Evolution of myelin proteolipid proteins: Gene duplication in teleosts and expression pattern divergence

Glycoprotein M6a is present in glutamatergic axons in adult rat forebrain and cerebellum

Glycoprotein M6a is a neuronally expressed member of the proteolipid protein (PLP) family of tetraspans. In vitro studies suggested a potential role in neurite outgrowth and spine formation and previous investigations have identified M6a as a stress-regulated gene. To investigate whether the distribution of M6a correlates with neuronal structures susceptible to alterations in response to stress, we localized M6a expression in neurons of hippocampal formation, prefrontal cortex and cerebellum using in situ hybridization and confocal immunofluorescence microscopy. In situ hybridization confirmed that M6a is expressed in dentate gyrus and cerebellar granule neurons and in hippocampal and cortical pyramidal neurons. Confocal microscopy localized M6a immunoreactivity to distinct sites within axonal membranes, but not in dendrites or neuronal somata. Moreover, M6a colocalized with synaptic markers of glutamatergic, but not GABAergic nerve terminals. M6a expression in the adult brain is particularly strong in unmyelinated axonal fibers, i.e. cerebellar parallel and hippocampal mossy fibers. In contrast, myelinated axons exhibit only minimal M6a immunoreactivity localized exclusively to terminal regions. The present neuroanatomical data demonstrate that M6a is an axonal component of glutamatergic neurons and that it is localized to distinct sites of the axonal plasma membrane of pyramidal and granule cells.

Contactin1a expression is associated with oligodendrocyte differentiation and axonal regeneration in the central nervous system of zebrafish

Contactin1a (Cntn1a) is a zebrafish homolog of contactin1 (F3/F11/contactin) in mammals, an immunoglobulin superfamily recognition molecule of neurons and oligodendrocytes. We describe conspicuous Cntn1a mRNA expression in oligodendrocytes in the developing optic pathway of zebrafish. In adults, this expression is only retained in glial cells in the intraretinal optic fiber layer, which contains 'loose' myelin. After optic nerve lesion, oligodendrocytes re-express Cntn1a mRNA independently of the presence of regenerating axons and retinal ganglion cells upregulate Cntn1a expression to levels that are significantly higher than those during development. After spinal cord lesion, expression of Cntn1a mRNA is similarly increased in axotomized brainstem neurons and white matter glial cells in the spinal cord. In addition, reduced mRNA expression in the trigeminal/anterior lateral line ganglion in erbb3-deficient mutant larvae implies Cntn1a in Schwann cell differentiation. These complex regulation patterns suggest roles for Cntn1a in myelinating cells and neurons particularly in successful CNS regeneration.

A screen for mutations in zebrafish that affect myelin gene expression in Schwann cells and oligodendrocytes

Myelin is the multi-layered glial sheath around axons in the vertebrate nervous system. Myelinating glia develop and function in intimate association with neurons and neuron-glial interactions control much of the life history of these cells. However, many of the factors that regulate key aspects of myelin development and maintenance remain unknown. To discover new molecules that are important for glial development and myelination, we undertook a screen of zebrafish mutants with previously characterized neural defects. We screened for myelin basic protein (mbp) mRNA by in situ hybridization and identified four mutants (neckless, motionless, iguana and doc) that lacked mbp expression in parts of the peripheral and central nervous systems (PNS or CNS), despite the presence of axons. In all four mutants electron microscopy revealed that myelin-forming glia were present and had formed loose wraps around axons but did not form compact myelin. We found that addition of exogenous retinoic acid (RA) rescued mbp expression in neckless mutant embryos, which lack endogenous RA synthesis. Timed application of the RA synthesis inhibitor DEAB to wild type embryos showed that RA signalling is required at least 48 h before the onset of myelin protein synthesis in both CNS and PNS.