The conformation of abnormal prion protein (PrPSc) differs from that of cellular prion protein (PrPC), but the precise characteristics of PrPSc remain to be elucidated. To clarify the properties of native PrPSc, we attempted to generate novel PrPSc-specific monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) by immunizing PrP-deficient mice with intact PrPSc purified from bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE)-affected mice. The generated mAbs 6A12 and 8D5 selectivity precipitated PrPSc from the brains of prion-affected mice, sheep, and cattle, but did not precipitate PrPC from the brains of healthy animals. In histopathological analysis, mAbs 6A12 and 8D5 strongly reacted with prion-affected mouse brains but not with unaffected mouse brains without antigen retrieval. Epitope analysis revealed that mAbs 8D5 and 6A12 recognized the PrP subregions between amino acids 31–39 and 41–47, respectively. This indicates that a PrPSc-specific epitope exists in the N-terminal region of PrPSc, and mAbs 6A12 and 8D5 are powerful tools with which to detect native and intact PrPSc. We found that the ratio of proteinase K (PK)-sensitive PrPSc to PK-resistant PrPSc was constant throughout the disease time course.

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Swine abortion was frequently seen on a farm in 1990. Four of the fetuses which were aborted at 95-102 days of gestation showed varying degrees of petechial and ecchymotic hemorrhages on their skin with subcutaneous edema. Macroscopically, the fetuses had free reddish fluid in the thoracal and peritoneal cavities, hepatomegaly, with a mottled reddish-yellow color, linear hemorrhaging in the heart and enlargement of the lymph nodes. However, six of the fetuses at 72-95days of gestation did not show any specific changes. Microscopically, nonsuppurative choriomeningitis, degenerated and necrotic hepatocytes, epi-or endocarditis, angitis were observed. Chlamydial inclusion bodies were confirmed in the cytoplasm of infiltrated monocytes, hepatocytes and trophoblastic cells by immunohistochemical staining. In addition, Chlamydia psittaci (C. psittaci) was isolated from 2 fetuses with severe lesions. Serological and bacteriological examinations did not reveal any evidence suggestive of abortion in swine due to Aujeszky's disease virus, Japanese encephalitis virus, porcine parvovirus, Getah virus, Toxoplasma gondii and Escherichia coli. On the other hand, Chlamydial antibodies were detected among many sows and fattening pigs. This is the first report in the literature of C. psittaci-caused swine abortion in Japan.

Objectives: Pentoxifylline (ptx) has immunomodulatory properties and is known to reduce sepsis-associated infant mortality. We aimed to assess maternal oral and intra-amniotic (IA) administration of ptx for the prevention of fetal inflammation and injury in a caprine model of chorioamnionitis.