-1607-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2018] [Accepted: 08/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Incubation period, disease progression, pathology and clinical presentation of classical scrapie in sheep are highly dependent on PRNP genotype, time and route of inoculation and prion strain. Our experimental model with pre-colostrum inoculation of homozygous VRQ lambs has shown to be an effective model with extensive PrPSc dissemination in lymphatic tissue and a short incubation period with severe clinical disease. Serum protein analysis has shown an elevation of acute phase proteins in the clinical stages of this experimental model, and here, we investigate changes in gene expression in whole blood, liver and brain. RESULTS The animals in the scrapie group showed severe signs of illness 22 weeks post inoculation necessitating euthanasia at 23 weeks post inoculation. This severe clinical presentation was accompanied by changes in expression of several genes. The following genes were differentially expressed in whole blood: TLR2, TLR4, C3, IL1B, LF and SAA, in liver tissue, the following genes differentially expressed: TNF-α, SAA, HP, CP, AAT, TTR and TF, and in the brain tissue, the following genes were differentially expressed: HP, CP, ALB and TTR. CONCLUSIONS We report a strong and evident transcriptional innate immune response in the terminal stage of classical scrapie in these animals. The PRNP genotype and time of inoculation are believed to contribute to the clinical presentation, including the extensive dissemination of PrPSc throughout the lymphatic tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siv Meling
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Sandnes, Norway
| | - Kerstin Skovgaard
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Kemitorvet, 2800 Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Kjetil Bårdsen
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Sandnes, Norway
| | | | - Martha J. Ulvund
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Sandnes, Norway
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13
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Mabbott NA. How do PrP Sc Prions Spread between Host Species, and within Hosts? Pathogens 2017; 6:pathogens6040060. [PMID: 29186791 PMCID: PMC5750584 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens6040060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2017] [Revised: 11/16/2017] [Accepted: 11/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Prion diseases are sub-acute neurodegenerative diseases that affect humans and some domestic and free-ranging animals. Infectious prion agents are considered to comprise solely of abnormally folded isoforms of the cellular prion protein known as PrPSc. Pathology during prion disease is restricted to the central nervous system where it causes extensive neurodegeneration and ultimately leads to the death of the host. The first half of this review provides a thorough account of our understanding of the various ways in which PrPSc prions may spread between individuals within a population, both horizontally and vertically. Many natural prion diseases are acquired peripherally, such as by oral exposure, lesions to skin or mucous membranes, and possibly also via the nasal cavity. Following peripheral exposure, some prions accumulate to high levels within the secondary lymphoid organs as they make their journey from the site of infection to the brain, a process termed neuroinvasion. The replication of PrPSc prions within secondary lymphoid organs is important for their efficient spread to the brain. The second half of this review describes the key tissues, cells and molecules which are involved in the propagation of PrPSc prions from peripheral sites of exposure (such as the lumen of the intestine) to the brain. This section also considers how additional factors such as inflammation and aging might influence prion disease susceptibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neil A Mabbott
- The Roslin Institute & Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian EH25 9RG, UK
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Kanata E, Arsenakis M, Sklaviadis T. Caprine PrP variants harboring Asp-146, His-154 and Gln-211 alleles display reduced convertibility upon interaction with pathogenic murine prion protein in scrapie infected cells. Prion 2017; 10:391-408. [PMID: 27537339 DOI: 10.1080/19336896.2016.1199312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Scrapie, the prion disease of sheep and goats, is a devastating malady of small ruminants. Due to its infectious nature, epidemic outbreaks may occur in flocks/herds consisting of highly susceptible animals. Field studies identified scrapie-protective caprine PrP variants, harboring specific single amino acid changes (Met-142, Arg-143, Asp-146, Ser-146, His-154, Gln-211 and Lys-222). Their effects are under further evaluation, and aim to determine the most protective allele. We assessed some of these variants (Asp-146, His-154, Gln-211 and Lys-222), after their exogenous expression as murine-caprine chimeras in a scrapie- infected murine cell line. We report that exogenously expressed PrPs undergo conformational conversion upon interaction with the endogenous