Figure 2.

Prion protein as a linker of RhoA and p190RhoGAP, thereby facilitating RhoA inactivation. Prion protein recruits and links RhoA and p190RhoA together, thereby accelerating RhoA inactivation by p190RhoGAP. Subsequently RhoGDI binding with prion protein is likely to be provided to inactivated RhoA. Thus prion protein contributes to neurite outgrowth through RhoA inactivation, whereas mutant prion proteins and pathogenic PrP^Sc cannot facilitate RhoA inactivation, resulting in high RhoA activity and suppression of neurite outgrowth.