Schwann cells are the glial cells of the peripheral nervous system. When transplanted into the injured central or peripheral nervous systems they promote repair. Traditionally Schwann cells have been isolated from the sciatic nerve, creating nerve-SC. An alternative Schwann cell source is from the differentiation of skin-derived precursors (SKPs), stem cells found in the skin, to Schwann cells (SKP-SC). SKP-SC have shown enhanced regenerative ability compared to nerve-SC. This study compares nerve-SC with SKP-SC at the functional and gene expression level to determine their degree of similarity and find their sources of variance. The functional ability of both Schwann cell types appeared similar. Their gene expression, as assessed by microarray, was similar but not identical. Genes that differed between nerve-SC and SKP-SC may represent differences important to regeneration. The similarity of SKP-SC to nerve-SC supports the use of SKP-SC for repair, and reasons for enhanced regeneration by SKP-SC are suggested.

Current treatments for spinal cord injury (SCI) are extremely limited due to the fact that the central nervous system lacks the intrinsic ability to regenerate, and constitutes a poor environment for regenerative axon growth. Nerve tissue engineering is an emerging field with the aim of repairing or creating new nerve tissues to promote functional recovery by using artificial tissue repair scaffolds. The design of a stable and consistent animal model of SCI is essential to study the effectiveness of scaffolds in promoting nervous system repair. In this study, a partial transection animal model was created with a three dimensional lesion at T8-T9 that disrupts axonal pathways unilaterally in the dorsal columns of the rat spinal cord. Alginate hydrogel scaffolds incorporating living Schwann cells were fabricated to evaluate the abilities of those scaffolds to foster axonal regeneration. The surgical technique was improved to provide better outcomes related to bleeding during surgery, weight control, neurological function and surgery duration. The survival rate of animals during the surgical procedure and post-surgery period was ultimately increased to 100%. Histology and immunohistochemistry results indicated that implanted alginate scaffolds may induce larger cavities and extenuate harmful inflammation responses, but that effect was ameliorated by inclusion of Schwann cells in the scaffold. However, neither plain alginate scaffolds nor scaffolds containing living Schwann cells were able to improve regeneration of identified axon tracts in the spinal dorsal columns. This research also employed a synchrotron based x-ray phase contrast imaging technique coupled with computed-tomography to visualize the low optical density structural features of scaffolds and spinal cord tissues in formaldehyde fixed specimens. The imaging results suggest that this is a promising method for analyzing the structure of tissue repair scaffolds within the spinal cord. This degree of structural characterization, potentially applicable to living tissue, is not afforded by other conventional image analysis techniques.

No description available.

Submitted by Tatiana Oliveira (tsilva@icict.fiocruz.br) on 2012-06-06T12:07:05Z No. of bitstreams: 1 rosane_b_oliveira_ioc_bp_0007_2003.pdf: 28903576 bytes, checksum: 4167a22455a36ea7147bd41b4dc7b566 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2012-06-06T12:07:05Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 rosane_b_oliveira_ioc_bp_0007_2003.pdf: 28903576 bytes, checksum: 4167a22455a36ea7147bd41b4dc7b566 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2003 / Fundação Oswaldo Cruz.Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Rio de janeiro, RJ, Brasil / A principal complicação na hanseníase é o desenvolvimento de deformidades ao longo do curso crônico da doença. Neste estudo, nós utilizamos uma linhagem humana maligna de células de Schwann (ST88-14) para caracterizar a indução do fenômeno de morte celular e a produção de citocinas em células de Schwann (CS) in vivo e in vitro. Têm sido demonstrado que CS tornam-se ativadas e podem produzir citocinas durante injúria experimental e em algumas neuropatias. As funções fisiológicas das células de Schwann e a compreensão de como citocinas, M. leprae e seus componentes causam danos a estas células foram investigados. As células infetadas estimulam a formação do granuloma e subsequentes destruição bacilar e o dano no nervo. A recente descrição dos mecanismos de entrada da bactéria nesta célula e, conseqüentemente, o estudo da interação do M. leprae e da CS no que se refere à resposta imune inata (expressão de receptores Toll - TLR) são essenciais para tentar esclarecer os mecanismos envolvidos no desenvolvimento de lesões do nervo. Assim a expressão do receptor Toll foi avaliado na linhagem ST88-14, em células de Schwann primárias e em biópsias de pele. Investigamos também a possibilidade de células de Schwann humanas serem susceptíveis a morte pela ativação do TLR2. Foi observado a expressão de TLR2 em células de Schwann e a ativaçao destas células com um agonista TLR2, um lipopeptídeo sintético que abrange a porção N-terminal putativa da lipoproteína 19kD de M. leprae induziu a relativa secreção de citocinas IL-6 e IL-8, bem como induziu um aumento no número de células com características de células apoptóticas. A apoptose induzida pelo lipopeptídeo e a produção de citocinas nas CS foi bloqueada com anticorpo monoclonal anti-TLR2. Foi também observado que as CS em lesões de pele de pacientes com hanseníase expressam TLR2 bem como a presença de apoptose in vivo. A capacidade de ligantes de M. leprae induzirem apoptose de CS através de TLR2 proporciona um mecanismo pelo qual a ativação da resposta imune inata contribui para a lesão de nervo na hanseníase. Neste projeto, a capacidade e efeitos de TNFa/TGFb e do M. leprae nas células ST88-14 foram investigados. Neste estudo nós mostramos que as células de Schwann expressam constitutivamente ambos os receptores de TNF. Os resultados demonstraram um índice aumentado de apoptose nas culturas das células na presença de TNFa /TGFb em comparação com controle. Finalmente, um índice aumentado de apoptose também foi observado quando na ST88-14 foi mantida em cultura na presença de M. leprae vivo ou morto. Os dados indicam que TNF-Rs bem como uma resposta específica para TNFa e o efeito sinergístico com TGFb, assim como a infecção pelo M. leprae podem estar implicados na patogênese da lesão do nervo na hanseníase / A major complication in leprosy is the development of deformities along the chronic course of disease. In the present study, a malignant human Schwann cell line (ST88-14) was used to characterize the induction of cell death and the production of cytokines in these in vivo and in vitro SCs. It had previously been shown that, in some neuropathies, SC became activated and produced cytokines during experimental injury. Here, the physiological functions of SC and how cytokines, M. leprae, and M. leprae components possibly cause damage to these cells were investigated. The recent description of the mechanisms utilized by M. leprae to enter SCs and, consequently, the study of M. leprae-SC interaction in the innate immune response (Toll-like receptors - TLR) are essential to understanding what is involved in the development of nerve damage. In this connection, an evaluation was made of TLR expression in skin biopsies and the ST88-14 cell line and whether these cells were susceptible to cell death through TLR2 activation. It was found that TLR2 expression on SCs and their activation by a TLR2 agonist - a synthetic lipopeptide comprising the N-terminal portion of the putative M. leprae 19kD lipoprotein – simultaneously induced IL-6 and IL-8 secretion and triggered increased production of apoptotic cells, which, along with cytokine production, was blocked by an anti-TLR2 monoclonal antibody. Besides demonstrating the presence of TLR2 expression in the SCs of skin lesions of leprosy patients, SCs were also identified in lesions that had undergone apoptosis in vivo. The ability of M. leprae ligands to induce apoptosis of schwann cells through TLR2 provides a mechanism by which activation of the innate immune response contributes to nerve injury in leprosy. Thus, by investigating the capacity and effects of TNFa/TGFb and M. leprae within the human ST88-14 cell line, this study showed that SCs constituitively expressed both TNF receptors and that, in comparison to the controls, their presence triggered increased apoptosis in culture, also observed when ST88-14 was maintained in culture in the presence of live and/or dead M. leprae.. It would, therefore, seem apparent that these observations are clear indications that the TNF-Rs, in conjunction with a specific TNFa response, the synergistic effect with TGFb, and M. leprae infection are all implicated in the pathogenesis of nerve damage