pathological murine prion protein (PrPSC), which results in the detection of goat-specific and partially PK-resistant moieties. These moieties display a PK-resistance pattern distinct from the one detected in natural goat scrapie cases. Within this cellular model, distinct conformational conversion potentials were assigned to the tested variants. Molecules carrying the Asp-146, His-154 and Gln-211 alleles showed significantly lower conversion levels compared to wild type, confirming their protective effects against scrapie. Although we utilized a heterologous conversion system, this is to our knowledge, the first study of caprine PrP variants in a cellular context of scrapie, that confirms the protective effects of some of the studied alleles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eirini Kanata
- a Department of Genetics , Development and Molecular Biology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki , Thessaloniki , Greece.,b School of Pharmacy , Aristotle University of Thessaloniki , Thessaloniki , Greece
| | - Minas Arsenakis
- a Department of Genetics , Development and Molecular Biology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki , Thessaloniki , Greece
| | - Theodoros Sklaviadis
- b School of Pharmacy , Aristotle University of Thessaloniki , Thessaloniki , Greece
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Mathiason CK. Scrapie, CWD, and Transmissible Mink Encephalopathy. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2017; 150:267-292. [PMID: 28838664 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2017.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), or prions, are neurodegenerative diseases that affect a variety of animal species, including humans. Cruetzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) in humans, sheep and goat scrapie, chronic wasting disease (CWD) of cervids, and transmissible mink encephalopathy (TME) of mink are classified as TSEs. According to the "protein-only" hypothesis (Prusiner, 1982),1 prions are devoid of nucleic acids and consist of assemblies of misfolded host-encoded normal protein, the prion protein (PrPC). Prion propagation is thought to occur by a templating mechanism during which PrPC is recruited, converted to a disease-associated isoform (PrPD), and assembled onto the growing amyloid fibril. This fibular assembly is infectious, with ability to initiate disease processes similar to other pathogenic agents. Evidence indicates that scrapie, CWD, and TME disease processes follow this rule.
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Konold T, Phelan LJ, Donnachie BR, Chaplin MJ, Cawthraw S, González L. Codon 141 polymorphisms of the ovine prion protein gene affect the phenotype of classical scrapie transmitted from goats to sheep. BMC Vet Res 2017; 13:122. [PMID: 28472956 PMCID: PMC5418773 DOI: 10.1186/s12917-017-1036-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2016] [Accepted: 04/21/2017] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background A study to investigate transmission of classical scrapie via goat milk was carried out in sheep: firstly, lambs were challenged orally with goat scrapie brain homogenate to confirm transmission of scrapie from goats to sheep. In the second study phase, milk from scrapie-infected goats was fed to lambs. Lambs were selected according to their prion protein gene (PRNP) genotype, which was either VRQ/VRQ or ARQ/ARQ, with or without additional polymorphisms at codon 141 (FF141, LF141 or LL141) of the ovine PRNP. This report describes the clinical, pathological and molecular phenotype of goat scrapie in those sheep that progressed to clinical end-stage. Results Ten sheep (six VRQ/VRQ and four ARQ/ARQ, of which three FF141 and one LL141) challenged with one of two scrapie brain homogenates, and six pairs of sheep (ARQ, of which five LL141 and seven LF141) fed milk from six different goats, developed clinical disease, which was characterised by a pruritic (all VRQ/VRQ and LL141 sheep) or a non-pruritic form (all LF141 and FF141 sheep). Immunohistochemical (IHC) examination revealed that the pattern of intra- and extracellular accumulation of disease-associated prion protein in the brain was also dependent on PRNP polymorphisms at codon 141, which was similar in VRQ and LL141 sheep but different from LF141 and FF141 sheep. The influence of codon 141 was also seen in discriminatory Western blot (WB), with LF141 and FF141 sheep showing a bovine spongiform encephalopathy-like profile (diminished reactivity with P4 antibody) on brain tissue. However, discriminatory WB in lymphoid tissues, and IHC pattern and profile both in lymphoid and brain tissue was consistent with classical scrapie in all sheep. Conclusions This study provided further evidence that the clinical presentation and the pathological and molecular phenotypes of scrapie in sheep are influenced by PRNP polymorphisms, particularly at codon 141. Differences in the truncation of disease-associated prion protein between LL141 sheep and those carrying the F141 allele may be responsible for these observations. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12917-017-1036-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timm Konold
- Animal Sciences Unit, Animal and Plant Health Agency Weybridge, Addlestone, UK.
