Brain regional distribution of prion protein PrP27-30 in mice stereotaxically microinjected with different strains of scrapie.

Stereotaxic inoculation was used to examine the role of scrapie agent strain, inoculum, and injection site on the brain regional distribution of the prion protein, PrP27-30. Neither the type of inoculum nor the injection site influenced the distribution of PrP27-30 in brains of mice. Among the parameters examined, only the strain of agent affected the pattern of distribution and the yield of PrP27-30. Although mice injected into the cerebellum had the shortest incubation period, the cerebellum gave the lowest yield of the PrP27-30 among the seven brain regions examined. The positive correlation between PrP27-30 regional distribution and lesion profile (degree of vacuolation) reinforces the role of the PrPSC protein in scrapie pathogenesis.