Prior exposure to neurotrophins blocks inhibition of axonal regeneration by MAG and myelin via a cAMP-dependent mechanism.
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MAG is a potent inhibitor of axonal regeneration. Here, inhibition by MAG, and myelin in general, is blocked if neurons are exposed to neurotrophins before encountering the inhibitor; priming cerebellar neurons with BDNF or GDNF, but not NGF, or priming DRG neurons with any of these neurotrophins blocks inhibition by MAG/myelin. Dibutyryl cAMP also overcomes inhibition by MAG/myelin, and cAMP is elevated by neurotrophins. A PKA inhibitor present during priming abrogates the block of inhibition. Finally, if neurons are exposed to MAG/myelin and neurotrophins simultaneously, but with the Gi protein inhibitor, inhibition is blocked. We suggest that priming neurons with particular neurotrophins elevates cAMP and activates PKA, which blocks subsequent inhibition of regeneration and that priming is required because MAG/myelin activates a Gi protein, which blocks increases in cAMP. This is important for encouraging axons to regrow in vivo. (+info)
Binding partners for the myelin-associated glycoprotein of N2A neuroblastoma cells.
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The myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG) has been proposed to be important for the integrity of myelinated axons. For a better understanding of the interactions involved in the binding of MAG to neuronal axons, we performed this study to identify the binding partners for MAG on neuronal cells. Experiments with glycosylation inhibitors revealed that sialylated N-glycans of glycoproteins represent the major binding sites for MAG on the neuroblastoma cell line N2A. From extracts of [3H]glucosamine-labelled N2A cells several glycoproteins with molecular weights between 20 and 230 kDa were affinity-precipitated using immobilised MAG. The interactions of these proteins with MAG were sialic acid-dependent and specific for MAG. (+info)
Spontaneous regression of primary autoreactivity during chronic progression of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis and multiple sclerosis.
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Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is a widely used animal model for multiple sclerosis (MS). EAE is typically initiated by CD4(+) T helper cell type 1 (Th1) autoreactivity directed against a single priming immunodominant myelin peptide determinant. Recent studies have shown that clinical progression of EAE involves the accumulation of neo-autoreactivity, commonly referred to as epitope spreading, directed against peptide determinants not involved in the priming process. This study directly addresses the relative roles of primary autoreactivity and secondary epitope spreading in the progression of both EAE and MS. To this end we serially evaluated the development of several epitope-spreading cascades in SWXJ mice primed with distinctly different encephalitogenic determinants of myelin proteolipid protein. In a series of analogous experiments, we examined the development of epitope spreading in patients with isolated monosymptomatic demyelinating syndrome as their disease progressed to clinically definite MS. Our results indicate that in both EAE and MS, primary proliferative autoreactivity associated with onset of clinical disease invariably regresses with time and is often undetectable during periods of disease progression. In contrast, the emergence of sustained secondary autoreactivity to spreading determinants is consistently associated with disease progression in both EAE and MS. Our results indicate that chronic progression of EAE and MS involves a shifting of autoreactivity from primary initiating self-determinants to defined cascades of secondary determinants that sustain the self-recognition process during disease progression. (+info)
Impairment of TNF-receptor-1 signaling but not fas signaling diminishes T-cell apoptosis in myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein peptide-induced chronic demyelinating autoimmune encephalomyelitis in mice.
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T-cell apoptosis in inflammatory demyelinating lesions of chronic myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein peptide35-55 induced autoimmune encephalomyelitis was studied in several different gene knockout mice as well as their wild-type counterparts. The gene deletions included tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha, lymphotoxin, TNF receptor 1 or 2, Fas-L, inducible nitric oxide synthase, perforin, and interleukin1beta-converting enzyme. Impairment of the TNF receptor 1 pathway led to a 50% reduction of T-cell apoptosis in the central nervous system lesions, whereas the other genetic deletions showed no significant effect. Our study thus identified the TNF receptor 1 signaling pathway as one mechanism responsible for the removal of T lymphocytes from inflammatory demyelinating lesions of the central nervous system. (+info)
Mice deficient for tenascin-R display alterations of the extracellular matrix and decreased axonal conduction velocities in the CNS.