| | - Laura J Phelan
- Animal Sciences Unit, Animal and Plant Health Agency Weybridge, Addlestone, UK
| | - Ben R Donnachie
- Pathology Department, Animal and Plant Health Agency Weybridge, Addlestone, UK
| | - Melanie J Chaplin
- Pathology Department, Animal and Plant Health Agency Weybridge, Addlestone, UK
| | - Saira Cawthraw
- Central Sequencing Unit, Animal and Plant Health Agency Weybridge, Addlestone, UK
| | - Lorenzo González
- Pathology Department, Animal and Plant Health Agency Lasswade, Penicuik, UK
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17
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Diseases of the Nervous System. Vet Med (Auckl) 2017. [PMCID: PMC7322266 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-7020-5246-0.00014-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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18
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Adams DB. Prenatal transmission of scrapie in sheep and goats: A case study for veterinary public health. Open Vet J 2016; 6:194-214. [PMID: 27928518 PMCID: PMC5133396 DOI: 10.4314/ovj.v6i3.8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2016] [Accepted: 10/26/2016] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Unsettled knowledge as to whether scrapie transmits prenatally in sheep and goats and transmits by semen and preimplantation embryos has a potential to compromise measures for controlling, preventing and eliminating the disease. The remedy may be analysis according to a systematic review, allowing comprehensive and accessible treatment of evidence and reasoning, clarifying the issue and specifying the uncertainties. Systematic reviews have clearly formulated questions, can identify relevant studies and appraise their quality and can summarise evidence and reasoning with an explicit methodology. The present venture lays a foundation for a possible systematic review and applies three lines of evidence and reasoning to two questions. The first question is whether scrapie transmits prenatally in sheep and goats. It leads to the second question, which concerns the sanitary safety of artificial breeding technologies, and is whether scrapie transmits in sheep and goats by means of semen and washed or unwashed in vivo derived embryos. The three lines of evidence derive from epidemiological, field and clinical studies, experimentation, and causal reasoning, where inferences are made from the body of scientific knowledge and an understanding of animal structure and function. Evidence from epidemiological studies allow a conclusion that scrapie transmits prenatally and that semen and embryos are presumptive hazards for the transmission of scrapie. Evidence from experimentation confirms that semen and washed or unwashed in vivo derived embryos are hazards for the transmission of scrapie. Evidence from causal reasoning, including experience from other prion diseases, shows that mechanisms exist for prenatal transmission and transmission by semen and embryos in both sheep and goats.
