Wasting and Neurologic Signs in a White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) not Associated with Abnormal Prion Protein

Abstract

ABSTRACT:A captive adult male white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) with wasting and neurologic signs similar to chronic wasting disease (CWD) was evaluated by histopathology, histochemistry, and immunohistochemistry (IHC) for disease-associated prion protein (PrP d ). On histologic examination, the brainstem had areas of vacuolation in neuropil and extensive multifocal mineralization of blood vessels with occasional occlusion of the lumen. Some of the clinical and pathologic features of this case were similar to the CWD of whitetailed deer. However, the tissues were negative for PrP d by IHC. Because the lesions were more prominent in the obex region of the brainstem, it is speculated that this would have resulted in clinical signs similar to CWD in white-tailed deer. To our knowledge, neither cerebrovascular mineralization nor clinicopathologic changes resembling CWD have previously been described in white-tailed deer without the presence of PrP d . Such a case should be considered in a differential diagnosis of CWD of white-tailed deer.

TNAP, an Essential Player in Membrane Lipid Rafts of Neuronal Cells

“…It is the case of vascular calcification (Lomashvili et al 2014), kidneys' stones (Moochhala et al 2008), breast cancer micro calcification (Cox et al 2012) or after traumatic brain injury (Toffoli et al 2008). A case of vessel mineralization has also been documented in the central nervous system of cervids suffering of the chronic wasting disease (CWD) caused by prion protein aggregation (Hamir et al 2008). This raises the question of a possible implication of TNAP in the course of this pathological CWD disease and in link with the prion protein, the agent of the disease.…”