Background：Prothymosin alpha （PTMA） is a nuclear protein possessing a number of cellular functions including cell survival. PTMA is identified to be localized in the nuclei of neurons, while it is found in both nuclei and cytoplasm in the astrocytes and microglia of adult brai. PTMA inhibits the neuronal necrosis induced by serum-free starvation or ischemia-reperfusion stress, which causes a rapid internalization of GLUT1/4, leading a decrease in glucose uptake and cellular ATP levels. Extensive research on PTMA showed that it is of clinical significance and potential medical use as they may serve as a molecular marker for cancer prognosis and/or as therapeutic agents for treating immunodeficiencies, autoimmune diseases and malignancies.
