An immunological characterization of the basic proteins of rodent sciatic nerve myelin

Membrane flow within the myelin sheath in IDPN neuropathy

This report describes some aspects of beta,beta'-iminodipropionitrile (IDPN) neuropathy in rats as observed by ultrastructural methods and X-ray diffraction. Light microscopy shows gross swelling of the axons in proximal lumbar spinal roots 8 days after intraperitoneal injection of IDPN. Mean axon cross-sectional area and mean axon perimeter increased to 280% and 160% of their control values, respectively. At the same time, myelin membrane packing was not visibly disturbed. In addition, X-ray diffraction patterns, recorded under physiological conditions, demonstrate that the myelin lipid bilayer thickness and widths of the aqueous spaces between bilayers did not change. Related observations are made on posterior tibial nerve (PNS myelin) and ventral spinal cord (CNS myelin). The various observations together are interpreted in terms of a fluid myelin membrane. It is proposed that the myelin membrane flows during axon swelling even though normal membrane-membrane contacts are maintained within the sheath. Membrane flow and slippage between membranes are explained in terms of a molecular model of the myelin multilayer.

P2, P1, and P0 myelin protein expression in developing rat sixth nerve: a quantitative immunocytochemical study

Myelination and the expression of myelin proteins P2, P1, and P0 were studied quantitatively in the rat sixth cranial nerve during development. The postnatal development and growth of all myelin sheaths in this nerve have been studied morphometrically in a companion paper. Epon-embedded blocks with closely matched topography in the transverse plane were selected from rats perfused at ages 1-4, 8, 15, and 20 days. From each block, serial semithin sections were cut, etched, and immunostained according to the peroxidase-antiperoxidase method with well-characterized polyclonal antisera that reacted specifically with P0 glycoprotein and the basic proteins P1 and P2. The immunoreactivities of individual myelin sheaths were measured by densitometry. Numbers of compact myelin lamellae, myelin spiral lengths, and axon diameters were determined on electronmicrographs of adjacent thin sections. At birth anti-P0 immunoreactivity was found on sheaths with two and more compact lamellae; neither P1 nor P2 immunoreactivity was observed. On day 2, myelin sheaths with five and eight lamellae were stained respectively by anti-P1 and anti-P2. On day 3 the percentages of myelin sheaths stained were substantially higher: P0 95%, P1 78%, P2 15%. By day 4, anti-P0 and anti-P1 immunoreactivity was present in 95% of myelin sheaths; 35% were stained by anti-P2. For P2, staining intensity and percentage of myelin sheaths stained continued to increase and by day 20, 85% were anti-P2-positive. The density of immunoreactivity was not uniform in all myelin sheaths. At young ages staining varied with all three proteins. The variability decreased as myelin sheaths thickened; it persisted longest for anti-P2. We conclude that the density and distribution of immunoreactivities of P0, P1, and P2 reflect their relative concentrations during myelin sheath development and growth. We attribute lack of detectable anti-P2 immunoreactivity in some small sheaths at 20 days to their early stage of myelination and also to limitations of the method. We infer from our observations that all myelin-forming Schwann cells express P2 basic protein.

Changes in some myelin protein markers and in cytoskeletal components during Wallerian degeneration of mouse sciatic nerve

After transection of the mouse sciatic nerve, the sequence of events occurring in the distal degenerating segment was followed by the biochemical changes related to the cytoskeletal components and to the myelin protein markers. The components of the intermediate filaments and of the microtubules undergo early changes. Within 3 days, the neurofilament triplet and the peripherin disappear whereas many peptides bearing the antigenic determinant common to all classes of intermediate filaments accumulate. Several of them persist after 1 month. The tubulin pattern changes from a high level of microheterogeneity--reflecting mostly the axonal contribution--to a lower level displayed by the predominant Schwann cells. A decrease in the amount of the myelin markers is also observed. However, a month after transection, immunoreactive basic protein is still present in the degenerated segment homogenate.

Reconstituted P2/myelin-lipid multilayers

A complex forms when bovine P2 protein is added to single-bilayer vesicles created by sonicating myelin lipids. The complex was studied by biochemical analysis, freeze-fracture (FF) and thin-section electron microscopy (EM), and by X-ray diffraction. Smaller amounts of P2 cause the vesicles to aggregate and fuse whereas larger amounts (greater than or equal to 4 wt%) cause multilayers to form. Binding saturates at 15 wt% P2. FF EM shows that large, flat multilayers form within 15 min of addition of P2. Only smooth fracture faces are seen, as expected for a peripheral membrane protein. X-ray diffraction shows a constant repeating distance in the multilayers: 86.0 +/- 0.7 A between the centers of bilayers in the range 4 wt% less than or equal to P2/(P2 + lipid) less than or equal to 15 wt%. Assuming a 53 A-thick bilayer, the space between bilayers is 33 A wide. This is a wider space than for myelin basic protein (MBP) (20-25 A wide). The respective widths are consistent with a compact, globular structure for P2 and a flattened shape for MBP. Calculated electron-density profiles of the lipids with and without P2 reveal the protein largely in the interbilayer spaces, with a small part possibly inserted into the lipid headgroup layers. The different proportions of P2 in the sciatic nerve of various species are tentatively correlated with the different average widths observed by X-ray diffraction for the cytoplasmic space (major period line) between bilayers in the respective sciatic myelins.

