title: Expression of normal cellular prion protein (PrP(c)) on T lymphocytes and the effect of copper ion: Analysis by wild-type and prion protein gene-deficient mice.
abstract: The purpose of this report was to determine the effect of prion protein (PrP) gene disruption on T lymphocyte function. Previous studies have suggested that normal cellular prion protein (PrP(c)) binds to copper and Cu(2+) is essential for interleukin-2 (IL-2) mRNA synthesis. In this study, IL-2 mRNA levels in a copper-deficient condition were investigated using T lymphocytes from prion protein gene-deficient (PrP(0/0)) and wild-type mice. Results showed that Cu(2+) deficiency had no effect on PrP(c) expression in Con A-activated splenocytes. However, a delay in IL-2 gene expression was observed in PrP(0/0) mouse T lymphocyte cultures using Con A and Cu(2+)-chelator. These results suggest that PrP(c) expression may play an important role in rapid Cu(2+) transfer in T lymphocytes. The rapid transfer of Cu(2+) in murine T lymphocytes could be one of the normal functions of PrP(c).
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Immunology, School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan.
authors.forename: Atsutaka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kubosaki
authors.forename: Yukiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nishimura-Nasu
authors.forename: Takuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nishimura
authors.forename: Seiichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yusa
authors.forename: Akikazu
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sakudo
authors.forename: Keiichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Saeki
authors.forename: Yoshitsugu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.forename: Shigeyoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Itohara
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Onodera
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003300:Copper / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D018621:PrPC Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D007376:Interleukin-2; D018621:PrPC Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D003300:Copper