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Affiliation(s)
- D B Adams
- 24 Noala Street, Aranda, ACT 2614, Australia
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Simmons MM, Chaplin MJ, Konold T, Casalone C, Beck KE, Thorne L, Everitt S, Floyd T, Clifford D, Spiropoulos J. L-BSE experimentally transmitted to sheep presents as a unique disease phenotype. Vet Res 2016; 47:112. [PMID: 27825366 PMCID: PMC5101820 DOI: 10.1186/s13567-016-0394-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2016] [Accepted: 10/11/2016] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Apart from prion protein genotype, the factors determining the host range and susceptiblity for specific transmissible spongiform encephalopathy agents remain unclear. It is known that bovine atypical L-BSE can transmit to a range of species including primates and humanised transgenic mice. It is important, therefore, that there is as broad an understanding as possible of how such isolates might present in food animal species and how robust they are on inter- and intra-species transmission to inform surveillance sytems and risk assessments. This paper demonstrates that L-BSE can be intracerebrally transmitted to sheep of several genotypes, with the exception of ARR/ARR animals. Positive animals mostly present with a cataplectic form of disease characterized by collapsing episodes and reduced muscle tone. PrP accumulation is confined to the nervous system, with the exception of one animal with lymphoreticular involvement. In Western blot there was maintenance of the low molecular mass and glycoform profile associated with L-BSE, irrespective of ovine host genotype, but there was a substantially higher N-terminal antibody signal relative to the core-specific antibody, which is similar to the ratio associated with classical scrapie. The disease phenotype was maintained on experimental subpassage, but with a shortened survival time indicative of an original species barrier and subsequent adaptation. Passive surveillance approaches would be unlikely to identify such cases as TSE suspects, but current statutory active screening methods would be capable of detecting such cases and classifying them as unusual and requiring further investigation if they were to occur in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marion M Simmons
- Department of Pathology, APHA Weybridge, Woodham Lane, Addlestone, Surrey, KT15 3NB, UK.
| | - Melanie J Chaplin
- Department of Pathology, APHA Weybridge, Woodham Lane, Addlestone, Surrey, KT15 3NB, UK
| | - Timm Konold
- Department of Pathology, APHA Weybridge, Woodham Lane, Addlestone, Surrey, KT15 3NB, UK.,Animal Sciences Unit, APHA Weybridge, Woodham Lane, Addlestone, Surrey, KT15 3NB, UK
| | - Cristina Casalone
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta Sede Centrale di Torino, via Bologna, 148, 10154, Turin, Italy
| | - Katy E Beck
- Department of Pathology, APHA Weybridge, Woodham Lane, Addlestone, Surrey, KT15 3NB, UK
| | - Leigh Thorne
- Department of Virology, APHA Weybridge, Woodham Lane, Addlestone, Surrey, KT15 3NB, UK
| | - Sharon Everitt
- Department of Pathology, APHA Weybridge, Woodham Lane, Addlestone, Surrey, KT15 3NB, UK
| | - Tobias Floyd
- Department of Pathology, APHA Weybridge, Woodham Lane, Addlestone, Surrey, KT15 3NB, UK
| | - Derek Clifford
- Department of Pathology, APHA Weybridge, Woodham Lane, Addlestone, Surrey, KT15 3NB, UK.,Animal Sciences Unit, APHA Weybridge, Woodham Lane, Addlestone, Surrey, KT15 3NB, UK
| | - John Spiropoulos
- Department of Pathology, APHA Weybridge, Woodham Lane, Addlestone, Surrey, KT15 3NB, UK
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20
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Konold T, Thorne L, Simmons HA, Hawkins SAC, Simmons MM, González L. Evidence of scrapie transmission to sheep via goat milk. BMC Vet Res 2016; 12:208. [PMID: 27640200 PMCID: PMC5027119 DOI: 10.1186/s12917-016-0807-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2016] [Accepted: 08/19/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Previous studies confirmed that classical scrapie can be transmitted via milk in sheep. The current study aimed to investigate whether scrapie can also be transmitted via goat milk using in vivo (new-born lambs fed milk from scrapie-affected goats due to the unavailability of goat kids from guaranteed scrapie-free herds) and in vitro methods (serial protein misfolding cyclic amplification [sPMCA] on milk samples). Results In an initial pilot study, new-born lambs of two different prion protein gene (PRNP) genotypes (six VRQ/VRQ and five ARQ/ARQ) were orally challenged with 5 g brain homogenate from two scrapie-affected goats to determine susceptibility of