Antiserum-induced growth of axons across lesions of the adult rat brain

Vaccination stimulates retinal ganglion cell regeneration in the adult optic nerve

We examined whether vaccination of adult rats with spinal cord homogenate (SCH) can promote regeneration of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) after microcrush lesion of the optic nerve. Injured animals vaccinated with SCH showed axon growth into the optic nerve and such regeneration was not observed in animals vaccinated with liver homogenate (LH). Regeneration was not a consequence of neuroprotection since our vaccine did not protect RGCs from axotomy-induced cell death. Sera of vaccinated animals were tested for antibodies against myelin-associated glycoprotein, NogoA, Nogo-66 receptor, or chondroitin sulphate proteoglycans (CSPG), but no significant levels were detected. Antibodies to myelin basic protein were present in the serum of some SCH-vaccinated animals. In culture, serum from SCH-vaccinated animals promoted RGC growth on myelin but not on CSPG. Our results show that the effect of the pro-regenerative vaccine is mediated by antibodies to SCH. However, we were not able to detect a significant immune reaction to growth inhibitory proteins, suggesting alternative mechanisms for the success of vaccination to promote regeneration.

A novel approach to identify proteins associated with the inhibition of neurite growth

In the present study, a novel combination of techniques was used to identify the genes that may be involved in the lack of axonal regeneration in the mammalian adult central nervous system (CNS). The key features of this approach are: (1) a functional assay that can be affected by antibody perturbation; (2) increased specificity of the polyclonal antiserum by adsorption; (3) the expression cloning of the genes from a lambdagt11 library; (4) amplification of the insert cDNA by PCR; and (5) the direct cycle sequencing of PCR products. In this culture assay system, neurons were plated directly on sections of the rat CNS. This assay system could be used to demonstrate the lack of neuronal attachment to or neurite extension over myelinated regions of the CNS (white matter). This prohibitive nature of the CNS sections could be masked by a rabbit polyclonal antiserum directed against rat CNS white matter. This data indicates that the anti-white matter antiserum recognizes and neutralizes inhibitory molecules on the surface of the sections. Making the assumption that the prohibitive antigen is associated with the cell membrane, the antiserum was adsorbed against a soluble protein fraction of the adult rat brain. This adsorption significantly increased the specificity of the antiserum as demonstrated by immunoblot methods. The adsorbed antiserum was then used to screen the cDNA library of the adult rat brain. The present report describes this novel combination of techniques allowing one to go from a functional tissue culture assay system to defining the molecular basis for the cellular interactions.

Astrocyte growth, reactivity, and the target of the antiproliferative antibody, TAPA

Reactive astrocytes form a scar after injury to the CNS that many investigators believe contributes to the lack of functional regeneration. In the present study, we identify an astrocytic membrane protein that appears to play an important role in reactive gliosis and scar formation. Cultures of rat astrocytes were used as a model system to produce and to screen monoclonal antibodies that would alter cell growth. One antibody, AMP1, was identified that depresses the mitotic activity of cultured glial cells and alters their morphology. Expression cloning reveals that the antigen on the external surface of the cultured glial cells has a high degree of homology with the human lymphocyte protein called Target of the Anti-Proliferative Antibody (TAPA-1; this rat protein will be referred to as rTAPA). rTAPA is a member of the tetramembrane-spanning superfamily of proteins and, as with other members of this family of proteins, rTAPA is associated with the regulation of cellular interactions and mitotic activity. After an injury to the cerebral cortex, there is a dramatic increase in AMP1 immunoreactivity that is spatially restricted to the reactive astrocytes at the glial scar. This change represents an upregulation of a membrane protein, rTAPA, that is approximately equal to the increase observed for glial fibrillary acidic protein. The high levels of rTAPA at the site of CNS injury and the AMP1 antibody perturbation studies indicate that rTAPA may play a prominent role in the response of astrocytes to injury and in glial scar formation.

