Immunohistochemical detection of disease-associated prion protein in the peripheral nervous system in experimental H-type bovine spongiform encephalopathy.

H-type bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) has been identified in aged cattle in Europe and North America. To determine the localization of disease-associated prion protein (PrP(Sc)) in the peripheral nerve tissues of cattle affected with H-type BSE, we employed highly sensitive immunohistochemical and immunofluorescence techniques with the tyramide signal amplification (TSA) system. PrP(Sc) deposition was detected in the inferior ganglia, sympathetic nerve trunk, vagus nerve, spinal nerves, cauda equina, and adrenal medulla, using this system. Notably, granular PrP(Sc) deposits were present mainly in the Schwann cells and fibroblast-like cells and occasionally along certain nerve fibers at the surface of the axons. In the adrenal gland, PrP(Sc) immunolabeling was observed within the sympathetic nerve fibers and nerve endings in the adrenal medulla. Although our results were limited to only 3 experimental cases, these results suggest that the TSA system, a highly sensitive immunohistochemical procedure, may help in elucidating the peripheral pathogenesis of H-type BSE.