sheep to goat scrapie. All sheep challenged with goat scrapie brain became infected based on the immunohistochemical detection of disease-associated PrP (PrPsc) in lymphoid tissue, with an ARQ/ARQ sheep being the first to succumb. Subsequent feeding of milk to eight pairs of new-born ARQ/ARQ lambs, with each pair receiving milk from a different scrapie-affected goat, resulted in scrapie in the six pairs that received the largest volume of milk (38–87 litres per lamb), whereas two pairs fed 8–9 litres per lamb, and an environmental control group raised on sheep milk from healthy ewes, did not show evidence of infection when culled at up to 1882 days of age. Infection in those 12 milk recipients occurred regardless of the clinical status, PrPsc distribution, caprine arthritis-encephalitis virus infection status and PRNP polymorphisms at codon 142 (II or IM) of the donor goats, but survival time was influenced by PRNP polymorphisms at codon 141. Serial PMCA applied to a total of 32 milk samples (four each from the eight donor goats collected throughout lactation) detected PrPsc in one sample each from two goats. Conclusions The scrapie agent was present in the milk from infected goats and was able to transmit to susceptible species even at early preclinical stage of infection, when PrPsc was undetectable in the brain of the donor goats. Serial PMCA as a PrPsc detection method to assess the risk of scrapie transmission via milk in goats proved inefficient compared to the bioassay. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12917-016-0807-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timm Konold
- Animal Sciences Unit, Animal and Plant Health Agency Weybridge, New Haw, Addlestone, Surrey, KT15 3NB, UK.
| | - Leigh Thorne
- Virology Department, Animal and Plant Health Agency Weybridge, New Haw, Addlestone, Surrey, KT15 3NB, UK
| | - Hugh A Simmons
- Animal Sciences Unit, Animal and Plant Health Agency Weybridge, New Haw, Addlestone, Surrey, KT15 3NB, UK
| | - Steve A C Hawkins
- Pathology Department, Animal and Plant Health Agency Weybridge, New Haw, Addlestone, Surrey, KT15 3NB, UK
| | - Marion M Simmons
- Pathology Department, Animal and Plant Health Agency Weybridge, New Haw, Addlestone, Surrey, KT15 3NB, UK
| | - Lorenzo González
- Pathology Department, Animal and Plant Health Agency Lasswade, Pentlands Science Park, Bush Loan, Penicuik, Midlothian, EH26 0PZ, UK
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21
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Konold T, Phelan LJ, Cawthraw S, Simmons MM, Chaplin MJ, González L. Abnormalities in Brainstem Auditory Evoked Potentials in Sheep with Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies and Lack of a Clear Pathological Relationship. Front Vet Sci 2016; 3:60. [PMID: 27532040 PMCID: PMC4969942 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2016.00060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2016] [Accepted: 07/14/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Scrapie is transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE), which causes neurological signs in sheep, but confirmatory diagnosis is usually made postmortem on examination of the brain for TSE-associated markers like vacuolar changes and disease-associated prion protein (PrP(Sc)). The objective of this study was to evaluate whether testing of brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAEPs) at two different sound levels could aid in the clinical diagnosis of TSEs in sheep naturally or experimentally infected with different TSE strains [classical and atypical scrapie and bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE)] and whether any BAEP abnormalities were associated with TSE-associated markers in the auditory pathways. BAEPs were recorded from 141 clinically healthy sheep of different breeds and ages that tested negative for TSEs on postmortem tests to establish a reference range and to allow comparison with 30 sheep clinically affected or exposed to classical scrapie (CS) without disease confirmation (test group 1) and 182 clinically affected sheep with disease confirmation (test group 2). Abnormal BAEPs were found in 7 sheep (23%) of group 1 and 42 sheep (23%) of group 2. The proportion of sheep with abnormalities did not appear to be influenced by TSE strain or PrP(Sc) gene polymorphisms. When the magnitude of TSE-associated markers in the auditory pathways was compared between a subset of 12 sheep with and 12 sheep without BAEP abnormalities in group 2, no significant differences in the total PrP(Sc) or vacuolation scores in the auditory pathways could be found. However, the data suggested that there was a difference in the PrP(Sc) scores depending on the TSE strain because PrP(Sc) scores were significantly higher in sheep with BAEP abnormalities infected with classical and L-type BSE, but not with CS. The results indicated that BAEPs may be abnormal in sheep infected with TSEs but the test is not specific for TSEs and that neither vacuolation nor PrP(Sc) accumulation appears to be responsible for the clinical abnormalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timm Konold