Transfecting neurons and glia in the rat using pH-sensitive immunoliposomes

Immunoliposomes were constructed using antibody 5-113 (directed to an antigen on the external surface rat glial cells), the antibody Thy 1.1, and a non-immune antibody. The antibodies were conjugated to N-gluytaryl-phosphatidylethanolamine. Liposomes were constructed with these conjugated antibodies, other lipids and a beta-galactosidase plasmid under the control of the cytomegalovirus promoter. When immunoliposomes decorated with one of three different antibodies were injected into the brain or spinal cord of adult rats, the X-gal reaction product was observed in neurons, astrocytes and vascular elements. There was an increase in neuronal labeling when animals were injected with Thy 1.1 conjugated liposomes and there was an increase in glial labeling in animals injected with 5-113 liposomes. In spinal cords, the immunoliposomes appear to penetrate a substantial distance, transfecting neurons several centimeters from the site of delivery. These data suggest that immunoliposomes may provide an effective transfection system for gene delivery in the CNS.

Changing interactions between astrocytes and neurons during CNS maturation

The environments of the developing brain and injured adult brain differ in their abilities to support axonal growth. To determine if astrocytes contribute to this difference, neurons were plated onto astrocytes cultured from the neonatal rat cortex and from the injured adult brain. Two patterns of neurite growth were observed in these two astrocyte culture systems. Neurons contacting the neonatal astrocytes had neurites that were twice as long as those contacting the injured adult astrocytes. Furthermore, in cultures with neonatal astrocytes, neurites faithfully followed the astrocytic processes, maximizing their contact, while in cultures of injured adult astrocytes, the neurites had a tendency to cross the processes orthogonally, minimizing their interaction with the astrocytes. When neurons were grown suspended over either neonatal or injured adult astrocytes, no difference in neurite length or the pattern of neurite growth was observed, indicating that neurite growth was not differentially affected by soluble factors released from the two populations of astrocytes. The addition of fetal calf serum, which is known to contain protease inhibitors, did not alter neurite growth when compared to serum-free medium, suggesting that a substantial difference in protease activity does not account for the variations in neurite length observed. Based on these results, it appears that the molecular components of the external surface of injured adult astrocytes do not support neurite growth to the same extent as those found on neonatal astrocytes. The differing abilities of these two populations of cultured astrocytes to support neurite growth in culture may reflect a change in the functional role of these cells that occurs during the development of the central nervous system.

Expression of microtubule-associated protein 2 by reactive astrocytes

After an injury to the central nervous system, a dramatic change in the astrocytes bordering the wound occurs. The most characteristic feature of this process, termed reactive gliosis, is the upregulation of the intermediate filament protein, glial fibrillary acidic protein. In the present study, we show that reactive astrocytes express high levels of microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP-2), a protein normally found in the somatodendritic compartment of neurons. When sections of injured brain are double-stained with antibodies directed against MAP-2 and glial fibrillary protein, all of the reactive astrocytes are found to contain MAP-2. The high levels of this protein appear to represent a permanent change in reactive astrocytes. In parallel quantitative studies, an elevated level of MAP-2 in the injured brain is confirmed by an immunoblot analysis of injured and normal white matter. This report demonstrates the direct involvement of a microtubule protein in the process of reactive gliosis.

The neuronal response to injury as visualized by immunostaining of class III beta-tubulin in the rat

The neuronal response to trauma of the brain and spinal cord was examined by staining sections of injured central nervous system (CNS) with a monoclonal antibody (TuJ1) that recognizes class III beta-tubulin exclusively. Because class III beta-tubulin is expressed by neurons and not by glia, this monoclonal antibody stains neuronal cell bodies, dendrites, axons and axonal terminations darkly with a pale staining background. Thus, the TuJ1 antibody is extremely useful, revealing the fine details of axons and their terminations, as well as significant injury-related alterations in the composition of the somatic cytoskeleton.