title: Expression of cellular prion-related protein by murine Langerhans cells and keratinocytes.
abstract: Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies are characterized by the accumulation of a proteinase-resistant isoform of the cellular prion-related protein (PrP(c)) within the central nervous system (CNS). The accumulation of scrapie-associated PrP (PrP(Sc)) within cells of the lymphoreticular system prior to its accumulation in the CNS is regarded as important for the development of neurological diseases after peripheral inoculation. Little, however, is known as to which cells are the targets for peripheral inoculation. Here, the presence of PrP(c) on murine Langerhans cells (LC), dendritic cells in the skin and mucosa, and keratinocytes (KC) is demonstrated by immunohistochemical staining, Western-blotting and FACS analysis. The expression of PrP(c) mRNA in freshly purified LC and KC was also detected by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. The expression of PrP(c) on LC was slightly increased during culture. These data suggest that LC and KC may be the targets for peripheral infection with prions.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Department of Dermatology, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, 113-8655, Tokyo, Japan. sugayam-der@h.u-tokyo.ac.jp
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sugaya
authors.forename: Koichiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Takahiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Akihiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Asahina
authors.forename: Nami
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yasaka
authors.forename: Yoh ichi
authors.initials: Yi
authors.lastname: Koyama
authors.forename: Masashi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kusubata
authors.forename: Yuko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ushiki
authors.forename: Kumiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Morooka
authors.forename: Shinkichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Irie
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yokoyama
authors.forename: Keiichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: Shigeyosi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Itohara
authors.forename: Kunihiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tamaki
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D007801:Langerhans Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D018621:PrPC Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D017096:Prion Diseases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018621:PrPC Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger