MS-8209, an amphotericin B analogue, delays the appearance of spongiosis, astrogliosis and PrPres accumulation in the brain of scrapie-infected hamsters

The histopathological response of scrapie-infected hamsters treated at the late stage of the infection with an "anti-scrapie" drug, a polyene macrolide antibiotic, designated MS-8209, was evaluated in the brain. The results showed that (1) MS-8209 prolonged significantly the incubation lime of the experimental disease,:2) MS-8209 delayed the appearance of spongiosis and astrogliosis in the brain, (3) immunodetection of abnormal prion protein and glial fibrillary acidic protein was significantly reduced in the central nervous system.:In addition, this report indicates that polyene antibiotics markedly delay the development of the classical brain lesions that result from scrapie infection. (C) 2000 Harcourt Publishers Ltd.