Cellular prion protein in ovine milk

Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2007 Feb 2;353(1):195-9. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2006.12.006. Epub 2006 Dec 8.

Abstract

Cellular prion protein, PrP(C), is essential for the development of prion diseases where it is considered to be a substrate for the formation of the disease-associated conformer, PrP(Sc). In sheep, PrP(C) is abundant in neuronal tissue and is also found at lower concentrations in a range of non-neuronal tissues, including mammary gland. Here, we demonstrate the presence of soluble PrP(C) in the non-cellular, non-lipid fraction of clarified ovine milk. Compared with brain-derived PrP(C), ovine milk PrP(C) displays an increased electrophoretic mobility. Ovine milk PrP(C) is mainly present as three species that differ in the extent of their N-linked glycosylation, with glycoform profiles varying among animals. Similar PrP(C) species are also present in fresh and commercial homogenised/pasteurised bovine milk, with additional N-terminal PrP(C) fragments detectable in ruminant milk and commercial milk products.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Food Analysis
  • Milk / chemistry*
  • PrPC Proteins / analysis*
  • PrPC Proteins / chemistry*
  • Sheep

Substances

  • PrPC Proteins