National Institute of Animal Health (NIAH)

Topics in Animal Health Research 2006

27. Various Mouse-Adapted Prion Strains Infections in a Novel Microglial Cell Line

Japanese

  In prion diseases, microglia have been implicated in the pathogenic events involving the loss of neurons. To elucidate the roles of microglia in the pathogenesis of prion diseases, physiological and biochemical characteristics of prion-infected microglial cells should be clarified. Here, we establish a novel microglial cell line (MG20 cell) from the brains of neonatal tga 20 mice that overexpressed murine prion protein (PrP) and show that this cell line can be infected with murine prion strains. After exposure to Chandler scrapie, we observed the replication and accumulation of disease-associated forms of PrP in MG20 cell[s] up to the 15th passage and showed that Chandler scrapie maintained biological properties in this cell culture. Furthermore, MG20 cells were susceptible to ME7, Obihiro scrapie and bovine spongiform encephalopathy agents. Thus, MG20 cell lines infected with various murine prion strains can be a useful model for the study of [the] pathogenesis of prion diseases and prion strain determinants.
(Research Team for Prion Diseases, TEL +81-29-838-7757)

Reference:

Iwamaru et al. (2007) J. Virol. 81 : 1524-1527.

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