Expression profiles of prion and doppel proteins and of their receptors in mouse splenocytes

Doppel (Dpl) shares common structural features with the prion protein (PrP) whose pathologic isoform is considered as the causative agent of prion diseases. Although their physiological functions in the immune system remain largely unknown, we demonstrated that substantial amounts of PrP and Dpl are expressed by spleen cells notably B lymphocytes, granulocytes and DC, but not T lymphocytes and NK. To characterize trans-interacting partners of PrP and Dpl on mouse splenocytes, fluorescent PrP and Dpl tetramers were produced and used as tracers. Both tetramers specifically bind to B lymphocytes, dendritic cells, macrophages and granulocytes and in a lesser extend to T lymphocytes. No binding was observed on NK, follicular dendritic cells and mesenchymal spleen cells. The activation of intracellular transduction signals (i.e. intracellular calcium concentration and activation of the MAP kinase pathway) suggested that PrP and Dpl tetramers bind to functional receptors on B cells. None of the previously described PrP partners account for the binding sites characterized here. Our study suggests a possible role for PrP and Dpl in the cell-cell interactions in the immune system.