HoloTransferrin but not ApoTransferrin prevents Schwann cell de-differentiation in culture.
Schwann cells (SCs) in culture, without the presence of axons, become de-differentiated, reaching a condition similar to that of their precursor cells. The cytoplasmic accumulation of transferrin (Tf) in the myelinated peripheral nerve has been reported and data in the literature support a role for apoTf in myelination in the CNS. In the present report, we used SC cultures to evaluate the capacity of apoTf and holoTf to prevent cell de-differentiation promoted by fetal calf serum deprivation. SCs incubated in a serum-free medium showed a decrease in the expression of myelin basic protein (MBP) and P(0), markers of mature myelin-forming SCs, together with an increase in the levels of p75NTR and glial fibrillary acidic protein, markers of immature SCs. Treatment with holoTf prevented the decrease in expression of MBP and P(0) and the increase in p75NTR. ApoTf was unable to prevent these changes except when iron was added to the cultures. These results suggest a role for holoTf in the regulation of myelin formation by SCs.
Salis
C
C
Departamento de Química Biológica, Instituto de Química y Fisicoquímica Biológica, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Universidad de Buenos Aires-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Goedelmann
C J
CJ
Pasquini
J M
JM
Soto
E F
EF
Setton-Avruj
C P
CP
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003470:Culture Media; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007501:Iron / Q000494:pharmacology; D004676:Myelin Basic Protein / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D018993:Myelin P0 Protein / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D020800:Receptor, Nerve Growth Factor; D017475:Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D012583:Schwann Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D014168:Transferrin / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*
D003470:Culture Media; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D004676:Myelin Basic Protein; D018993:Myelin P0 Protein; D020800:Receptor, Nerve Growth Factor; D017475:Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor; D014168:Transferrin; D007501:Iron