Cytokines, prostaglandins and lipocortin-1 are present in the brains of scrapie-infected mice

The presence of cytokines, prostaglandins and lipocortin-1 was investigated in terminally affected mice in two models of scrapie. There was marked induction of glial interleukin-1β, tumour necrosis factor α, prostaglandin E2, prostaglandin F2α and lipocortin-1 immunoreactivity in those areas of the brain showing the characteristic vacuolation of scrapie. A comparison of these staining patterns with those of GFAP and F4/80 showed that their expression occurred predominantly in astrocytes. It is possible that cytokines play a significant role in the pathogenesis of neurodegeneration in scrapie