Distribution of particle aggregates in the internodal axolemma and adaxonal Schwann cell membrane of rodent peripheral nerve

Freeze-fracture studies on myelinated fibres from the internodal regions of rat and mouse sciatic nerve show symmetrical particle aggregates within the adaxonal Schwann cell plasmalemma and particle clusters in the axolemma. These are mainly confined to the vicinity of the internal mesaxon and the Schmidt-Lanterman incisures. The Schwann cell particle aggregates are concentrated as bands over the cytoplasmic pockets of Schmidt-Lanterman incisures and the paramesaxonal pockets. In the axolemma there are linear rows of particle aggregates along the groove related to the inner mesaxon and in bands to either side of it. The morphological features suggest the possibility of metabolic coupling between the axoplasm and the Schwann cell cytoplasm via the periaxonal space.

Electron microscopic study of intramembranous changes in protein-extracted peripheral nervous system myelin

Sciatic nerves from young mice were incubated for 2-8 hours in 0.5% Triton X-100 in 0.5 M ammonium acetate, a solution which solubilizes the large and small basic proteins of the myelin sheath. As previously noted (Peterson and Gruener, 1978), myelin sheaths from treated nerves extensively split and unravelled along major dense lines. Small focal areas of compact myelin remained. In freeze-fracture replicas, areas of myelin with lamellar splitting contained few intramembranous particles, while membrane areas with greater than normal densities of particles were associated with the patches of compact myelin membrane. Fixation for as short a time as 15 minutes stabilized the myelin membrane enough to prevent the Triton X-100 effects, even when incubations were extended to 20 hours. Controls, both untreated and 0.5 M ammonium acetate-treated nerves, had predominantly compact myelin sheaths; their leaflets were covered with numerous intramembranous particles. The data suggest that Triton X-100 alters the compact structure of peripheral nervous system myelin. In areas where lamellae are split and separated, there is a loss of intramembranous particles. It appears that the loss of intramembranous particles is related to the removal of the basic proteins which are located in major dense line regions of compact myelin sheaths.

Protein composition of PNS myelin: developmental comparison of control and quaking mice

Protein compositions were determined for sciatic nerve myelin isolated from young and adult control and quaking (Qk) mice. Age-related changes in the relative amounts of large (Pl) and small (Pr) basic proteins were found. In control animals, the ratio Pr/Pl increased with age, a change similar to that observed for the large (Bl) and small (Bs) CNS myelin basic proteins of adult mice. Pr/Pl also increased with age in the Qk mouse sciatic nerve, but only to the point that the value in the adult Qk mouse was similar to that observed for young control animals, a situation reminiscent of the effect of the Qk mutation on CNS basic proteins. Thus, our data suggest that the Qk mutation has a similar effect on peripheral nervous system (PNS) and CNS basic proteins. Our findings are consistent with recent electrophoretic and immunochemical data showing that PNS and CNS myelin basic proteins in rodents are analogous, and they suggest that the genetic program controlling basic protein expression is common to oligodendroglia and Schwann cells.

Peripheral nervous system of shiverer mutant mice: developmental change of myelin components and immunohistochemical demonstration of the absence of MBP and presence of P2 protein

Peripheral nerves of the shiverer mouse, which are characterized by the absence of major dense lines and myelin basic proteins in CNS myelin, were analyzed. From subcellular fractionation of sciatic nerves, it was found from the SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis that the Pl and Pr proteins equivalent to myelin basic protein of CNS and PM protein were missing in the shiverer in both P2A and P3A fractions in which PNS myelin is recovered. No extra bands were observed in any other fractions of the shiverer in place of the absence of the proteins. The activities of 2',3'-cyclic nucleotide 3'-phosphohydrolase (CNPase) of P2A and P3A fractions were high, but that of the P3X fraction which floated over 0.32 M sucrose was the highest among the fractions examined in both the shiverer and the control. Developmental analysis of the protein profiles revealed that PO, Pl, Pr and PM proteins increased rapidly from the sixth day postnatally up to the twentieth day after birth in the control. No differences were observed between the shiverer and the control as for PO protein, but Pl, Pr and PM proteins were absent in the shiverer throughout the development. The CNPase activity of total homogenate of sciatic nerve fibers at birth in the control showed high activity comparable to that of the adult value, but there was no significant difference in activity between the control and the shiverer at any stage of development. Immunohistochemical reaction using peroxidase anti-peroxidase method showed that the myelin from the shiverer did not react with the MBP antiserum, while that of the control reacted positively. On the contrary, the myelin from both shiverer and the control reacted positively against P2 antibody.

