title: Brain lipid binding protein in axon-Schwann cell interactions and peripheral nerve tumorigenesis.
abstract: Loss of axonal contact characterizes Schwann cells in benign and malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNST) from neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) patients. Tumor Schwann cells demonstrate NF1 mutations, elevated Ras activity, and aberrant epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expression. Using cDNA microarrays, we found that brain lipid binding protein (BLBP) is elevated in an EGFR-positive subpopulation of Nf1 mutant mouse Schwann cells (Nf1(-/-) TXF) that grows away from axons; BLBP expression was not affected by farnesyltransferase inhibitor, an inhibitor of H-Ras. BLBP was also detected in EGFR-positive cell lines derived from Nf1:p53 double mutant mice and human MPNST. BLBP expression was induced in normal Schwann cells following transfection with EGFR but not H-Ras12V. Furthermore, EGFR-mediated BLBP expression was not inhibited by dominant-negative H-Ras, indicating that BLBP expression is downstream of Ras-independent EGFR signaling. BLBP-blocking antibodies enabled process outgrowth from Nf1(-/-) TXF cells and restored interaction with axons, without affecting cell proliferation or migration. Following injury, BLBP expression was induced in normal sciatic nerves when nonmyelinating Schwann cells remodeled their processes. These data suggest that BLBP, stimulated by Ras-independent pathways, regulates Schwann cell-axon interactions in normal peripheral nerve and peripheral nerve tumors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, 231 Bethesda Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45267-0521, USA.
authors.forename: Shyra J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Hongzhen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Tilat A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Rizvi
authors.forename: Yuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Gunnar
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Johansson
authors.forename: Jason
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bowersock
authors.forename: Amer
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sidani
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vitullo
authors.forename: Kristine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vogel
authors.forename: Linda M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Parysek
authors.forename: Jeffrey E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: DeClue
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ratner
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000378:metabolism*; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D002465:Cell Movement; D002478:Cells, Cultured / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000378:metabolism; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000071438:Fatty Acid-Binding Protein 7; D050556:Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D005799:Genes, Dominant; D016514:Genes, Neurofibromatosis 1; D011905:Genes, ras; D006801:Humans; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D009409:Nerve Crush; D009416:Nerve Regeneration; D018317:Nerve Sheath Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D009432:Neural Crest / Q000166:cytology; D025542:Neurofibromin 1 / Q000502:physiology; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D012583:Schwann Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000293:injuries; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; C107608:FABP7 protein, human; C086936:Fabp7 protein, mouse; D000071438:Fatty Acid-Binding Protein 7; D050556:Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D025542:Neurofibromin 1; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; D066246:ErbB Receptors