Research Article Open Access

Accumulation of Cholesterol Esters in ex vivo Lymphocytes from Scrapie-susceptible Sheep and in Scrapie-infected Mouse Neuroblastoma Cell Lines

Alessandra Pani1, Claudia Norfo1, Claudia Abete1, Claudia Mulas1, Marirosa Putzolu1, Sergio Laconi1, Christina Doriana Orrù1, M. Dolores Cannas1, Sarah Vascellari1, Paolo La Colla1 and Sandra Dessì1
  • 1 University of Cagliari, Italy

Abstract

Our studies on the role of cholesterol homeostasis in the pathogenesis of scrapie in sheep, revealed abnormal accumulation of cholesterol esters in brains and in ex vivo skin fibroblasts from genetically scrapie-susceptible, as compared to sheep with resistant genotype. We now report that PBMCs isolated from scrapie-susceptible sheep, as well as mouse neuroblastoma cell lines persistently infected with two different mouse-adapted strains of scrapie, showed similar alterations with up to 3-fold higher cholesterol ester levels than their resistant or uninfected counterparts. Treatments with drugs that interfere with intracellular cholesterol metabolism strongly reduced accumulation of cholesterol esters in scrapie-infected cell lines, whereas had significantly lower, or no effect, in uninfected cell line. These data add support to our hypothesis that accumulation of cholesterol esters may represent a biological marker of susceptibility to prion infection and a potential molecular target for prion inhibitors.

American Journal of Infectious Diseases
Volume 3 No. 3, 2007, 165-168

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3844/ajidsp.2007.165.168

Submitted On: 2 May 2007 Published On: 30 September 2007

How to Cite: Pani, A., Norfo, C., Abete, C., Mulas, C., Putzolu, M., Laconi, S., Orrù, C. D., Cannas, M. D., Vascellari, S., Colla, P. L. & Dessì, S. (2007). Accumulation of Cholesterol Esters in ex vivo Lymphocytes from Scrapie-susceptible Sheep and in Scrapie-infected Mouse Neuroblastoma Cell Lines. American Journal of Infectious Diseases, 3(3), 165-168. https://doi.org/10.3844/ajidsp.2007.165.168

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Keywords

  • scrapie
  • prion protein
  • cholesterol esters
  • inhibitors