title: High levels of cellular prion protein improve astrocyte development.
abstract: Prion protein (PrP(C)) has neuroprotective functions and herein we demonstrate that astrocytes from PrP(C)-over-expressing mice are more resistant to induced cell death than wild-type astrocytes. The Stress-Inducible-Protein 1 (STI1), a PrP(C) ligand, prevents cell death in both wild-type and PrP(C)-over-expressing astrocytes through the activation of protein-kinase-A. Cultured embryonic astrocytes and brain extracts from PrP(C)-over-expressing mice show higher glial fibrillary acidic protein expression and reduced vimentin and nestin levels when compared to wild-type astrocytes, suggesting faster astrocyte maturation in the former mice. Our data indicate that PrP(C) levels modulate astrocyte development, and that PrP(C)-STI1 interaction contributes to protect against astrocyte death.
authors.affiliation: International Research Center, A.C. Camargo Hospital, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Camila Arantes
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Hartmann
authors.forename: Vilma Regina
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.forename: Flavia Regina Souza
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Lima
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D016923:Cell Death / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System; D051379:Mice; D057507:Mice, 129 Strain; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D064231:Nestin; D018621:PrPC Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015854:Up-Regulation; D014746:Vimentin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C577485:Nes protein, mouse; D064231:Nestin; D018621:PrPC Proteins; C489791:Stip1 protein, mouse; D014746:Vimentin; C528900:glial fibrillary astrocytic protein, mouse; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases