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The cellular prion protein is preferentially expressed by CD4 + CD25 + Foxp3 + regulatory T cells
Author(s) -
Isaacs Jeremy D.,
Garden Oliver A.,
Kaur Gurman,
Collinge John,
Jackson Graham S.,
Altmann Daniel M.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.297
H-Index - 133
eISSN - 1365-2567
pISSN - 0019-2805
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2567.2008.02853.x
Subject(s) - il 2 receptor , foxp3 , regulatory t cell , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , t cell , immune system , cell , jurkat cells , chemistry , immunology , biochemistry
Summary Post‐translational modification of the cellular prion protein (PrP C ) is intimately associated with the pathogenesis of prion disease, yet the normal function of the protein remains unclear. PrP C is expressed in lymphoid cells and is known to be a T‐cell activation antigen. Further, transcription profiling studies of regulatory T cells have shown preferential overexpression of PrP C , suggesting a possible role in regulatory function. We report that both the expression of PrP message and cell surface PrP C levels are increased in murine CD4 + CD25 + regulatory T cells compared with CD4 + CD25 − cells. However, PrP 0/0 mice do not show altered regulatory T‐cell numbers or forkhead box P3 (Foxp3) expression levels, or impaired regulatory T‐cell function in vitro . Nevertheless, the preferential expression of surface PrP C by regulatory T cells raises the possibility that therapeutic ligation of PrP C might alter immune regulation.