title: Differential expression of apoptotic markers in jimpy and in Plp overexpressors: evidence for different apoptotic pathways.
abstract: Point mutations and duplications of proteolipid protein (PLP) gene in mammals cause dysmyelination and oligodendrocyte cell death. The jimpy mouse, which has a lethal Plp point mutation, is the best characterized of the mutants; transgenic mice, which have additional copies of Plp gene, are less characterized. While oligodendrocyte death is a prominent feature in jimpy, the pathways leading to death have not been investigated in jimpy and Plp overexpressors. Using immunohistochemistry and immunobloting, we examined expression of cleaved caspase-3, Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), caspase-12, and mitochondrial apoptotic markers in spinal cord in jimpy males and Plp overexpressors. Compared to controls, cleaved caspase-3 is increased 10x in jimpy white matter spinal cord, and 3x in Plp overexpressor. In jimpy, the number of cleaved caspase-3 cells far exceeds the number of TUNEL(+) cells. The majority of cleaved caspase-3(+) cells were not TUNEL(+) and these cells exhibited staining in perikarya and in processes. Only 30% of the cleaved caspase-3(+) cells were TUNEL(+) and exhibited both nuclear and perinuclear staining. This observation suggests that activation of caspase-3 begins earlier and overlaps for a period of time with DNA fragmentation. In both Plp mutants, quantitative immunobloting of PARP showed a 45% increase in total as well as cleaved form, indicating that oligodendrocytes die via apoptosis. Most interestingly, cleavage of caspase-12, a caspase associated with unfolded protein response, is dramatically increased in jimpy but not at all in Plp overexpressors. Mitochondrial markers cytochrome c and Bcl-X(L) are upregulated in both Plp mutants but levels of expression are different between mutants, suggesting that apoptosis in these two Plp mutants follows different pathways. In jimpy, mitochondrial apoptotic markers may play a role in amplifying the apoptotic signal. Our data shows for the first time, in vivo, that mutations in Plp gene increase oligodendrocyte death by activating the caspase cascade but the trigger to upregulate this cascade follows different pathways.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cerghet
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Bessert
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Nave
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Skoff
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics*; D015415:Biomarkers; D053454:Caspase 12; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism; D003574:Cytochrome c Group / Q000378:metabolism; D004721:Endoplasmic Reticulum / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology; D020279:Hereditary Central Nervous System Demyelinating Diseases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008816:Mice, Jimpy; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D018991:Myelin Proteolipid Protein / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics*; D009836:Oligodendroglia / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D000071137:Poly (ADP-Ribose) Polymerase-1; D011065:Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D013118:Spinal Cord Diseases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D051020:bcl-X Protein
chemical_list: C494812:Bcl2l1 protein, mouse; D015415:Biomarkers; D003574:Cytochrome c Group; D018991:Myelin Proteolipid Protein; D011506:Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D051020:bcl-X Protein; C499321:Parp1 protein, mouse; D000071137:Poly (ADP-Ribose) Polymerase-1; D011065:Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases; C506440:Casp12 protein, mouse; C505409:Casp3 protein, mouse; D053454:Caspase 12; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases