胸腺素α原的研究进展

Advances in Research on Prothymosin Alpha

胸腺素α原(ProTα)是一种在哺乳动物细胞中广泛分布、结构保守的酸性小分子蛋白,是胸腺素α1(Tα1)的前体蛋白。目前在细胞内和细胞外均已发现了ProTα。在胞内,ProTα作为一种核蛋白,参与对细胞周期的调节,促进细胞增殖;在胞外,ProTα通过潜在的膜受体调节免疫应答,促进IFN-γ、TNF-α、IL-2等细胞因子的产生,进而增强细胞和体液免疫应答。但该蛋白的分泌机制、受体以及信号通路还有待研究。

Prothymosin α（ProTα）, the precursor of the thymosinα1 （Tα1）, is a highly acidic and conserved small protein and has a wide distribution among mammalian tissues. Intracellular and extracellular ProTα were found, the functionsfor intracellular ProTα are as a nuclear protein concerning with the modulation of cell cycle and enhancing cell proliferation. The functions for extracellular ProTα are mainly regulating immune response through the potential receptor on cell membrane, which increases the produαion of some cell factors such as IFN-α, TNF-α and IL-2. Furthermore, these factorspotentiate cellular and humoral immunity. However, the secrete mechanism, receptor and signal pathway of ProTα still remain obscure.