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1: Science. 1998 Dec 11;282(5396):2076-9.Click here to read Links
Comment in:
Science. 1998 Dec 11;282(5396):1999-2000.

Role of alpha-dystroglycan as a Schwann cell receptor for Mycobacterium leprae.

Rambukkana A, Yamada H, Zanazzi G, Mathus T, Salzer JL, Yurchenco PD, Campbell KP, Fischetti VA.

Laboratory of Bacterial Pathogenesis and Immunology, Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10021, USA. rambuka@rockvax.rockefeller.edu

alpha-Dystroglycan (alpha-DG) is a component of the dystroglycan complex, which is involved in early development and morphogenesis and in the pathogenesis of muscular dystrophies. Here, alpha-DG was shown to serve as a Schwann cell receptor for Mycobacterium leprae, the causative organism of leprosy. Mycobacterium leprae specifically bound to alpha-DG only in the presence of the G domain of the alpha2 chain of laminin-2. Native alpha-DG competitively inhibited the laminin-2-mediated M. leprae binding to primary Schwann cells. Thus, M. leprae may use linkage between the extracellular matrix and cytoskeleton through laminin-2 and alpha-DG for its interaction with Schwann cells.

PMID: 9851927 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]