Precise targeting of the pathology of the sialoglycoprotein, PrP, and vacuolar degeneration in mouse scrapie.

Widespread immunostaining of PrP protein was demonstrated in scrapie mouse brain, distributed diffusely in the neuropil and focally in amyloid plaques, microglia and 2-5 microns structures resembling neuronal processes. With the 87V scrapie strain, which produces focal vacuolation in particular areas, PrP pathology was precisely targeted to these same areas, predating vacuolar degeneration by at least several weeks. On the other hand, both vacuolar and PrP changes were widely distributed throughout the brain with the ME7 scrapie strain. It is likely that the precise targeting of PrP pathology, followed by vacuolar degeneration, reflects an underlying targeting and localised replication of infectious agent.