Tia-1

TIA stands for the acronym "T-cell-restricted intracellular antigen-1", an RNA binding cytotoxic protein that is a component of stress granules. The TIA protein belongs to the RNA-binding protein family. It is expressed in cytotoxic T cells, NK cells, but also by skeletal muscle cells. TIA-1 has nucleolytic activities directed against cytotoxic T lymphocytes and is involved in the process of programmed cell death(apoptosis).

Stress granules are well characterized cytoplasmic RNA granules that are formed under certain stress conditions of the cells, e.g. under UV irradiation. The accumulation of the granules in the cytoplasm of the cells leads to a locking of the cells in the G1 phase of the cell cycle. This allows e.g. UV-induced DNA damage to be repaired.

1. Moutaoufik MT et al (2014) UVC-induced stress granules in mammalian cells. PLoS One 9:e112742.