title: Oncomodulin is a macrophage-derived signal for axon regeneration in retinal ganglion cells.
abstract: The optic nerve, like most mature CNS pathways, does not regenerate after injury. Through unknown mechanisms, however, macrophage activation in the eye stimulates retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) to regenerate long axons beyond the site of optic nerve injury. Here we identify the calcium (Ca(2+))-binding protein oncomodulin as a potent macrophage-derived growth factor for RGCs and other neurons. Oncomodulin binds to rat RGCs with high affinity in a cyclic AMP (cAMP)-dependent manner and stimulates more extensive outgrowth than other known trophic agents. Depletion of oncomodulin from macrophage-conditioned media (MCM) eliminates the axon-promoting activity of MCM. The effects of oncomodulin involve downstream signaling via Ca(2+)/calmodulin kinase and gene transcription. In vivo, oncomodulin released from microspheres promotes regeneration in the mature rat optic nerve. Oncomodulin also stimulates outgrowth from peripheral sensory neurons. Thus, oncomodulin is a new growth factor for neurons of the mature central and peripheral nervous systems.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery and Neurobiology Program, Children's Hospital, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.
authors.forename: Yuqin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.forename: Michael T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Henzl
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lorber
authors.forename: Toru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakazawa
authors.forename: Tommy T
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Fan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Langer
authors.forename: Larry I
authors.initials: LI
authors.lastname: Benowitz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D020013:Calcium Signaling / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D054729:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Type 1; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned / Q000494:pharmacology; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000378:metabolism; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D020439:Growth Cones / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000378:metabolism; D008264:Macrophages / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009900:Optic Nerve / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012165:Retinal Ganglion Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D015533:Transcriptional Activation / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned; D006133:Growth Substances; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; C034733:oncomodulin; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D054729:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Type 1; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases; C517599:Camk1 protein, rat; C517682:Pnck protein, rat; D002118:Calcium