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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Pullman, Washington » Animal Disease Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #299831
Title: Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 and interleukin-10 in serum from naïve and scrapie infected sheep

Author
item SILVA, MARTA - Washington State University
item MADSEN-BOUTERSE, SALLY - Washington State University
item Dassanayake, Rohana
item Mousel, Michelle
item KNOWLES, DONALD - Washington State University

Submitted to: Veterinary and Animal Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/5/2019
Publication Date: 4/6/2019
Citation: Silva, M.G., Madsen-Bouterse, S.A., Dassanayake, R.P., Mousel, M., Knowles, D.P. 2019. Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 and interleukin-10 in serum from naïve and scrapie infected sheep. Veterinary and Animal Science. 7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vas.2019.100056.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vas.2019.100056

Interpretive Summary: Scrapie is a chronic, fatal neurodegenerative disease which is caused by prions, and occurs in sheep and goats. Live animal diagnostic testing is limited to very invasive biopsies. The development of a non-invasive method to detect scrapie would improve the health and welfare of sheep and goats. Mouse studies have found two proteins that are elevated in blood throughout experimental scrapie infection, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) and interleukin-10 (IL-10). In 158 sheep, this study found that blood of naïve sheep less than 19 months old had much lower levels of TIMP-1 compared with blood of greater than 19 month old naïve and scrapie infected sheep. Blood levels of IL-10 were lower in young naïve sheep compared with old naïve sheep. Both proteins trended lower in young naïve sheep compared with young scrapie infected sheep. Further studies are needed with a larger number of animals to confirm the potential for these proteins to be used as a non-invasive diagnostic tool to detect scrapie in sheep.

Technical Abstract: Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) were identified as potential biomarkers for ovine scrapie in a mouse model. The development of novel diagnostic methods to identify pre-clinical scrapie-infected animals is desired. In this study, ELISA was used to assess TIMP-1 and IL-10 levels in 158 serum samples from naïve and scrapie-infected sheep. Young (=18 months) naïve sheep had significantly lower TIMP-1 levels compared with old (=20 months) naïve and old infected sheep (P<0.04). Young naïve sheep had lower IL-10 than old naïve sheep (P<0.001). Both cytokines tended to have lower levels in young naïve sheep compared to infected sheep but this did not reach significance. A larger sample size will be helpful in determining the potential of these cytokines as a diagnostic tool.