Elucidation on the Diverse Roles of PGRP:
Breakthroughs of New Function in PGRP−LE
A
joint research group led by Assoc. Prof. Shoichiro Kurata,
Graduate School of
Pharmaceutical Sciences at Tohoku University, made a breakthrough
achievement; the discovery of a new function in PGRP
(Peptidoglycan Recognition Protein)
−LE.
The
team found that PGRP-LE, which recognizes pathogen components in and outside the
cell of immune-responsive tissues, involved in recognition of pathogen
components as a co-receptor of PGRP-LC, a same PGRP family members exists on
cell surface. Also, PGRP-LE recognizes pathogen component inside the cell.
Furthermore, these studies showed both PGRP-LC and PGRP-LE receptors have a
similar structure, named a receptor-interacting protein homotypic interaction (RHIM)-like
motif.
The study conducted in collaboration with a research group headed by Dr. Neal
Silverman, Department of Medicine at the
University of Massachusetts Medical School.
The
research achievement will be posted on online version of
Nature Immunology, July 2006
issue of the US science journal.
The
research findings provides and reveals new perspectives for self-defense
mechanism, and indicated that the pathogen recognized protein plays diverse
roles in innate immunity.
Back
Contact:
Shoichiro Kurata
Graduate School of
Pharmaceutical Sciences,
Tohoku University,
Aramaki, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8578, Japan
Phone: +81-22-795-6823
Fax:
+81-22-795-6821
or
Tamaki
Yano,
Graduate School of
Pharmaceutical Sciences,
Tohoku University
Tel:
+81-22-795-3541 or +81-22-795-6823
Fax:
+81-22-795-6821