Made available in DSpace on 2014-12-05T18:41:20Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license.txt: 1748 bytes, checksum: 8a4605be74aa9ea9d79846c1fba20a33 (MD5) lucineia_kontos_ioc_dout_2009.pdf: 75178965 bytes, checksum: 32149962187e4997d9d42f8788cd70c8 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-11-18 / Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil / A hanseníase é uma doença sistêmica infecto-contagiosa crônica causada pelo patógeno intracelular obrigatório Mycobacterium leprae, que afeta principalmente a pele e nervos periféricos dos seres humanos. Apesar dos intensos e bem controlados programas de terapia multidroga, a transmissão desta doença continua ocorrendo e um grande número de indivíduos acometidos permanece em risco de desenvolver dano ao nervo. A lesão neural na hanseníase é decorrente da capacidade do M. leprae infectar os nervos periféricos, alojando-se preferencialmente no interior de células de Schwann (CS). O presente trabalho teve como objetivo geral contribuir para o entendimento da interação M. leprae - CS, e como objetivos específicos: 1) estabelecer e caracterizar fenotipicamente culturas de CS de rato (CSPR) e humanas primárias (CSHP), comparando com a linhagem de CS humana ST88-14; 2) determinar a cinética de associação do M. leprae a estas células; 3) analisar aspectos morfológicos da interação do M. leprae com a CS; e 4) estudar o efeito do M. leprae sobre a expressão da cadeia a-2 da laminina-2, Beta-distroglicana, Desert Hedgehog (Dhh) e gangliosídeo 9-O-acetil GD3 pela CS. Os resultados deste trabalho mostraram que as CS ST88-14, as CSPR e as CSHP apresentam características de CS com fenótipo amielínico. Através de microscopia eletrônica de varredura foi observado que as CS ST88-14 tratadas ou não com o M. leprae formaram monocamada e que 50 por cento destas células apresentaram M. leprae aderidos com 2 horas de tratamento. As bactérias apresentavam-se aderidas, envolvidas ou não por filopódios, e em processo de internalização. O grau de associação do M. leprae às CSPR e CSHP foi semelhante ao observado nas CS ST88-14. Uma baixa porcentagem de CS ST88-14 mostraram expressão constitutiva do gangliosídeo 9-O-Acetil GD3 Quando tratadas com o M. leprae letalmente irradiado estas células apresentaram uma modulação positiva para esta molécula e seu padrão de expressão, inicialmente difuso tornou-se pontual com o curso temporal do tratamento com as bactérias. A análise do efeito do M. leprae sobre a expressão da cadeia a-2 da laminina-2 em CSHP mostra que o bacilo não modula a expressão desta molécula tanto ao nível traducional como transcricional. Já o M. leprae modulou negativamente a expressão de RNAm de ß-distroglicana em CSHP. Entretanto não afetou o nível da protéina nas condições experimentais utilizadas. O M.leprae também modulou negativamente a expressão de RNAm de Dhh nestas células. Como camundongos ôknockoutõ para o gene dhh apresentam microfasciculação no nervo e 20 por cento das biopsias de nervo de pacientes com hanseníase apresentam microfasciculação, investigamos a expressão de Dhh em nervos de hanseníase com e sem microfasciculação. Biopsias com microfasciculação apresentaram uma considerável diminuição na expressão de RNAm de Dhh quando comparados com pacientes que apresentaram nervo sem microfasciculação. Com os resultados obtidos nesse trabalho mostramos que o M. leprae é capaz interagir com a CS in vitro e que moléculas potencialmente relevantes nesta interação são afetadas por esta bactéria, podendo isso desencadear e/ou promover a patogenia observada na hanseníase / Leprosy is an infectious and contagious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae, an