La clusterine : une nouvelle glycoprotéine protectrice de l'intégrité cellulaire ?

Abstract

Clusterin, a heterodimeric glycoprotein has emerged in scientific reports from disparate fields of cell biology. This molecule is widely expressed in mammalian species. Clusterin has been associated to physiological functions including cell-cell interactions, immune defense secretion and lipid transport. A marked induction of clusterin level has been reported during neurodegenerative diseases and renal injuries. The measurement of clusterin could be used as a clinical marker of these pathologies. Its ability to inhibit complement mediated lysis and its lipid-binding capacity confer to clusterin qualities for cellular membrane protection. This molecule could serve as a protective mechanism against immunological activation of complement system occurring after tissue injury and to maintain cell membrane integrity in a physiological state against noxious hydrophobic molecules.