Award details

The development of a sensitive western blot assay to detect PrPsc in the blood of scrapie-infected sheep.

Reference	BBS/E/R/00001812
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Professor Nora Hunter
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors
Institution	The Roslin Institute
Department	The Roslin Institute Department
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	6,450
Status	Completed
Type	Institute Project
Start date	01/04/2007
End date	30/09/2008
Duration	18 months

Abstract

Scrapie is a transmissible neurodegenerative disorder that affects sheep and goats. One characteristic of the disease is the accumulation of PrPSc (the abnormal isomer of the host protein PrPc) in the CNS and other tissues which is often used as a marker for infectivity. TSE agents can be transmitted via transfusion of BSE and scrapie infected blood but as yet it is not known which blood components carry infectivity and/or PrPSc. In this study we aim to define the distribution and level of the disease-associated form of the prion protein in blood components from scrapie infected sheep, and compare this with the distribution of normal cellular PrP. A panel of novel monoclonal antibodies will be used in addition to methods the selectively concentrate PrPSc to enhance the sensitivity of current assays for detection of PrPsc such as Western blotting and DELFIA for application to blood. If the blood fractions that carry infectivity and/or PrPSc can be indentified, safer methods of blood transfusion in humans could be developed, and a target for therapeutic intervention may emerge Our understanding of TSE transmission and pathogeneses will also be improved.

Summary

unavailable

Committee	Closed Committee - Agri-food (AF)
Research Topics	Animal Health, TSEs (transmissible spongiform encephalopathies)
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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