obligate intracellular parasite. The disease affects predominantly the skin and the peripheral nerves in humans. Despite the control programs implemented and the establishment of multidrug treatment (MDT), the transmission of the disease still occurs in high levels. Individuals affected by the disease are at risk of developing severe disabilities and deformities. The nerve damage observed in leprosy is caused by the presence of M. leprae in the nerves, mainly inside Schwann cells (SCs). The present study aimed to investigate the M. leprae-Schwann cell interaction, consisting of the following objectives: i) establishment and phenotypic characterization of cultures from primary rat Schwann cells (PRSC) and primary human Schwann cells (PHSC); ii) analysis of the capacity of M. leprae to associate these cells; iii) morphological analysis of M. leprae interaction with the ST88-14 human SC cell line by electron microscopy; and iv) investigation of the effect of M. leprae on the Schwann cell expression of α2- laminin, -dystroglycan, desert hedgehog (Dhh) and 9-O-acethyl-GD3. The results showed that ST88-14 SC, PRSC, and PHSC display a non-myelinating phenotype. Scanning electron microscopy showed that ST88-14 SC cultures treated or not with M. leprae formed a monolayer and that 50% of these cells displayed M. leprae on their surface after a two-hour treatment with the bacteria. The bacteria were in contact with the cell surface, amid fillipodia or lying on smooth membrane regions; some of them were in the course of being internalized. A similar degree of association of M. leprae to PRSC and to PHSC was observed. A low percentage of the ST8814 SC constitutively expressed the 9-O-acetyl GD3. After treatment with lethally irradiated M. leprae these cells exhibited an upregulation of this ganglioside, with an additional change in the expression pattern, which was initially difuse and became spotty. The results obtained also suggest that M. leprae is unable to modulate the expression of laminin-α2 in PHSC, both at the transcriptional and at the translational level. In contrast, live M. leprae was able to downregulate the levels of -dystroglican mRNA to in PHSC cultures, although protein levels were unaffected. Moreover, M. leprae stimulus induced downregulation of Dhh mRNA in PHSC. As dhh knockout mice present minifascicles in the nerves, and about 20% of leprosy biopsies display microfasciculation, we ascertained the Dhh expression in leprosy nerve biopsies with microfasciculation, comparing it with the ones without this morphological pattern. Nerve biopsies with microfasciculation exhibited significantly lower levels of this factor, speculatively related to the structural disarrangement usually found in the leprosy nerves. The results of this study showed the possible utilization of Schwann cells in vitro models to study M. leprae-Schwann cell interaction. M. leprae was able to affect the expression of relevant SC molecules involved in the interaction with the bacillus, with a potential link of this modulation with the pathogenesis of the leprosy nerve damage.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-10-23T12:45:32Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 rychelle_medeiros_ioc_mest_2014.pdf: 1978487 bytes, checksum: f4ad898bc71b1f2bac123e0403daac80 (MD5) license.txt: 1748 bytes, checksum: 8a4605be74aa9ea9d79846c1fba20a33 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-04-14 / Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil / O Mycobacterium leprae, patógeno intracelular causador da hanseníase, infecta com sucesso células da glia do sistema nervoso periférico, denominadas células de Schwann (CS). Estas células são responsáveis pela mielinização e envio de metabólitos, como o lactato e o piruvato, para os axônios, mantendo assim os processos energéticos associados à transdução de sinal nos nervos periféricos. A interação entre o bacilo e sua célula hospedeira vem sendo alvo de muitos estudos de modulação imunológica, desmielinização e de metabolismo lipídico, porém as possíveis modulações sobre o metabolismo energético destas células impostas pelo patógeno permanecem negligenciadas e