ARS | Publication request: SCRAPIE-ASSOCIATED ALTERATIONS IN THE COMPOSITION AND PRION PROTEIN EXPRESSION OF THE PERIPHERAL BLOOD B CELL POOL

Submitted to: Conference Research Workers Disease Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: October 1, 2004
Publication Date: November 12, 2004
Citation: Young, A.J., Elmubark, G., Nthale, J., Hamir, A., Richt, J. 2004. Scrapie-associated alterations in the composition and prion protein expression of the peripheral blood B cell pool [abstract]. Conference of Research Workers in Animal Diseases. p. 130.

Technical Abstract: Scrapie is a naturally occurring disease of sheep and goats. Infection by the causative agent, considered to be the post-translationally modified form of a host-encoded membrane glycoprotein (PrPc), leads to spongiform encephalopathy and accumulation of an abnormal form of prion protein (PrPSc) in tissues of the nervous and lymphoid systems. Susceptibility to scrapie is partially dependent on the prion protein genotype of the host. In the present study, the potential role of B-lymphocytes in the pathogenesis of sheep scrapie was analyzed. Changes in the relative proportion of B-cell subsets (B-1 and B-2 lymphocytes) were noted during disease progression with elevated numbers of B-1 cells. Similarly, expression of the PrP protein on the surface of B cells also changes during disease progression. These results might indicate a unique role of B-1 cells in the pathogenesis of scrapie.