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First case of feline spongiform encephalopathy in a captive cheetah born in France: PrPsc analysis in various tissues revealed unexpected targeting of kidney and adrenal gland

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Abstract

Feline spongiform encephalopathy (FSE), affecting domestic and captive feline species, is a prion disease considered to be related to bovine spongiform encephalopathy. Here we report an immunohistological analysis of the first FSE-affected cheetah born in France. The duration of clinical signs, of which ataxia was the main one, was about 8 weeks. The distribution of abnormal prion protein (PrPsc) was studied by immunohistochemistry within 27 different tissues. Different antibodies were used to visualise abnormal PrP deposits in situ. PrPsc accumulation was detected in the central nervous system (cerebral cortex, cerebellum, brain stem, spinal cord, retina), in peripheral nerves and in lymphoid organs. PrPsc deposits were not observed within the enteric nervous system nor in several other organs, such as pancreas, ovary, liver and muscle. More interestingly, unusual PrPsc deposits were observed within the zona fasciculata/reticularis of the adrenal gland and within some glomeruli of the kidney raising the question of possible PrPsc excretion. The sympathetic innervation of these two organs was visualised and compared to the distribution of PrPsc deposits. Our results suggest the possibility that the infectious agent is spread by both haematogenous and nervous pathways.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported in parts by grants from the "Programme National de Recherches sur les ESST et les Prions". Stéphane Lezmi was financially supported by a grant from Agence Française de Sécurité Sanitaire des Aliments (AFSSA). We gratefully acknowledge Dr. R. Pariaut (Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire de Lyon, France) for helpful discussions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Agence Française de Sécurité Sanitaire des Aliments (AFSSA), Unité de Virologie - ATNC, 31 avenue Tony Garnier, 69364, Lyon cedex 07, France

    Stephane Lezmi, Anna Bencsik & Thierry Baron

  2. Department of Agriculture and Food Veterinary Research Laboratory, Dublin, Ireland

    Eoin Monks

  3. Zoo de la Palmyre, 17570 Les Mathes, BP08, France

    Thierry Petit

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  1. Stephane Lezmi
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  2. Anna Bencsik
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  3. Eoin Monks
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  4. Thierry Petit
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  5. Thierry Baron
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Correspondence to Stephane Lezmi.

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Lezmi, S., Bencsik, A., Monks, E. et al. First case of feline spongiform encephalopathy in a captive cheetah born in France: PrPsc analysis in various tissues revealed unexpected targeting of kidney and adrenal gland. Histochem Cell Biol 119, 415–422 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00418-003-0524-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00418-003-0524-5

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