PMID- 16394267
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 20060323
LR  - 20120215
IS  - 1530-6860 (Electronic)
IS  - 0892-6638 (Linking)
VI  - 20
IP  - 1
DP  - 2006 Jan
TI  - Agrin is involved in lymphocytes activation that is mediated by 
      alpha-dystroglycan.
PG  - 50-8
AB  - It is well established that agrin, an extracellular matrix protein, plays a 
      crucial role in the formation of neuromuscular junctions. Recent evidence 
      indicates that agrin also contributes to immunological synapse formation. 
      However, little is known about how agrin induces the activation of lymphocytes 
      and whose receptors mediate its regulatory effects on these cells. In the present 
      study, agrin was detected in lymphocytes. Up-regulation of agrin expression was 
      involved in lymphocyte activation whereas down-regulation of its expression led 
      to inhibition of both antigen-specific and nonspecific lymphocyte activation, 
      indicating an intrinsic role for agrin in the activation of lymphocytes. 
      Unexpectedly, unlike that found in muscle cells where there is coexpression of 
      muscle-specific kinase (MuSK) and alpha-dystroglycan receptors for agrin, only 
      alpha-dystroglycan could be detected in lymphocytes. Confocal examination showed 
      that alpha-dystroglycan colocalized with agrin in forming the immunological 
      synapse. Down-regulation of alpha-dystroglycan expression inhibited lymphocyte 
      activation even in the presence of agrin. However, agrin involved in 
      down-regulation of alpha-dystroglycan receptors did not increase the inhibitory 
      effect on lymphocytes activation. The anti-alpha-dystroglycan antibody also 
      induced lymphocytes activation. Taken together, these findings strongly indicate 
      that agrin and alpha-dystroglycan mediate lymphocyte activation. Furthermore, 
      agrin-involved lymphocyte activation is mediated by alpha-dystroglycan.
FAU - Zhang, Jinping
AU  - Zhang J
AD  - Department of Immunology, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, 138 
      Yixueyuan Road, Shanghai, 200032, China.
FAU - Wang, Ying
AU  - Wang Y
FAU - Chu, Yiwei
AU  - Chu Y
FAU - Su, Liping
AU  - Su L
FAU - Gong, Yanping
AU  - Gong Y
FAU - Zhang, Ruihua
AU  - Zhang R
FAU - Xiong, Sidong
AU  - Xiong S
LA  - eng
PT  - Journal Article
PT  - Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
PT  - Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
PL  - United States
TA  - FASEB J
JT  - FASEB journal : official publication of the Federation of American Societies for 
      Experimental Biology
JID - 8804484
RN  - 0 (Agrin)
RN  - 0 (Receptors, Growth Factor)
RN  - 0 (agrin receptor)
RN  - 146888-27-9 (Dystroglycans)
SB  - IM
MH  - Agrin/genetics/*metabolism
MH  - Animals
MH  - Dystroglycans/genetics/*metabolism
MH  - Gene Expression Regulation
MH  - Intercellular Junctions/metabolism
MH  - Lymphocyte Activation/*physiology
MH  - Lymphocytes/*metabolism
MH  - Mice
MH  - Mice, Inbred BALB C
MH  - Protein Transport
MH  - Receptors, Growth Factor/metabolism
EDAT- 2006/01/06 09:00
MHDA- 2006/03/24 09:00
CRDT- 2006/01/06 09:00
PHST- 2006/01/06 09:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2006/03/24 09:00 [medline]
PHST- 2006/01/06 09:00 [entrez]
AID - 20/1/50 [pii]
AID - 10.1096/fj.04-3303com [doi]
PST - ppublish
SO  - FASEB J. 2006 Jan;20(1):50-8. doi: 10.1096/fj.04-3303com.