title: Prion protein protects human neurons against Bax-mediated apoptosis.
abstract: The function of the cellular prion protein (PrP) is still poorly understood. We present here an unprecedented role for PrP against Bax-mediated neuronal apoptosis and show that PrP potently inhibits Bax-induced cell death in human primary neurons. Deletion of four octapeptide repeats of PrP (PrPDeltaOR) and familial D178N and T183A PrP mutations completely or partially eliminate the neuroprotective effect of PrP. PrP remains anti-apoptotic despite truncation of the glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchor signal peptide, indicating that the neuroprotective form of PrP does not require the abundant cell surface GPI-anchored PrP. Our results implicate PrP as a potent and novel anti-apoptotic protein against Bax-mediated cell death.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montréal, PQ, H3A 2T5 Canada.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bounhar
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: C G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Goodyer
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: LeBlanc
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis; D020126:Brefeldin A / Q000494:pharmacology; D016923:Cell Death; D002460:Cell Line; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D017261:Glycosylphosphatidylinositols / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007476:Ionophores / Q000494:pharmacology; D020014:K562 Cells; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D008985:Monensin / Q000494:pharmacology; D009154:Mutation; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D011328:Prions / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology*; D011485:Protein Binding; D011500:Protein Synthesis Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D014162:Transfection; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein
chemical_list: C494826:BAX protein, human; D017261:Glycosylphosphatidylinositols; D007476:Ionophores; D011328:Prions; D011500:Protein Synthesis Inhibitors; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D020126:Brefeldin A; D008985:Monensin