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Tenascin-R (TN-R), an extracellular matrix glycoprotein of the CNS, localizes to nodes of Ranvier and perineuronal nets and interacts in vitro with other extracellular matrix components and recognition molecules of the immunoglobulin superfamily. To characterize the functional roles of TN-R in vivo, we have generated mice deficient for TN-R by homologous recombination using embryonic stem cells. TN-R-deficient mice are viable and fertile. The anatomy of all major brain areas and the formation and structure of myelin appear normal. However, immunostaining for the chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan phosphacan, a high-affinity ligand for TN-R, is weak and diffuse in the mutant when compared with wild-type mice. Compound action potential recordings from optic nerves of mutant mice show a significant decrease in conduction velocity as compared with controls. However, at nodes of Ranvier there is no apparent change in expression and distribution of Na+ channels, which are thought to bind to TN-R via their beta2 subunit. The distribution of carbohydrate epitopes of perineuronal nets recognized by the lectin Wisteria floribunda or antibodies to the HNK-1 carbohydrate on somata and dendrites of cortical and hippocampal interneurons is abnormal. These observations indicate an essential role for TN-R in the formation of perineuronal nets and in normal conduction velocity of optic nerve. (+info)
Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein induces experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in the "resistant" Brown Norway rat: disease susceptibility is determined by MHC and MHC-linked effects on the B cell response.
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Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) induced by active immunization with the myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) is an Ab-mediated, T cell-dependent autoimmune disease that replicates the inflammatory demyelinating pathology of multiple sclerosis. We report that disease susceptibility and severity are determined by MHC and MHC-linked effects on the MOG-specific B cell response that mediate severe clinical EAE in the EAE-resistant Brown Norway (BN) rat. Immunization with the extracellular domain of MOG in CFA induced fulminant clinical disease associated with widespread demyelination and with an inflammatory infiltrate containing large numbers of polymorphonuclear cells and eosinophils within 10 days of immunization. To analyze the effects of the MHC (RT1 system) we compared BN (RT1 n) rats with Lewis (LEW) (RT1 l) and two reciprocal MHC congenic strains, LEW.1N (RT1n) and BN.1L (RT1 l). This comparison revealed that disease severity and clinical course were strongly influenced by the MHC haplotype that modulated the pathogenic MOG-specific autoantibody response. The intra-MHC recombinant congenic strain LEW.1R38 demonstrated that gene loci located both within the centromeric segment of the MHC containing classical class I and class II genes and within the telomeric RT1.M region containing the MOG gene are involved in determining Ab production and disease susceptibility. This study indicates that the current T cell-centered interpretation of MHC-mediated effects on disease susceptibility must be reassessed in multiple sclerosis and other autoimmune diseases in which autoantibody is involved in disease pathogenesis. (+info)
Activated non-neural specific T cells open the blood-brain barrier to circulating antibodies.
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Previous studies have shown that activated T cells can successfully cross endothelial barriers and will accumulate in tissue which contains their specific antigen. Myelin specific T cells (e.g. myelin basic protein specific) are recognized to play an important role in the induction of experimental autoimmune demyelinating disease of the CNS and have been shown to induce blood-brain barrier breakdown effectively. In this study we injected T cells reactive to a non-neural antigen (ovalbumin) systemically into Lewis rats and caused them to accumulate in the thoracic dorsal column by a prior injection of ovalbumin. Selected rats were given systemic demyelinating antibody, antimyelin oligodendrocyte antibody (anti-MOG antibody), to provide evidence of permeability changes to the blood-brain barrier. These animals were compared with control rats given systemic anti-P0 monoclonal antibody and to other rats given a direct micro-injection (3 microliters) of anti-MOG antibody into the thoracic dorsal column. All animals were monitored by serial neurophysiological studies and by histological examination. Direct anti-MOG antibody injection produced a focal block in conduction at the injection site and a large circumscribed area of primary demyelination with axonal preservation within the dorsal column. An even more profound conduction block and more extensive plaque-like region of demyelination were seen in animals given antigen, activated T cells and systemic antibody. However, animals given antigen and T cells without relevant antibody did not show conduction impairment or demyelination, except when very large numbers of T cells were given; such rats developed severe irreversible axonal damage. This study demonstrates the blood-brain barrier is disrupted by activated T cells of non-neural specificity and allows large plaque-like regions of demyelination to form in the presence of circulating antimyelin antibody. The relevance of this finding to multiple sclerosis is discussed. (+info)
Inactivation of Rho signaling pathway promotes CNS axon regeneration.
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Regeneration in the CNS is blocked by many different growth inhibitory proteins. To foster regeneration, we have investigated a strategy to block the neuronal response to growth inhibitory signals. Here, we report that injured axons regrow directly on complex inhibitory substrates when Rho GTPase is inactivated. Treatment of PC12 cells with C3 enzyme to inactivate Rho and transfection with dominant negative Rho allowed neurite growth on inhibitory substrates. Primary retinal neurons treated with C3 extended neurites on myelin-associated glycoprotein and myelin substrates. To explore regeneration in vivo, we crushed optic nerves of adult rat. After C3 treatment, numerous cut axons traversed the lesion to regrow in the distal white matter of the optic nerve. These results indicate that targeting signaling mechanisms converging to Rho stimulates axon regeneration on inhibitory CNS substrates. (+info)