title: Axon behaviour at Schwann cell - astrocyte boundaries: manipulation of axon signalling pathways and the neural adhesion molecule L1 can enable axons to cross.
abstract: Axon regeneration in vivo is blocked at boundaries between Schwann cells and astrocytes, such as occur at the dorsal root entry zone and around peripheral nerve or Schwann cell grafts. We have created a tissue culture model of these boundaries in Schwann cell - astrocyte monolayer co-cultures. Axon behaviour resembles that in vivo, with axons showing a strong preference for Schwann cells over astrocytes. At boundaries between the two cell types, axons growing on astrocytes cross readily onto Schwann cells, but only 15% of axons growing on Schwann cells are able to cross onto astrocytes. Treatment with chondroitinase or chlorate to reduce inhibition by proteoglycans did not change this behaviour. The neural adhesion molecule L1 is present on Schwann cells and not astrocytes, and manipulation of L1 by application of an antibody, L1-Fc in solution, or adenoviral transduction of L1 into astrocytes increased the proportion of axons able to cross onto astrocytes to 40-50%. Elevating cAMP levels increased crossing from Schwann cells onto astrocytes in live and fixed cultures, and had a co-operative effect with NT-3 but not with NGF. Inactivation of Rho with a cell-permeant form of C3 exoenzyme also increased crossing from Schwann cells to astrocytes. Our experiments indicate that the preference of axons for Schwann cells is largely mediated by the presence of L1 on Schwann cells but not astrocytes, and that manipulation of growth cone signalling pathways can allow axons to disregard boundaries between the two cell types.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Brain Repair and Department of Physiology, University of Cambridge, Robinson Way, Cambridge CB2 2PY, UK.
authors.forename: Kathryn H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Adcock
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: Morven C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Shearer
authors.forename: Derryck
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Shewan
authors.forename: Melitta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schachner
authors.forename: George M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Herbert M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Geller
authors.forename: James W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Fawcett
mesh_terms: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D000906:Antibodies / Q000494:pharmacology; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D001369:Axons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D015153:Blotting, Western / Q000379:methods; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000166:cytology; D002704:Chlorates / Q000494:pharmacology; D019765:Chondroitin ABC Lyase / Q000494:pharmacology; D011508:Chondroitin Sulfate Proteoglycans / Q000378:metabolism; D018920:Coculture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D005576:Colforsin / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D019922:GAP-43 Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000166:cytology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D008954:Models, Biological; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D039842:Neural Cell Adhesion Molecule L1 / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D058580:Neurocan; D016900:Neurofilament Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D012583:Schwann Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000166:cytology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects*; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors; D014162:Transfection / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D000906:Antibodies; D002704:Chlorates; D011508:Chondroitin Sulfate Proteoglycans; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D019922:GAP-43 Protein; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D039842:Neural Cell Adhesion Molecule L1; D058580:Neurocan; D016900:Neurofilament Proteins; C504649:PSIP1 protein, human; C504651:Psip1 protein, rat; D015534:Trans-Activators; D014157:Transcription Factors; C076817:NCAN protein, human; D005576:Colforsin; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D019765:Chondroitin ABC Lyase