ARS | Publication request: Fluorescence of tissues fluororophores such as lipofuscin as a possible basis for the detection of CNS tissues on bovine carcasses

Submitted to: Conference Research Workers Disease Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: October 30, 2007
Publication Date: December 2, 2007
Citation: Schonenbrucher, H., Adhikary, R., Maistrovich, F., Casey, T.A., Rasmussen, M.A., Mukherje, P., Kehrli, Jr., M.E., Petrich, J.W., Richt, J.A, 2007. Fluorescence of tissues fluororophores such as lipofuscin as a possible basis for the detection of CNS tissues on bovine carcasses [abstract]. Conference of Research Workers in Animal Diseases Annual Meeting. Paper No. 66P. p. 104.

Technical Abstract: Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) is a fatal neurodegenerative transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) which is thought to cause variant of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) in humans. It is believed that humans contract vCJD by consumption of meat contaminated with bovine tissue containing the prion agent of BSE. Pathogenic prions are found predominantly in neural and lymphoid tissues (specified risk material SRM,) and as a consequence, prohibition of SRM from cattle in the human food chain is of critical importance for effective consumers´ protection against BSE. Rapid and accurate methods for detecting SRM, particularly neural tissue, would be valuable for preventing this material from entering the human food chain. The fluorescent pigment lipofuscin is a heterogeneous, high-molecular weight material that has been shown to be enriched in high concentrations in neuronal tissues. In this study, we examined tissue fluororophores, such as lipofuscin, as possible markers for differential detection of bovine neural tissue. Front-faced spectra were collected from bovine central nervous system (CNS), peripheral nervous system (PNS) and 11 non-CNS tissues. All the CNS and non-CNS tissues fluoresce over a broader range of wavelengths. In CNS tissues the structure of the fluorescence spectra (peak sizes, shapes, and emission maxima), was highly conserved and at high intensity regardless of age, sex or cattle breed investigated. Identical spectra, but at five times lower intensity were observed in peripheral nerves, dorsal root ganglia, liver, kidney, heart, lymph node. In contrast lung, adrenal gland, skeletal muscle, bone marrow and spleen spectra differed with respect to relative peak intensity and positions. The experimental setup allowed the reliable detection of as little as 5 % surface area of bovine spinal cord in the presence of skeletal muscle or fat. This study confirmed previous results showing the high enrichment of lipofuscin in CNS tissues. Moreover we showed its potential for the fluorescent based detection of bovine spinal cord on carcasses.