Distribution of the cellular prion protein in the central nervous system of the chicken.

The cellular prion protein (PrP), a cell membrane-bound glycoprotein mainly located in the dendrites and axons of the central nervous system (CNS), is responsible for transmissible spongiform encephalopathies in mammals. PrP genes are widely conserved in vertebrates. In birds, the presence of PrP mRNA has been confirmed in neurons of the chicken brain, but localization of the protein remains to be determined. In the present study, we demonstrated the regional distribution of PrP in the CNS of adult chickens by immunohistochemical staining with a monoclonal antibody that recognizes chicken PrP 161-164. Immunoreactivity was observed in the neuropil, but not in neuronal somata or glial cells. It was preferentially intense in the olfactory bulb, the dorsal thalamus, the hypothalamus, and most regions of the telencephalon. Immunostaining became less intense toward the brainstem, but many nuclei were immunoreactive. Among brainstem nuclei, moderate immunostaining was observed in the nucleus of the solitary tract, dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus nerve, and substantia gelatinosa Rolandi. The cerebellar cortex was devoid of PrP immunoreactivity. The dorsal horn in the spinal cord was strongly immunoreactive. In situ hybridization with two probes of the C-terminal portion demonstrated localization of PrP mRNA in neurons of the brain and spinal cord. These findings suggest that PrP in the chicken CNS is localized in the dendrites and axons of neurons and that it is associated with certain sensory systems.