Incubation of ovine scrapie with environmental matrix results in biological and biochemical changes of PrPSc over time

摘要

Ovine scrapie can be transmitted via environmental reservoirs. A pool of ovine scrapie isolates were incubated on soil for one day or thirteen months and eluted prion was used to challenge tg338 mice transgenic for ovine PrP. After one-day incubation on soil, two PrPSc phenotypes were present: G₃₃₈ or Apl₃₃₈ii. Thirteen months later some divergent PrPSc phenotypes were seen: a mixture of Apl₃₃₈ii with either G₃₃₈ or P_338, and a completely novel PrPSc deposition, designated Cag₃₃₈. The data show that prolonged ageing of scrapie prions within an environmental matrix may result in changes in the dominant PrPSc biological/biochemical properties.