DETECTION OF APOPTOSIS IN MURINE SCRAPIE

In order to determine whether apoptosis contributes to the neuronal lo ss in scrapie, in situ end labeling was applied on brains of mice show ing clinical signs of the disease. Positively labeled, apoptotic neuro ns were observed in the cerebellum, cerebral cortex and hippocampus, a reas known to show characteristic scrapie-related vacuolation, and wer e absent in the brains of control mice. We conclude that apoptosis pla ys a role in the neuronal loss that occurs in scrapie. The importance of apoptosis as a predominant cell death mechanism in scrapie, however , remains to be determined.