desconhecidas. Para determinar estas modulações, estudamos o metabolismo energético de uma linhagem de células de Schwann humanas (ST8814) infectadas in vitro por M. leprae purificado a partir de extratos de coxim plantar de camundongos atímicos nu/nu. Analisamos processos de entrada e quebra de glicose, a fermentação, potencial elétrico mitocondrial e biossíntese de lipídios. A internalização de glicose foi avaliada através do seu análogo fluorescente 2-NBDG e o potencial elétrico mitocondrial monitorado através da sonda lipofílica catiônica TMRM Para analisar a fermentação da glicose quantificamos lactato através do kit lactato liquiform (Labtest) e analisamos a atividade da enzima lactato desidogenase (LDH) em suas duas isoformas. Para análises de quebra de glicose e biossíntese de lipídios foram avaliadas atividades de enzimas chaves como fosfofrutoquinase-1 (PFK-1), glicose-6-fosfato desidrogenase (G6PD) e ATP citrato liase (ACL) através do monitoramento da redução/oxidação de NADH ou redução de NADP+ em 340 nm. Células infectadas apresentaram aproximadamente o dobro da captação de 2-NBDG e liberaram no sobrenadante a metade do lactato observado nas culturas controle. Este efeito foi acompanhado da diminuição de atividade de LDH- M, isoforma capaz de converter piruvato em lactato. A fluorescência de TMRM indicou redução do potencial elétrico mitocondrial nas células infectadas. Em contrapartida estas células demonstraram aumento significativo de atividade das enzimas G6PD e ACL. Concluímos que o M. leprae é capaz de modular a captação de glicose, fermentação, potencial elétrico mitocondrial e enzimas chaves do metabolismo energético de células de schwann humanas da linhagem ST8814 / Mycobacterium leprae , an intracellular pathogen which causes lep rosy, is able to infect Schwann cells (SC) in peripheral nervous system. These cells are responsible for myelination and release of metabolites such as lactate and pyruvate to axons and signal transduction in peripheral nerves. The host - pathogen interactio n in leprosy has been target of several studies of immune modulation, demyelination and lipid metabolism. However, modulations on the energy metabolism of these cells during infection by mycobacteria remain unknown. Here, we performed an in vitro study of the energy metabolism in the human SC cell line ST8814 infected with M. leprae purified from footpads of athymic mice and evaluate the glucose uptake and cleavage, fermentation, mitochondrial electrical potential and lipid biosynthesis. The glucose uptake was evaluated using a fluorescent analog, 2 - NBDG, and mitochondrial electrical potential monitored using a lipophilic cationic probe, TMRM. Also, fermentation was evaluated by lactate quantification using Liquiform kit (Labtest) and by activity of lactate desidogenase (LDH) enzyme into its two isoforms. Then, we analyzed the activity of key enzymes in the glucose cleavage and lipid biosynthesis: 1 - phosphofructokinase (PFK - 1), glucose - 6 - phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) and ATP citrate lyase (ACL) by monitoring the reduction / oxidation NADH or NADP + reduction at 340 nm. We demonstrated infected cells increased 2 - fold the uptake of 2 - NBDG and reduced the lactate production when comparing with uninfected cultures. This effect was followed by a decreased activity of LDH - M isoform, which is converts pyruvate to lactate. The fluorescence of TMRM indicated a reduction of mitochondrial electrical potential in M. leprae - infected SC. Interestingly, these cells showed a significant increase of activity of G6PD and ACL en zymes. Thus, we conclude that M. leprae can modulate glucose uptake, fermentation, mitochondrial electrical potential and key enzymes of energy metabolism of human Schwann cells of lineage ST8814

