Fig. 3

Brain lesion profiles and PrP^res deposit distribution for the inoculum ShTgSPON in TgShI112 mice. a Line 456 (n = 9) and b line L460 (n = 8). Brain lesion and PrP^res deposition profiles represent the mean semi-quantitative scoring (0–4, vertical axis) of the spongiform lesions (continuous line, red) and the immunohistochemical labelling of PrP^res deposits (dashed line, red) against 14 brain regions (Pfc Piriform cortex, H Hippocampus, Oc Occipital cortex, Tc Temporal cortex, Pc Parietal cortex, Fc Frontal cortex, S Striatum, T Thalamus, HT Hypothalamus, M Mesencephalon, Mob Medulla oblongata, Cm Cerebellar nuclei, Cv Cerebellar vermis, Cc Cerebellar cortex). Lesions and PrP^res deposition are mostly restricted to cerebellar cortex and vermis, a profile clearly distinguishable from the spontaneous phenotype. Bars: standard error of the mean, c Neuropathological characterisation of the lesions (H&E staining) and PrP^res immunohistochemistry (2G11, 1:100) in the brains of ShTgSPON inoculated TgShI112 (L456) mice. Spongiosis and evident neuronal loss was observed in the granular cell layer of the cerebellar cortex (the cerebellar vermis -Cv- is depicted)) along with punctate-granular PrP^res deposit in the cerebellar cortex and vermis. A healthy L456 brain mouse is shown as a negative control, notice a strong PrP^C background in the molecular layer and the synaptic glomerules and lack of granular PrP^res staining pattern