METABOLIC CHANGES ASSOCIATED WITH VACUOLATION IN MURINE MODELS OF SCRAPIE USING IN-VITRO H-1-NMR SPECTROSCOPY

In this study, metabolic changes in the 79A/C3H, ME7/VM, ME7/C3H, 87V/ VM and 22A/SV scrapie mouse models were investigated during the clinic al phase of the disease, using in vitro proton nuclear magnetic resona nce spectroscopy, N-acetyl-aspartate was found to be significantly red uced in infected mice of the ME7/C3H (40% reduction), ME7/VM (26%) and 79A/C3H (17%) models when compared to control mice, but not in the 87 V/VM and 22A/SV models, The concentration of choline containing compou nds and creatine remain unchanged in all models when compared with con trol murine brains, The level of N-acetyl-aspartate reduction correlat ed with the extent of grey-matter brain vacuolation. The levels of myo -inositol were found to be significantly increased in the ME7/VM (143% ) and 79A/C3H (132%) models only and no significant changes were obser ved in the ME7/C3H, 87V/VM and 22A/SV models, These changes did not co rrespond to the severity of gliosis. (C) 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Lt d.