GDE3 regulates oligodendrocyte precursor proliferation via release of soluble CNTFRα

Oligodendrocyte development is tightly controlled by extrinsic signals; however, mechanisms that modulate cellular responses to these factors remain unclear. Six-transmembrane glycerophosphodiester phosphodiesterases (GDEs) are emerging as central regulators of cellular differentiation via their ability to shed glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored proteins from the cell surface. We show here that GDE3 controls the pace of oligodendrocyte generation by negatively regulating oligodendrocyte precursor cell (OPC) proliferation. GDE3 inhibits OPC proliferation by stimulating ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF)-mediated signaling through release of CNTFRα, the ligand-binding component of the CNTF-receptor multiprotein complex, which can function as a soluble factor to activate CNTF signaling. GDE3 releases soluble CNTFRα by GPI-anchor cleavage from the plasma membrane and from extracellular vesicles (EVs) after co-recruitment of CNTFRα in EVs. These studies uncover new physiological roles for GDE3 in gliogenesis and identify GDE3 as a key regulator of CNTF-dependent regulation of OPC proliferation through release of CNTFRα.

The effects of developmental and current niches on oligodendrocyte precursor dynamics and fate

Oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs), whose primary function is to generate myelinating oligodendrocytes, are distributed widely throughout the developing and mature central nervous system. They originate from several defined subdomains in the embryonic germinal zones at different developmental stages and in the adult. While many phenotypic differences have been observed among OPCs in different anatomical regions and among those arising from different germinal zones, we know relatively little about the molecular and cellular mechanisms by which the historical and current niches shape the behavior of oligodendrocyte lineage cells. This minireview will discuss how the behavior of oligodendrocyte lineage cells is influenced by the developmental niches from which subpopulations of OPCs emerge, by the current niches surrounding OPCs in different regions, and in pathological states that cause deviations from the normal density of oligodendrocyte lineage cells and myelin.

Ceramide and S1P Signaling in Embryonic Stem Cell Differentiation

Bioactive sphingolipids are important regulators for stem cell survival and differentiation. Most recently, we have coined the term "morphogenetic lipids" for sphingolipids that regulate stem cells during embryonic and postnatal development. The sphingolipid ceramide and its derivative, sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), can act synergistically as well as antagonistically on embryonic stem (ES) cell differentiation. We show here simple as well as state-of-the-art methods to analyze sphingolipids in differentiating ES cells and discuss new protocols to use ceramide and S1P analogs for the guided differentiation of mouse ES cells toward neuronal and glial lineage.

Organotypic Slice Cultures to Study Oligodendrocyte Proliferation, Fate, and Myelination

Oligodendrocyte development and myelination are processes in the central nervous system that are regulated by cell intrinsic and extrinsic mechanisms. Organotypic slice cultures provide a simple method for studying factors that affect oligodendrocyte proliferation, differentiation, and myelination in the context of the local cellular environment. Here we show that major glial cell types and neurons are preserved in slice cultures from postnatal mouse forebrain, and their morphological characteristics are retained. We further demonstrate that cellular processes requiring interactions with neighboring cells such as myelination can proceed in slice culture.

The Role of the Oligodendrocyte Lineage in Acute Brain Trauma

An acute brain injury is commonly characterized by an extended cellular damage. The post-injury process of scar formation is largely determined by responses of various local glial cells and blood-derived immune cells. The role of astrocytes and microglia have been frequently reviewed in the traumatic sequelae. Here, we summarize the diverse contributions of oligodendrocytes (OLs) and their precursor cells (OPCs) in acute injuries. OLs at the lesion site are highly sensitive to a damaging insult, provoked by Ca²⁺ overload after hyperexcitation originating from increased levels of transmitters. At the lesion site, differentiating OPCs can replace injured oligodendrocytes to guarantee proper myelination that is instrumental for healthy brain function. In contrast to finally differentiated and non-dividing OLs, OPCs are the most proliferative cells of the brain and their proliferation rate even increases after injury. There exist even evidence that OPCs might also generate some type of astrocyte beside OLs. Thereby, OPCs can contribute to the generation and maintenance of the glial scar. In the future, detailed knowledge of the molecular cues that help to prevent injury-evoked glial cell death and that control differentiation and myelination of the oligodendroglial lineage will be pivotal in developing novel therapeutic approaches.

