A comparison of intraventricular and intraparenchymal cerebellar allografts in rat brain: evidence for normal phosphorylation of neurofilaments.
Allografts of embryonic (E14-E15) rat cerebellum in adult brain were compared using the intraparenchymal and intraventricular transplantation techniques. We studied the expression and distribution of phosphorylated neurofilament (PNF) epitopes, nonphosphorylated neurofilament (nPNF) epitopes, synapse-associated antigens, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and myelin basic protein (MBP). Both intraventricular and intraparenchymal grafts developed a clear trilaminar organization. Intraparenchymal grafts were much smaller and showed a large GFAP-positive glial scar and demyelination of host tissue. Nevertheless, myelinated fibers were present more often crossing the host-transplant border in intraparenchymal grafts. PNF and nPNF epitopes were present in both types of grafts. Staining patterns characteristic of normal rat cerebellum were seen. nPNF epitopes were present in Purkinje cell bodies and dendrites and PNF epitopes in basket cell axons surrounding Purkinje neurons. The appearance and distribution of PNF epitopes resembled that seen in normal postnatal cerebellar development and both PNF and nPNF epitopes were present at the same times in early development in both intraventricular and intraparenchymal grafts. In contrast to the situation in trauma and disease, PNF epitopes never appeared in perikarya of transplanted cerebellar neurons. The expression of synapse-associated antigens in grafted tissue was also similar to that seen in normal cerebellum.
Poltorak
M
M
Preclinical Neurosciences Section, National Institute of Mental Health, Saint Elizabeths Hospital, Washington, DC 20032.
Freed
W J
WJ
Sternberger
L A
LA
Sternberger
N H
NH
D000818:Animals; D000941:Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000196:embryology / Q000637:transplantation*; D002552:Cerebral Ventricles / Q000502:physiology; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000378:metabolism*; D000939:Epitopes; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007382:Intermediate Filaments / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D004676:Myelin Basic Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D010766:Phosphorylation; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012016:Reference Values; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D013569:Synapses / Q000276:immunology; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
D000941:Antigens; D000939:Epitopes; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D004676:Myelin Basic Protein