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-07T13:20:29Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 wagner_baetas_ioc_dout_2006.pdf: 6224563 bytes, checksum: b9154dd330ca56ad67886153b5bb6a4f (MD5) license.txt: 1748 bytes, checksum: 8a4605be74aa9ea9d79846c1fba20a33 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2006 / Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil / O receptor para manose receptor (RM) é uma glicoproteína transmembrana que é expressa em vários tipos celulares, mas, pouca ou nenhuma informação sobre RM existe em células de Schwann (CS). Mostramos que CS de rato em culturas primárias de células dissociadas ou em explantes de nervo bem como numa linhagem de Schwannoma humano (ST88-14) liga uma neoglicoproteína manosil/albumina de soro bovino- isotiocianate de fluoresceina (man/BSA-FITC) de uma maneira altamente específica. Após incubação com man/BSA-FITC, a análise por citometria de fluxo demonstra 62% de células ST88-14 e 90% de CS positivas, um aumento dose-dependente de ligantes marcads e inibição quase total pela competição com D-manose 250 mM ou com a proteína (altamente manosilada) peroxidase de raiz forte (HRP) ~ 1.1 µM. O tratamente de SC cultivadas com dexametasona (0.1 µg/ml) ou interferon ? (IFN-?? \2013 100 U/ml) seguido por marcação com man/BSA-FITC e a análise por citometria de fluxo mostra um acréscimo e um decréscimo, respectivamente, da captação do ligante. Explantes de nervo ciático cultivados na presence de IFN-?? mostram colocalização de man/BSA-FITC e imunoreatividade para MHC classe II. A análise ultra-estrutural de células ST88-14 após incubação com HRP- Au coloidal com ou sem subsequente seguimento a 37ºC mostra uma localização inicial na superfície e internalização do traçador dependente de temperatura e de tempo. Células ST88-14 e CS dissociadas bem como nervos recentemente \201Cesgarçados\201D mostram reatividade a um anticorpo policlonal contra o domínio C-terminal do RM de macrófagos murinos (anti-cMR). No caso de nervos \201Cesgarçados\201D, a imunorreatividade é particularmente abundante em regiões topograficamente homólogos a alças paranodais Além disto, a imuno-histoquímica ultra-estrutural de nervo ciático incluído em Lowicryl mostra reatividade ao anti-cMR, com máxima deposição do anticorpo secundário-Au em pericários de CS mielinizantes ou não-mielinizantes. Proteínas de extratos de SC e ST88-14, separadas por SDS-PAGE, e estudadas pela ligação das lectinas endógenas mostram que ambos os tipos celulares compartilham uma proteína ligadora de HRP de ~180 kDa com macrófagos peritoneais. Uma única banda de 180 kDa foi também obtida em \201Cimmunoblots\201D com anti-cMR. Nossos resultados sugerem que células de um Schwannoma e CS expressam uma proteína MR-semelhante em um estado potencialmente funcional e que ambos os tipos podem ser modelos úteis em estudos do papel deste receptor em diferentes estados infecciosos/inflamatórios ou na homeostase do sistema nervoso periférico / The mannose receptor (MR) is a transmembrane glycoprotein that is expressed in several cell types but little or no information is available on Schwann cells (SC). We show that rodent SC in primary cultures of dissociated cells or explant nerve cultures and a human Schwannoma cell line (ST88-14) bind the exogenous MR ligand neoglycoprotein mannosyl/bovine serum albumin-fluorescein isothiocyanate (man/BSA-FITC) in a highly specific manner. After incubation with man/BSA-FITC, flow cytometry demonstrates 62% positive ST88-14 cells and 90% positive SC cells, a dose-dependent increase in tagged ligands and near total inhibition of binding by 250 mM D-mannose or ~ 1.1 μ M of the highly mannosylated protein horseradish peroxidase (HRP). Treatment of cultured SC with dexamethasone (0.1 μ g/ml) or interferon  (IFN-   – 100 U/ml) followed by tagging with man/BSA-FITC and analysis by flow cytometry shows an increase and a decrease, respectively, of the ligand uptake by the putative receptor. Sciatic nerve explants cultured in the presence of IFN-   show colocalization of man/BSA-FITC and MHC class II immunoreactivity. Ultrastructural analysis of ST88-14 cells after incubation with HRP-colloidal gold without or with subsequent chasing at 37ºC mostra localização inicial na superfície cellular e internalização ation on the cell surface and temperature- and time dependent internalization of the probe. ST88-14 cells and dissociated SC and recently teased nerves exhibit reactivity to a polyclonal antibody against the C-terminal domain of the mouse macrophage MR (anti-cMR). In the case of teased nerves, immunoreactivity