- Animal Sciences Unit, Animal and Plant Health Agency, Weybridge, Addlestone, UK
| | - Laura J. Phelan
- Animal Sciences Unit, Animal and Plant Health Agency, Weybridge, Addlestone, UK
| | - Saira Cawthraw
- Central Sequencing Unit, Animal and Plant Health Agency, Weybridge, Addlestone, UK
| | - Marion M. Simmons
- Pathology Department, Animal and Plant Health Agency, Weybridge, Addlestone, UK
| | - Melanie J. Chaplin
- Pathology Department, Animal and Plant Health Agency, Weybridge, Addlestone, UK
| | - Lorenzo González
- Pathology Department, Animal and Plant Health Agency, Lasswade, Penicuik, UK
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Requena JR, Kristensson K, Korth C, Zurzolo C, Simmons M, Aguilar-Calvo P, Aguzzi A, Andreoletti O, Benestad SL, Böhm R, Brown K, Calgua B, del Río JA, Espinosa JC, Girones R, Godsave S, Hoelzle LE, Knittler MR, Kuhn F, Legname G, Laeven P, Mabbott N, Mitrova E, Müller-Schiffmann A, Nuvolone M, Peters PJ, Raeber A, Roth K, Schmitz M, Schroeder B, Sonati T, Stitz L, Taraboulos A, Torres JM, Yan ZX, Zerr I. The Priority position paper: Protecting Europe's food chain from prions. Prion 2016; 10:165-81. [PMID: 27220820 PMCID: PMC4981192 DOI: 10.1080/19336896.2016.1175801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2016] [Revised: 03/28/2016] [Accepted: 04/01/2016] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) created a global European crisis in the 1980s and 90s, with very serious health and economic implications. Classical BSE now appears to be under control, to a great extent as a result of a global research effort that identified the sources of prions in meat and bone meal (MBM) and developed new animal-testing tools that guided policy. Priority ( www.prionpriority.eu ) was a European Union (EU) Framework Program 7 (FP7)-funded project through which 21 European research institutions and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) joined efforts between 2009 and 2014, to conduct coordinated basic and applied research on prions and prion diseases. At the end of the project, the Priority consortium drafted a position paper ( www.prionpriority.eu/Priority position paper) with its main conclusions. In the present opinion paper, we summarize these conclusions. With respect to the issue of re-introducing ruminant protein into the feed-chain, our opinion is that sustaining an absolute ban on feeding ruminant protein to ruminants is essential. In particular, the spread and impact of non-classical forms of scrapie and BSE in ruminants is not fully understood and the risks cannot be estimated. Atypical prion agents will probably continue to represent the dominant form of prion diseases in the near future in Europe. Atypical L-type BSE has clear zoonotic potential, as demonstrated in experimental models. Similarly, there are now data indicating that the atypical scrapie agent can cross various species barriers. More epidemiological data from large cohorts are necessary to reach any conclusion on the impact of its transmissibility on public health. Re-evaluations of safety precautions may become necessary depending on the outcome of these studies. Intensified searching for molecular determinants of the species barrier is recommended, since this barrier is key for important policy areas and risk assessment. Understanding the structural basis for strains and the basis for adaptation of a strain to a new host will require continued fundamental research, also needed to understand mechanisms of prion transmission, replication and how they cause nervous system dysfunction and death. Early detection of prion infection, ideally at a preclinical stage, also remains crucial for development of effective treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesús R. Requena
- CIMUS Biomedical Research Institute, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Sue Godsave
- Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | | | | | | | - Paul Laeven
- University of Maastricht, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | | | - Eva Mitrova
- Medical University of Slovakia, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | | | | | - Peter J. Peters
- The Maastricht Multimodal Molecular Imaging Institute, University of Maastricht, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Lothar Stitz
