Laboratory of Anatomy, Biomechanics and OrganogenesisNeurotoxicity of the feline parvovirus
In the spontaneous cerebellar atrophy caused by prenatal feline parvovirus infection in cats, the virus not only destroy dividing cell of the external granular layer but induces the expression of its cytotoxic NS1 protein in postmitotic Purkinje cells. This neurotoxicity should be viewed in the frame of parvovirus use as anticancer tool and more generally in the frame of neurodegenerative processes.
The cerebellar development during the last tier of the gestation is studied in the feline species trough immunohistology using cell type-specific and cell-status specific antibodies.
A field strain of feline parvovirus has been isolated and its behaviour will be studied in dissociated foetal cerebellar cultures and on cultured foetal cerebellar slices.
In this feline foetal cerebellum, dividing cells (expressing PCNA, green), are discriminated from maturing Purkinje cells (expressing calbindin protein, red). |
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