was particularly abundant in regions topographically homologous to paranodal loops. Furthermore, ultrastructural immunohistochemistry of Lowicryl-embedded sciatic nerve from normal animals showed reactivity to anti-cMR with maximal deposition of Au-tagged secondary antibody in myelinating or non-myelinating SC somata. SDS-PAGE separated proteins studied by endogenous lectin binding of SC and ST88-14 extracts show that both share a unique HRP-binding protein of about 180 kDa with peritoneal macrophages. A single band of 180 kDa was also obtained in immunoblots with anti- cMR. Our results suggest that Schwannoma cells and SC in vitro and in situ express a MR-like protein in a prospectively functional state and that both types may be useful models for studies regarding the role of this receptor in different infectious/inflammatory states or in homeostasis of the peripheral nervous system

Abstract The function of the nervous system is based on the targeted transmission of electrical impulses assuring the coordinated function of tissues and organs. Myelination of the neuronal axons allows the fast saltatory conduction by producing repetitive sites where sodium channels cluster on the axolemma. In the peripheral nervous system (PNS), myelin is formed by differentiation of the Schwann cell plasma membrane. The cells form myelin by first wrapping consecutive layers of the plasma membrane around the axons and then excluding almost all of the cytoplasm from the structure, forming compacted and non-compacted membrane compartments. The myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG) is located in all of the non-compacted regions of the PNS myelin sheath. Its two isoforms, L-MAG and S-MAG, differ only by the carboxy-terminal tails of their respective cytoplasmic domains. Both of the MAG isoforms are found in PNS myelin. They are differentially expressed during development and, until now, it has been thought that L-MAG is not present in the mature PNS myelin sheaths of murines. This study shows that both MAG isoforms can be found in different non-compacted membrane compartments in the mature PNS myelin sheaths in dorsal root ganglia (DRG)/Schwann cell cocultures. Early myelin development and myelin maturation were analyzed by means of a study of the expression of two early myelin markers, MAG and galactosyl cerebrosides (Gal-CB), believed to play roles in both myelin formation and maintenance. In order to allow the exploitation of the full potential of the DRG/Schwann cell coculture model through the use of mouse mutants, a coculture method was developed in which mouse DRGs and Schwann cells are able, for the first time, to produce significant amounts of myelin. To further explore the role of MAG in myelin maintenance and stability, the stability of purified MAG was studied through extensive degradation experiments.

Nous avons cherché à caractériser le phénotype de deux lignées de souris transgéniques pour lesquelles le lignage mélanocytaire est affecté.La lignée Tyr ::NRASQ61K ; Ink4a-/- est un modèle murin de mélanome cutané. Nous avons montré qu'il existait dans ce modèle un développement séquentiel avec au moins quatre types de lésions mélanocytaires cutanées. Nous avons également caractérisé des lésions mélanocytaires primitives dans des organes autres que la peau. Sur le plan morphologique, nous avons enfin montré que les lésions cutanées se rapprochaient plus de la famille des naevi bleus que des naevi et mélanomes conventionnels.La lignée Dct::Sbno2 surexprime le gène Strawberry Notch homolog 2 (Sbno2) sous contrôle du promoteur du gène de la Dopachrome tautomérase (Dct), spécifique du lignage mélanocytaire. Ces souris ont les extrémités des pattes et de la queue blanches, le ventre blanc et le reste de leur pelage blanchit prématurément, traduisant un défaut d'expansion du lignage mélanocytaire pendant l'embryogenèse et un défaut de maintien des cellules souches de mélanocytes en période postnatale. En outre, ces souris présentent des lésions histologiques des nerfs périphériques associant diminution du nombre d'axones et fibrose endoneurale. Cliniquement, elles montrent une hyperactivité locomotrice spontanée. Nos données