Award details

Mechanisms and early markers of scrapie-induced neurodegeneration in the central nervous system

Reference	BBS/E/I/00000631
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Dr Janet Fraser
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors
Institution	The Pirbright Institute
Department	The Pirbright Institute Department
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	169,557
Status	Completed
Type	Institute Project
Start date	01/04/1997
End date	31/03/2000
Duration	36 months

Abstract

Neuronal degeneration and loss is a recognised pathological feature of the TSEs, but its relationship to clinical signs of scrapie, and to other pathological features is not known. We have (in collaboration with Martin Jeffery at VLA, Lasswade) made the only morphometric assessments of neuron loss in both BSE affected cattle and experimental murine scrapie models which show significant loss in specific areas of the CNS. The murine models provide precise in vivo examples of severe loss in hippocampal pyramidal and retinal photoreceptor neurons. Further work is needed to determine the extent of low grade loss in other models with more subtle pathology, and relate this to vacuolation, astrogliosis and PrP deposition and clinical signs of neurological dysfunction. In addition, as neuronal loss has been shown to be through apoptosis, the mechanism inducing apoptosis in scrapie infected neurons will be explored. We have shown in a pilot study that treatment with neurotrophins has reduced scrapie induced neuron loss in the retina, and further work is needed to determine the mechanisms underlying this effect, and whether neurotrophin treatment is effective in other areas of the CNS. Additional funding is being sought to explore the potential of neurotrophin treatment for the TSEs.

Summary

unavailable

Committee	Closed Committee - Agri-food (AF)
Research Topics	X – not assigned to a current Research Topic
Research Priority	X – Research Priority information not available
Research Initiative	X - not in an Initiative
Funding Scheme	X – not Funded via a specific Funding Scheme

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