INTERNUCLEOSOMAL BREAKDOWN OF THE DNA OF BRAIN CORTEX IN HUMAN SPONGIFORM ENCEPHALOPATHY

The analysis of chromatin structure in cases of human spongiform encep halopathies could show the possible involvement of apoptosis in neuron al cell death. Genomic DNA was purified from peripheral blood lymphocy tes and from a biopsy of the brain cortex in a case of Creutzfeldt-Jak ob disease. Restriction fragment polymorphism with AspI, PvuII, DdeI a nd NspI showed the pattern of wild type PrP gene. The DNA purified fro m the brain consisted of partially degraded DNA in internucleosomal-si zed fragments, whereas the DNA from peripheral blood lymphocytes showe d the high molecular weight of unbroken DNA. These results are consist ent with the possible activation in vivo of the apoptotic endonuclease and the internucleosomal fragmentation of DNA of the brain cortex in the patient affected by Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, suggesting the invo lvement of apoptosis in neuronal cell death in human spongiform enceph alopathy. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.