expérimentales sont en faveur d'un biais de différenciation des cellules dérivées des crêtes neurales chez les souris Dct ::Sbno2, au détriment des mélanoblastes et en faveur des neurones et précurseurs gliaux pendant l'embryogenèse ; au détriment des neurones et en faveur des fibroblastes endoneuraux dans les nerfs périphériques en période postnatale. / In this work, we characterized the phenotype of two transgenic mouse strains for which the melanocytic lineage is affected. The Tyr ::NRASQ61K, Ink4a-/- strain is a murine model for cutaneous melanoma. We showed that, in this model, there was a sequential development with at least four types of melanocytic lesions. We also characterized primitive melanocytic lesions at extracutaneous sites. Finally, we showed that cutaneous lesions were, morphologically, closer to the blue naevi family than to the conventional naevi and melanoma. The Dct::Sbno2 strain overexpresses the Strawberry Notch homolog 2 (Sbno2) gene under control of the Dopachrome tautomerase (Dct) gene which is specific for the melanocytic lineage. These mice have white limb and tail extremities, a white belly, and the rest of the coat exhibits premature graying. These findings are related to defects in expansion of the melanocytic lineage during embryogenesis and maintenance of melanocyte stem cells post-natally. Furthermore, these mice have peripheral nerve lesions associating reduced number of axons and endoneural fibrosis. Clinically, they show spontaneous locomotor hyperactivity. Our data suggest an abnormal differentiation of neural crests-derived cells in Dct::Sbno2 mice: at the expanse of melanoblasts during and in favor of neurons and glial precursors during embryogenesis, at the expanse of neurons and in favor of endoneural fibroblasts in peripheral nerves post-natally.

Neurofibromatosis type 2 is an autosomal dominant disease characterized by the formation of schwannomas and other peripheral neuropathies. The nf2 gene encodes the protein Schwannomin, or merlin. Schwannomin (Sch) is a membrane-cytoskeletal linking protein that suppresses cell proliferation at high cell density and modulates cell shape. Sch's tumor suppressive activity is regulated by its localization, conformation, and phosphorylation at serine 518 (S518). Sch's localization is dependent on binding the scaffold protein, paxillin. Phosphorylation of Sch at S518 regulates its conformation and tumor suppressor function. In a negative feedback loop, unphosphorylated Sch restricts cell proliferation downstream of Rac and p21-activated kinase (Pak), whereas Pak-induced phosphorylation inactivates Sch's ability to inhibit Pak and cell proliferation. Little is known about the function of the phosphorylated form of Sch, or the molecular mechanisms leading to its phosphorylation. Here we demonstrate that Sch-S518 phosphorylation is dependent on paxillin-binding and plasma membrane localization in SCs. Phosphorylation of Sch at the plasma membrane is mediated by Cdc42-Pak and results in altered SC morphology and polarity. Moreover, we have identified two extracellular stimuli that trigger Sch-S518 phosphorylation; these are neuregulin (NRG) and laminin, two potent activators of SC proliferation and myelination. NRG promotes Sch-S518 phosphorylation downstream of ErbB2/ErbB3 through PKA, whereas laminin-1 stimulation of β1 integrin promotes Pak- dependent phosphorylation of Sch-S518. Additionally, we find that Sch promotes process formation and elongation in primary and myelinating SCs, independent of Sch S518 phosphorylation. However, Sch phosphorylation was found to influence SC differentiation, as expression of an unphosphorylatable variant, Sch-S518A, facilitated SC myelination, whereas expression of a phospho-mimicking variant, Sch-S518D, reduced the SC's ability to myelinate. Together, these findings have identified receptor-mediated and paxillin-dependent pathways that regulate phosphorylation and inactivation of Sch's tumor suppressor function. Additionally, these results have elucidated novel normal functions for Sch during peripheral nerve development and myelination, and identify novel therapeutic targets for treatment of NF2 and other peripheral neuropathies.