- Friedrich Löffler Institut, Insel Reims, Germany
| | | | | | | | - Inga Zerr
- Universitätmedizin Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Göttingen, Germany
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23
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Abstract
Prion diseases or transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) are fatal protein-misfolding neurodegenerative diseases. TSEs have been described in several species, including bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in cattle, scrapie in sheep and goats, chronic wasting disease (CWD) in cervids, transmissible mink encephalopathy (TME) in mink, and Kuru and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) in humans. These diseases are associated with the accumulation of a protease-resistant, disease-associated isoform of the prion protein (called PrP(Sc)) in the central nervous system and other tissues, depending on the host species. Typically, TSEs are acquired through exposure to infectious material, but inherited and spontaneous TSEs also occur. All TSEs share pathologic features and infectious mechanisms but have distinct differences in transmission and epidemiology due to host factors and strain differences encoded within the structure of the misfolded prion protein. The possibility that BSE can be transmitted to humans as the cause of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease has brought attention to this family of diseases. This review is focused on the TSEs of livestock: bovine spongiform encephalopathy in cattle and scrapie in sheep and goats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin J Greenlee
- Justin J. Greenlee, DVM, PhD, Diplomate ACVP, is a research veterinary medical officer in the Virus and Prion Research Unit of the National Animal Disease Center, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service in Ames, Iowa. M. Heather West Greenlee, PhD, is an associate professor of biomedical sciences at the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine
| | - M Heather West Greenlee
- Justin J. Greenlee, DVM, PhD, Diplomate ACVP, is a research veterinary medical officer in the Virus and Prion Research Unit of the National Animal Disease Center, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service in Ames, Iowa. M. Heather West Greenlee, PhD, is an associate professor of biomedical sciences at the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine
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Jeffrey M, Witz JP, Martin S, Hawkins SAC, Bellworthy SJ, Dexter GE, Thurston L, González L. Dynamics of the natural transmission of bovine spongiform encephalopathy within an intensively managed sheep flock. Vet Res 2015; 46:126. [PMID: 26511838 PMCID: PMC4625529 DOI: 10.1186/s13567-015-0269-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2015] [Accepted: 10/09/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Sheep are susceptible to the bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) agent and in the UK they may have been exposed to BSE via contaminated meat and bone meal. An experimental sheep flock was established to determine whether ovine BSE could be naturally transmitted under conditions of intensive husbandry. The flock consisted of 113 sheep of different breeds and susceptible PRNP genotypes orally dosed with BSE, 159 sheep subsequently born to them and 125 unchallenged sentinel controls. BSE was confirmed in 104 (92%) orally dosed sheep and natural transmission was recorded for 14 of 79 (18%) lambs born to BSE infected dams, with rates varying according to PRNP genotype. The likelihood of natural BSE transmission was linked to stage of incubation period of the dam: the attack rate for lambs born within 100 days of the death of BSE infected dams was significantly higher (9/22, 41%) than for the rest (5/57, 9%). Within the group of ewes lambing close to death, those rearing infected progeny (n = 8, for 9/12 infected lambs) showed a significantly greater involvement of lymphoid tissues than those rearing non-infected offspring (n = 8, for 0/10 infected lambs). Horizontal transmission to the progeny of non-infected mothers was recorded only once (1/205, 0.5%). This low rate of lateral transmission was attributed, at least partly, to an almost complete absence of infected placentas. We conclude that, although BSE can be naturally transmitted through dam-lamb close contact, the infection in this study flock would not have persisted due to low-efficiency maternal and lateral transmissions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Jeffrey
- Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA-Lasswade), Pentlands Science Park, Bush Loan, Penicuik, Midlothian, EH26 0PZ, UK.
