Effect of Tissue Deterioration on Postmortem BSE Diagnosis by Immunobiochemical Detection of an Abnormal Isoform of Prion Protein

• DOI: 10.1292/jvms.66.515
• Publication Date: 2004-06-07T06:03:05Z
• Authors: Hiroko HAYASHI; Masuhiro TAKATA; Yoshifumi IWAMARU; Yuko USHIKI; Kumiko M. KIMURA; Yuichi TAGAWA; Morikazu SHINAGAWA; Takashi YOKOYAMA
• Keywords: Bovine spongiform encephalopathy; Prion Proteins

Surveillance for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in fallen stock Japan is conducted with a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) mass screening, Western blotting (WB) and immunohistochemistry performed confirmation of the ELISA. All tests are based on immunological detection an abnormal isoform prion protein (PrPSc) brain tissues, which have sometimes deteriorated by time samples from reach diagnostic laboratory. To evaluate BSE surveillance procedures stock, we examined PrPSc artificially BSE-affected tissues ELISA kit compared results those WB. The optical density (OD) values decreased advancing deterioration whereas no reduction signal was observed WB, even when after 4 days incubation at 37°C. progressive decrease OD appear to be caused partial loss N-terminal moiety due digestion endogeneous and/or contaminated microbial enzymes, presence inhibitors that generated tissues. These suggest WB most reliable test especially cattle brains within decaying carcasses.