Development and applications of a solid-phase radioimmunoassay for the PO protein of peripheral myelin

This is the first report of a quantitative radioimmunoassay for PO. The assay uses antigen-coated plastic microwells, with antibody binding detected by 125I-labeled protein A. Either peripheral myelin proteins or purified PO may be used as the antigen. Optimal extraction of tissue samples for PO immunoassay requires careful attention to the sodium dodecyl sulfate-to-protein ratio. Sodium dodecyl sulfate interference with antibody binding can be minimized by adding an excess of nonionic detergent and carrier protein to the incubation buffer. This method allows the detection of 0.8 ng of PO (20 ng/ml). Results from this assay showed little or no immunoreactivity in extracts of brain, centra myelin, liver, purified myelin basic proteins, cultured, purified secondary Schwann cells, or membrane preparations from these cells. PO was clearly detectable in Schwann cell cultures from 3- to 4-day-old rats at 12-18 h after dissociation (4% of the level in adult sciatic nerve) and in extracts of one-day-old rat sciatic nerve (2% of the level in adult nerve). Myelin basic protein radioimmunoassays showed that the ratio of PO to myelin basic protein is essentially constant in extracts of sciatic nerve from ne-day-old, four-day-old, and young adult rats. Another result was that PO levels are reduced in the trembler mouse sciatic nerve.

P2 protein in oligodendrocytes and myelin of the rabbit central nervous system

P2 protein, a myelin-specific protein, was detected immunocytochemically and biochemically in rabbit central nervous system (CNS) myelin. P2 protein was synthesized by rabbit oligodendrocytes and was present in varying amounts throughout the rabbit CNS. Comparison of P2 and myelin basic protein (MBP) stained sections revealed that P2 antiserum did not stain all myelin sheaths within the rabbit CNS. The proportion of myelin sheaths stained by P2 antiserum and the amount of P2 detected biochemically were greater in more caudal regions of the rabbit CNS. The highest concentration of P2 protein was found in rabbit spinal cord myelin, where P2 antiserum stained the majority of myelin sheaths. P2 protein was barely detectable biochemically in myelin isolated from frontal cortex, and in sections of frontal cortex only occasional myelin sheaths reacted with P2 antiserum. These results suggest the the regional variations in the amount of P2 protein are dut to regional differences in the number of myelin sheaths that contain P2 protein. P2 protein was detected immunocytochemically and biochemically in rabbit sciatic nerve myelin. Immunocytochemically, P2 antiserum only stained a portion of the myelin sheaths present. The myelin sheaths not reacting with P2 antiserum had small diameters and represented less than 10% of the total myelinated fibers.

Immunoblot identification of phosphorylated basic proteins of rat and rabbit CNS and PNS myelin: evidence for four phosphorylated basic proteins and P2 in rat PNS myelin

The immunoblot technique permits the visualization of proteins following their separation on acrylamide gels, transfer to cellulose nitrate sheets and subsequent staining with antiserum. We have utilized this technique to demonstrate the presence of four basic proteins in rat PNS myelin with molecular weights of 21K, 18K, 17K, and 14K. Similarly, we demonstrated the presence of two basic proteins in rabbit PNS myelin (molecular weights of 21K and 18K). Exposure of the immunostained cellulose nitrate strips to X-ray film revealed the phosphorylation of four and two basic proteins in rat and rabbit PNS myelin, respectively. These basic proteins were present in the CNS myelin of the two species and were also phosphorylated. Because of the sensitivity of the immunoblot technique, it was also possible for us to visualize the P2 protein in both rat and rabbit PNS myelin.

Basic proteins of rodent peripheral nerve myelin: immunochemical identification of the 21.5K, 18.5K, 17K, 14K, and P2 proteins

Proteins in peripheral nervous system and central nervous system myelin and homogenates of sciatic nerve and brain from young and adult mice and rats were characterized with affinity-purified anti-P2 and anti-myelin basic protein sera after electrophoretic transfer from sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels to nitrocellulose sheets. Using this method we have identified a component of rodent peripheral nervous system myelin as P2 protein. Peripheral nervous system myelin also showed the presence of four basic proteins in addition to P2 protein. These were found to be analogous to the 14, 17, 18.5, and 21.5K species found in the central nervous system myelin. A number of high-molecular-weight proteins were also detected with anti-myelin basic protein serum in peripheral nervous system, as well as central nervous system myelin. In addition, we report the presence of a high-molecular-weight P2 cross-reactive protein in rodent brain stem homogenates, but not in central nervous system myelin. Key Words: Basic proteins--PNS myelin--CNS myelin--Immunocharacterization. Greenfield S. et al. Basic proteins of rodent peripheral nerve myelin: Immunochemical identification of the 21.5K, 18.5K, 17K, 14K, and P2 proteins.