Acute treatment with valproic acid and l-thyroxine ameliorates clinical signs of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis and prevents brain pathology in DA rats

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common chronic inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS) in young adults. Chronic treatments with histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACis) have been reported to ameliorate experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), a rodent model of MS, by targeting immune responses. We have recently shown that the HDAC inhibition/knockdown in the presence of thyroid hormone (T3) can also promote oligodendrocyte (OL) differentiation and expression of myelin genes in neural stem cells (NSCs) and oligodendrocyte precursors (OPCs). In this study, we found that treatment with an HDACi, valproic acid (VPA), and T3, alone or in combination, directly affects encephalitogenic CD4+ T cells. VPA, but not T3, compromised their proliferation, while both molecules reduced the frequency of IL-17-producing cells. Transfer of T3, VPA and VPA/T3 treated encephalitogenic CD4+ T cells into naïve rats induced less severe EAE, indicating that the effects of these molecules are persistent and do not require their maintenance after the initial stimuli. Thus, we investigated the effect of acute treatment with VPA and l-thyroxine (T4), a precursor of T3, on myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein-induced EAE in Dark Agouti rats, a close mimic of MS. We found that a brief treatment after disease onset led to sustained amelioration of EAE and prevention of inflammatory demyelination in the CNS accompanied with a higher expression of myelin-related genes in the brain. Furthermore, the treatment modulated immune responses, reduced the number of CD4+ T cells and affected the Th1 differentiation program in the brain. Our data indicate that an acute treatment with VPA and T4 after the onset of EAE can produce persistent clinically relevant therapeutic effects by limiting the pathogenic immune reactions while promoting myelin gene expression.

A phenotypic culture system for the molecular analysis of CNS myelination in the spinal cord

Studies of central nervous system myelination lack defined in vitro models which would effectively dissect molecular mechanisms of myelination that contain cells of the correct phenotype. Here we describe a co-culture of purified motoneurons and oligodendrocyte progenitor cells, isolated from rat embryonic spinal cord using a combination of immunopanning techniques. This model illustrates differentiation of oligodendrocyte progenitors into fully functional mature oligodendrocytes that myelinate axons. It also illustrates a contribution of axons to the rate of oligodendrocyte maturation and myelin gene expression. The defined conditions used allow molecular analysis of distinct stages of myelination and precise manipulation of inductive cues affecting axonal-oligodendrocyte interactions. This phenotypic in vitro myelination model can provide valuable insight into our understanding of demyelinating disorders, such as multiple sclerosis and traumatic diseases such as spinal cord injury where demyelination represents a contributing factor to the pathology of the disorder.

Effects of hypothermia on oligodendrocyte precursor cell proliferation, differentiation and maturation following hypoxia ischemia in vivo and in vitro

Hypoxic-ischemia (HI) not only causes gray matter injury but also white matter injury, leading to severe neurological deficits and mortality, and only limited therapies exist. The white matter of animal models and human patients with HI-induced brain injury contains increased oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs). However, little OPC can survive and mature to repair the injured white matter. Here, we test the effects of mild hypothermia on OPC proliferation, differentiation and maturation. Animals suffered to left carotid artery ligation followed by 8% oxygen for 2h in 7-day-old rats. They were divided into a hypothermic group (rectal temperature 32-33 °C for 48 h) and a normothermic group (36-37 °C for 48 h), then animals were sacrificed at 3, 7, 14 and 42 days after HI surgery. Our results showed that hypothermia successfully enhanced early OL progenitors (NG2(+)) and its proliferation in the corpus callosum (CC) after HI. Late OL progenitor (O4(+)) accumulation decreased accompanied with increased OL maturation which is detected by myelin basic protein (MBP) and proteolipid protein. (PLP) immunostaining and immunoblotting in hypothermia compared to normothermia. Additionally, using an in vitro hypoxic-ischemia model-oxygen glucose deprivation (OGD), we demonstrated that hypothermia decreased preOL accumulation and promoted OPC differentiation and maturation. Further data indicated that OPC death was significantly suppressed by hypothermia in vitro. The myelinated axons and animal behavior both markedly increased in hypothermic- compared to normothermic-animals after HI. In summary, these data suggest that hypothermia has the effects to protect OPC and to promote OL maturation and myelin repair in hypoxic-ischemic events in the neonatal rat brain. This study proposed new aspects that may contribute to elucidate the mechanism of hypothermic neuroprotection for white matter injury in neonatal rat brain injury.