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Extracellular copper ions regulate cellular prion protein (PrP C ) expression and metabolism in neuronal cells
Author(s) -
Toni Mattia,
Massimino Maria Lina,
Griffoni Cristiana,
Salvato Benedetto,
Tomasi Vittorio,
Spisni Enzo
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/j.febslet.2004.12.053
Subject(s) - extracellular , copper , metabolism , gene isoform , microbiology and biotechnology , chemistry , cellular metabolism , prion protein , biochemistry , biology , medicine , gene , organic chemistry , disease
The physiological functions of cellular prion protein (PrP C ) remain unclear. It has been demonstrated that PrP C is a copper binding protein and proposed that its functions could be strictly linked to copper metabolism and neuroprotection. The aim of this study was to clarify how extracellular copper modifies PrP C expression and metabolism in cultured neurones. We reported here that copper delivered at physiological concentrations significantly decreases PrP C mRNA expression in GN11 neurones. Moreover, copper increases the release of PrP C into the culture medium. These results indicate that extracellular copper strongly affects the amount of cellular PrP and might represent an interesting strategy to decrease the expression of PrP C in neurones and its conversion in the pathological isoform PrP Sc .