Background of the antigen
CLN6, a 311 amino acid protein, has seven predicted transmembrane domains and is conserved across vertebrates. The CLN6 protein localizes to the endoplasmic reticulum but contributes to lysosomal function. Mutations in the CLN6 gene cause variant late-onset infantile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (vLINCL), a lysosomal storage disorder marked by progressive mental deterioration and blindness; part of a group of severe inherited neurodegenerative disorders affecting children wherein lysosomes accumulate storage material, causing the death of neurons. CLN6 is one of eight proteins, including CLN1-8, that are associated with NCL.
