summary: Studies reveal how oligodendrocyte lineage cells transfer cellular material to neurons in the mouse brain. New understanding opens the door to the development of new treatments for a variety of neurodegenerative diseases.
sauce: University of California, Davis
Researchers at the University of California, Davis, have reported for the first time how a specific type of brain cells known as oligodendrocyte lineage cells transmit cellular material to neurons in the mouse brain. Their study provides evidence for coordinated nuclear interactions between these cells and neurons.
This research is today Journal of Experimental Medicine.
“This new concept of mass transfer to neurons opens new possibilities for understanding brain maturation and finding treatments for neurological conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, cerebral palsy, Parkinson’s disease and Huntington’s disease.” said lead author Olga Chechneva. Chechneva is an Assistant Project Scientist in the UC Davis Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine and an Independent Principal Investigator at the Institute for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine at Shriners Children’s North California.
What are oligodendrocyte lineage cells?
Oligodendrocyte-lineage cells, also called oligodendroglia, are a type of glial cell found in the central nervous system. From birth, these glial cells arise to support the maturation of neural circuits. They are primarily known for their role in myelination, the formation of an insulating myelin sheath around nerve axons.
Satellite oligodendrocytes are a unique type of oligodendrocytes that are in intimate contact with neuronal cell bodies in the gray matter of the central nervous system. They are involved in several functions, including supporting the survival of nearby neurons, regulating neurotransmitter release, and regulating synaptic activity. They have a different morphology and structure than the classical oligodendrocytes that generate myelin in white matter.
“While research has primarily focused on studying the myelinating function of oligodendrocytes, the interactions between satellite oligodendrocytes and neurons are poorly understood.
Unexpected observations enable new discoveries
Capturing glial neuron interactions began with an unexpected observation. The researchers used a special fluorescent protein to label and track oligodendroglia in the mouse brain and spinal cord. They were surprised to discover that ribosomes and nuclear reporter proteins were present not only in these cells, but also within neurons in mouse models.
“When something unexpected happens like this, we have to make sure it’s not an artifact,” says Chechneva. “It was puzzling why these proteins, which should only be found in oligodendrocytes, are also present in neurons. and transport ribosomal material to neurons.”
open borders for goods transportation
Neuron-to-neuron and glial cell-to-neuron protein and molecular mass transfer is critical for neuronal survival, function, and post-injury recovery.
So far, there have been two known methods of substance transmission in the nervous system. The first is tunneling nanotubes or gap junctions, channels that allow direct communication between cells. Another mechanism is through the release of extracellular vesicles (small structures containing proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids). These vesicles can transport various molecules that can be taken up by neighboring cells.
This study is the first to report capturing satellite oligodendrocytes that were found to be in contact with neurons that received the substance and to have the plasma membrane between them disrupted.
“We are investigating the possibility of additional new mechanisms by which a cell can transfer substances directly to another cell, particularly a satellite oligodendrocyte, to a neuron. We could clearly see that the plasma membrane (the physical boundary between cells) was open,” explained Chechneva.
Exploring transfer mechanisms for potential therapeutics against neurodegenerative diseases
This study showed that oligodendroglial-neuronal mass transmission is established during a critical period of postnatal brain maturation.
“The fact that this transmission process is established during postnatal development is of great interest,” Chechneva said. “These are critical times for brain maturation and brain circuit formation.”
The team does not yet know the regulatory mechanism of mass transfer or its duration.
“Our knowledge of this mechanism is very new and raises many questions in understanding how neurons function and their biological relevance in many neurological diseases. It’s exciting,” added Chechneva.
Researchers also found increased mass transfer to neurons during chronic neuroinflammation. They see the potential to use this finding to develop more targeted treatments for conditions caused by the accumulation of pathogenic proteins in neurons, such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. The team’s next research goal is to determine the biological function of oligodendroglial-neuronal mass transfer in development and neurodegeneration.
Florian Mayrhofer is co-corresponding author. Other authors of this study are Angela Hanson, Manuel Navedo, Yang Xiang, Athena Soulika, and Wenbin Deng.
Funding: This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) (grant grants R01HL149127, R01GM129376, R01HD087566, R01HD091325), Shriners Hospital for Children (NC-87310 and 85114-NCA), and the National Multiple Sclerosis Association (RG- 1701-26770). ).
About this neuroscience research news
author: Nadine Yehya
sauce: University of California, Davis
contact: Nadine Yehya – University of California, Davis
image: Image credit to Olga Chechneva
Original research: closed access.
“Transfer of nuclear and ribosomal material from Sox10 lineage cells to neurons in the mouse brain” Olga Chechneva et al. Journal of Experimental Medicine
overview
Transfer of nuclear and ribosomal material from Sox10 lineage cells to neurons in the mouse brain
Mass transfer is an important form of intercellular communication for exchanging information and resources between cells. Interneuronal and glia-to-neuronal mass transfer has been demonstrated to support neuronal survival and activity. Our understanding of the extent of mass transfer in healthy nervous systems is limited.
Here we report that in the mouse central nervous system (CNS), neurons receive nuclear and ribosomal material from Sox10 lineage cells (SOL). We show that the transmission of Her SOL-derived substances to neurons is region-dependent, established during postnatal brain maturation, and dynamically responsive to Her LPS-induced neuroinflammation in the adult mouse brain. We identified pairs of satellite oligodendrocytes and neurons in which internuclear plasma membrane integrity was lost. This suggests direct mass transfer.
Together, our findings provide evidence for a locally coordinated transfer of SOL-derived nuclear and ribosomal material to neurons in the mouse CNS, and have implications for understanding and modulating neuronal function, and treating neuropathy. have potential implications.
