Is the presence of abnormal prion protein in the renal glomeruli of feline species presenting with FSE authentic?

Here we come back on our material as it is possible to study and demonstrate the specificity of prion immunodetection using the PET-Blot method (Paraffin Embedded Tissue - Blot). It is admitted that this method allows detecting the Proteinase K (PK) resistant form of the abnormal prion protein (PrPres) without any confusion with unspecific immunoreaction. We re-analysed the kidney tissue versus adrenal gland and brain samples from the same cheetah affected with TSE using this PET-Blot method. The PET-Blot analysis revealed specific PrPres detection within the brain, adrenal gland and some glomeruli of the kidney, with a complete identicalness compared to our previous detection using immunohistochemistry. In conclusion, these new data enable us to confirm with assurance the presence of specific abnormal prion protein in the adrenal gland and in the kidney of the cheetah affected with FSE. It also emphasizes the usefulness for the re-examination of any available tissue blocks with the PET-Blot method as a sensitive complementary tool in case of doubtful PrP IHC results.In a recent article relating to feline spongiform encephalopathy (FSE) in cats, the authors described the distribution of abnormal prion protein in different tissues detected using immunohistochemistry (IHC) method [1]. They described labelling of glomerular structures in the kidney of the affected cats with FSE as well as in control healthy cats using two anti-prion antibodies. Similar features were described in another study published earlier [2] and in which some control cats were also reported with traces of labelling in some glomerular structures of the kidney. With regard to these results, the presence of abnormal prion proteins in some renal glomeruli in feline species affected with FSE was considered doubtful by these authors and a non specific binding of antibody highly suspected.Interestingly, we also reported in a previous work [3] the accumulation of deposits of prion protein in various orga