title: Gangliosides are functional nerve cell ligands for myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG), an inhibitor of nerve regeneration.
abstract: Myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG) binds to the nerve cell surface and inhibits nerve regeneration. The nerve cell surface ligand(s) for MAG are not established, although sialic acid-bearing glycans have been implicated. We identify the nerve cell surface gangliosides GD1a and GT1b as specific functional ligands for MAG-mediated inhibition of neurite outgrowth from primary rat cerebellar granule neurons. MAG-mediated neurite outgrowth inhibition is attenuated by (i) neuraminidase treatment of the neurons; (ii) blocking neuronal ganglioside biosynthesis; (iii) genetically modifying the terminal structures of nerve cell surface gangliosides; and (iv) adding highly specific IgG-class antiganglioside mAbs. Furthermore, neurite outgrowth inhibition is mimicked by highly multivalent clustering of GD1a or GT1b by using precomplexed antiganglioside Abs. These data implicate the nerve cell surface gangliosides GD1a and GT1b as functional MAG ligands and suggest that the first step in MAG inhibition is multivalent ganglioside clustering.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
authors.forename: Alka A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Vyas
authors.forename: Himatkumar V
authors.initials: HV
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: Susan E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Fromholt
authors.forename: Marija
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Heffer-Lauc
authors.forename: Kavita A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Vyas
authors.forename: Jiyoung
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dang
authors.forename: Melitta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schachner
authors.forename: Ronald L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Schnaar
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000494:pharmacology; D016466:CHO Cells; D006224:Cricetinae; D005732:Gangliosides / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D006028:Glycosphingolipids / Q000378:metabolism; D008024:Ligands; D018992:Myelin-Associated Glycoprotein / Q000502:physiology*; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D016501:Neurites / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D005732:Gangliosides; D006028:Glycosphingolipids; D008024:Ligands; D018992:Myelin-Associated Glycoprotein