| | - Janey P Witz
- Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA-Lasswade), Pentlands Science Park, Bush Loan, Penicuik, Midlothian, EH26 0PZ, UK.
| | - Stuart Martin
- Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA-Lasswade), Pentlands Science Park, Bush Loan, Penicuik, Midlothian, EH26 0PZ, UK.
| | | | | | | | - Lisa Thurston
- APHA-Weybridge, New Haw, Addlestone, Surrey, KT15 3NB, UK.
| | - Lorenzo González
- Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA-Lasswade), Pentlands Science Park, Bush Loan, Penicuik, Midlothian, EH26 0PZ, UK.
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25
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Aguilar-Calvo P, García C, Espinosa JC, Andreoletti O, Torres JM. Prion and prion-like diseases in animals. Virus Res 2014; 207:82-93. [PMID: 25444937 DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2014.11.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2014] [Revised: 10/06/2014] [Accepted: 11/24/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Transmissible spongiform encephalopaties (TSEs) are fatal neurodegenerative diseases characterized by the aggregation and accumulation of the misfolded prion protein in the brain. Other proteins such as β-amyloid, tau or Serum Amyloid-A (SAA) seem to share with prions some aspects of their pathogenic mechanism; causing a variety of so called prion-like diseases in humans and/or animals such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Huntington's, Type II diabetes mellitus or amyloidosis. The question remains whether these misfolding proteins have the ability to self-propagate and transmit in a similar manner to prions. In this review, we describe the prion and prion-like diseases affecting animals as well as the recent findings suggesting the prion-like transmissibility of certain non-prion proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Consolación García
- Centro de Investigación en Sanidad Animal (CISA-INIA), 28130 Valdeolmos, Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan Carlos Espinosa
- Centro de Investigación en Sanidad Animal (CISA-INIA), 28130 Valdeolmos, Madrid, Spain
| | - Olivier Andreoletti
- INRA, UMR 1225, Interactions Hôtes Agents Pathogènes, École Nationale Vétérinaire de Toulouse, 23 chemin des Capelles, 31076 Toulouse Cedex, France
| | - Juan María Torres
- Centro de Investigación en Sanidad Animal (CISA-INIA), 28130 Valdeolmos, Madrid, Spain.
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26
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Scientific Opinion on the scrapie situation in the EU after 10 years of monitoring and control in sheep and goats. EFSA J 2014. [DOI: 10.2903/j.efsa.2014.3781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
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27
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Abstract
Classical scrapie is one of the transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), a group of fatal infectious diseases that affect the central nervous system (CNS). Classical scrapie can transmit laterally from ewe to lamb perinatally or between adult animals. Here we report detection of infectivity in tissues of an unborn fetus, providing evidence that in utero transmission of classical scrapie is also possible.
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28
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Abstract
Individuals infected with prions succumb to brain damage, and prion infections continue to be inexorably lethal. However, many crucial steps in prion pathogenesis occur in lymphatic organs and precede invasion of the central nervous system. In the past two decades, a great deal has been learnt concerning the cellular and molecular mechanisms of prion lymphoinvasion. These properties are diagnostically useful and have, for example, facilitated preclinical diagnosis of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in the tonsils. Moreover, the early colonization of lymphoid organs can be exploited for post-exposure prophylaxis of prion infections. As stromal cells of lymphoid organs are crucial for peripheral prion infection, the dedifferentiation of these cells offers a powerful means of hindering prion spread in infected individuals. In this Review, we discuss the current knowledge of the immunobiology of prions with an emphasis on how basic discoveries might enable translational strategies.
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