Species barrier has appeared to be efficient for limiting propagation of the TSE agent between animal species. Currently the PRNP gene is considered as the main factor controlling this barrier.

One consequence of such barrier would be the absence of natural transmission of most animals TSE agents to human. However that statement remains essentially based on epidemiological observations.

Experimental data are seldom in that field, and cattle BSE have demonstrated its particular ability to cross this species barrier. The recent discovery of atypical forms of BSE in cattle as well as atypical forms of scrapie in sheep raised the question of their transmissibility to humans.

In that project, using transgenic mice model for the PRP gene, we explore (i) the abilities of a representative panel of field TSE isolates to cross the human species barriers and (ii) the potential alteration of permeability of human species barrier for prions that would have adapted to a different species than their natural host.

Research partners:

• Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire de Toulouse, INRA, France
• UR INRA IASP 1282: Tours- Nouzilly, France
• CISA INIA , Madrid, Spain
• CEA Saclay , France