EFFECT OF SINC GENOTYPE, AGENT ISOLATE AND ROUTE OF INFECTION ON THE ACCUMULATION OF PROTEASE-RESISTANT PRP IN NONCENTRAL NERVOUS-SYSTEM TISSUES DURING THE DEVELOPMENT OF MURINE SCRAPIE

Mice congenic for the Sine gene were infected intracerebrally with two scrapie strains, ME7 and 22A. At various times during the incubation period tissues were monitored for the infection-specific form of PrP ( PrPSc). PrPSc was found in brain, spleen, lymph nodes, pancreas, subma xillary gland and thymus. After intraperitoneal inoculation PrPSc was found in spleen, lymph nodes, pancreas and submaxillary glands prior t o its detection in brain. The kinetics of accumulation of PrPSc in the se tissues was dependent on the infecting strain of agent, on the mous e Sine genotype and on the route of infection. This study supports usi ng the presence of PrPSc as an indicator of infectivity in brain and e xtraneural tissues and defines some of the parameters which influence when and where PrPSc is first found.