Abstract
Chronic wasting disease (CWD), a progressive, fatal neurological disorder of captive mule deer and Rocky Mountain elk, is characterized neuropathologically by spongiform change in the neuropil, intraneuronal vacuolation and astrocytic hypertrophy and hyperplasia. Recently, scrapie amyloid-immunoreactive plaques have been demontrated in brain tissues of CWD-affected captive mule deer, Rocky Mountain elk and hybrids of captive mule deer and white-tailed deer. We now report on the presence of abnormal fibrils isolated from brain tissues of Rocky Mountain elk using negative-stain electron microscopy. These fibrils resemble those found in scrapie-infected hamster brain. Furthermore, protein bands with relative molecular masses of 26 to 30 kilodaltons were shown to be immunoreactive to antibodies raised against scrapie amyloid by Western immunoblotting. Immuno-dot blot showed similar reactivity. Our data support the clinical and pathological diagnosis of the disease and provide further evidence that CWD belongs to the subacute spongiform encephalopathies.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 77-80 |
Number of pages | 4 |
Journal | Acta Neuropathologica |
Volume | 86 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 1993 Jun |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Bovine spongiform encephalopathy
- Protease-resistant protein
- Scrapie associated fibril
- Spongiform encephalopathy
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Pathology and Forensic Medicine
- Clinical Neurology
- Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience