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Published on: November 20, 2010
Cellular isoform of the scrapie agent protein participates in lymphocyte activation
N R Cashman1, R Loertscher, J Nalbantoglu
1Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Quebec, Canada.
Abstract:
The scrapie agent protein (Sp33-37 or PrPSc) is the disease-associated isoform of a normal cellular membrane protein (Cp33-37 or PrPC) of unknown function. We report that normal human lymphocytes and lymphoid cell lines, but not erythrocytes or granulocytes, express PrPC mRNA and protein. PrPC is detectable on the surface of lymphocytes; the surface immunoreactivity is sensitive to phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C, indicating glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol membrane anchorage. Lymphocyte PrPC surface abundance is increased by cell activation, and polyclonal antibodies to PrPC suppress mitogen-induced activation. We conclude that PrPC is a lymphocyte surface molecule that may participate in cell activation.
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