title: Prion protein-deficient mice exhibit decreased CD4 T and LTi cell numbers and impaired spleen structure.
abstract: The cellular prion protein is expressed in almost all tissues, including the central nervous system and lymphoid tissues. To investigate the effects of the prion protein in lymphoid cells and spleen structure formation, we used prion protein-deficient (Prnp(0/0)) Zürich I mice generated by inactivation of the Prnp gene. Prnp(0/0) mice had decreased lymphocytes, in particular, CD4 T cells and lymphoid tissue inducer (LTi) cells. Decreased CD4 T cells resulted from impaired expression of CCL19 and CCL21 in the spleen rather than altered chemokine receptor CCR7 expression. Importantly, some of the white pulp regions in spleens from Prnp(0/0) mice displayed impaired T zone structure as a result of decreased LTi cell numbers and altered expression of the lymphoid tissue-organizing genes lymphotoxin-α and CXCR5, although expression of the lymphatic marker podoplanin and CXCL13 by stromal cells was not affected. In addition, CD3(-)CD4(+)IL-7Rα(+) LTi cells were rarely detected in impaired white pulp in spleens of these mice. These data suggest that the prion protein is required to form the splenic white pulp structure and for development of normal levels of CD4 T and LTi cells.
authors: Department of Bioinformatics and Life Science, Soongsil University, Seoul 156-743, Republic of Korea.
authors: Soochan
authors: S
authors: Kim
authors: Department of Biomedical Gerontology, Graduate School of Hallym University, Chuncheon 200-702, Republic of Korea; Ilsong Institute of Life Science, Hallym University, Anyang 431-815, Republic of Korea.
authors: Sinsuk
authors: S
authors: Han
authors: Department of Bioinformatics and Life Science, Soongsil University, Seoul 156-743, Republic of Korea.
authors: Ye Eun
authors: YE
authors: Lee
authors: Department of Bioinformatics and Life Science, Soongsil University, Seoul 156-743, Republic of Korea.
authors: Woong-Jae
authors: WJ
authors: Jung
authors: Department of Bioinformatics and Life Science, Soongsil University, Seoul 156-743, Republic of Korea.
authors: Hyung Soo
authors: HS
authors: Lee
authors: Ilsong Institute of Life Science, Hallym University, Anyang 431-815, Republic of Korea; Department of Microbiology, College of Medicine, Hallym University, Chuncheon 200-702, Republic of Korea.
authors: Yong-Sun
authors: YS
authors: Kim
authors: Department of Biomedical Gerontology, Graduate School of Hallym University, Chuncheon 200-702, Republic of Korea; Ilsong Institute of Life Science, Hallym University, Anyang 431-815, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: ekchoi@hallym.ac.kr.
authors: Eun-Kyoung
authors: EK
authors: Choi
authors: Department of Bioinformatics and Life Science, Soongsil University, Seoul 156-743, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: kimmy@ssu.ac.kr.
authors: Mi-Yeon
authors: MY
authors: Kim
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D054415:Chemokine CCL19 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D054421:Chemokine CCL21 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D054382:Chemokine CXCL13 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D017353:Gene Deletion; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008233:Lymphotoxin-alpha / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D000072002:Prion Proteins; D011328:Prions / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D054400:Receptors, CCR7 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D054380:Receptors, CXCR5 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D020395:Receptors, Interleukin-7 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D000098853:Podoplanin
chemical_list: D017252:CD3 Complex; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D054415:Chemokine CCL19; D054421:Chemokine CCL21; D054382:Chemokine CXCL13; D008233:Lymphotoxin-alpha; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D000072002:Prion Proteins; D011328:Prions; D054400:Receptors, CCR7; D054380:Receptors, CXCR5; D020395:Receptors, Interleukin-7; C513179:CXCR5 protein, mouse; C515461:Ccl19 protein, mouse; C515371:Ccr7 protein, mouse; C486386:Cxcl13 protein, mouse; C490441:Pdpn protein, mouse; D000098853:Podoplanin; C512657:Prnp protein, mouse
keywords: CD4 T cell; LTi cell; Prion; Prnp(0/0); Spleen structure