Jin JK, Jeong BH, Na YJ, Kim YS, Carp RI, Wie MB, Moon C, Shin T. Increased expression of the embryonic intermediate filament, nestin, in the brains of scrapie-infected mice.
Neurosci Lett 2004;
367:254-8. [PMID:
15331165 DOI:
10.1016/j.neulet.2004.06.029]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2004] [Accepted: 06/08/2004] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
This study investigated the immunohistochemical localization of nestin and its expression level in the brains of mice infected with scrapie, a disease which is characterized by spongiform neurodegeneration, neuronal vacuolation, and astrogliosis. Western blot analysis showed that the protein level of nestin was significantly increased in scrapie-infected brains compared with those of control brains. Nestin immunoreactivity in vascular endothelial cells was more intense in the brains of scrapie-infected mice compared with those of controls. There was marked nestin immunostaining in reactive astrocytes, but not in the neurons of the scrapie-infected brains. Considering all the findings, this study suggests that the nestin-positive cells, including glial cells and vascular endothelial cells, may have the potential to differentiate into mature glial cells and other neuronal elements, which would replenish lost neurons.
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