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.
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).
Kubosaki
Atsutaka
A
Department of Molecular Immunology, School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan.
Nishimura-Nasu
Yukiko
Y
Nishimura
Takuya
T
Yusa
Seiichi
S
Sakudo
Akikazu
A
Saeki
Keiichi
K
Matsumoto
Yoshitsugu
Y
Itohara
Shigeyoshi
S
Onodera
Takashi
T
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
D007376:Interleukin-2; D018621:PrPC Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D003300:Copper