Immunohistochemical distribution of alpha B-crystallin in the cerebellum of dogs infected with canine distemper virus.

The cerebella of 12 dogs infected with canine distemper virus (CDV) and those of three normal dogs were examined. The avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex technique was used to detect alphaB-crystallin (alphaB-c) immunoreactivity and immunolocalisation of the CDV antigen. CDV antigens, immunopositive astrocytes, oligodendrocytes and granular neurons were seen in both the white and grey matter of the infected dogs. In the controls, alphaB-c immunopositive glial cells were seen in the white matter and around the Purkinje cells. In dogs with distemper, alphaB-c immunoreactivity was not observed in some of the glial cells around the Purkinje cells. A significant negative correlation of P < 0.01 level was found between areas of severe demyelination and the number of alphaB-c immunopositive cells in dogs infected with CDV. Such correlation was not observed between mild and moderate demyelinating areas and alphaB-c immunostaining. The alphaB-crystallin/ total number of cells ratio was found to be significant in severely affected demyelinating areas (P < 0.05). These data indicate that there was a relationship between the degrees of CDV associated with demyelination and the level of alphaB-c expression in the glial cells.