Genetic manipulation of blood group carbohydrates alters development and pathfinding of primary sensory axons of the olfactory systems.
Primary sensory neurons in the vertebrate olfactory systems are characterised by the differential expression of distinct cell surface carbohydrates. We show here that the histo-blood group H carbohydrate is expressed by primary sensory neurons in both the main and accessory olfactory systems while the blood group A carbohydrate is expressed by a subset of vomeronasal neurons in the developing accessory olfactory system. We have used both loss-of-function and gain-of-function approaches to manipulate expression of these carbohydrates in the olfactory system. In null mutant mice lacking the alpha(1,2)fucosyltransferase FUT1, the absence of blood group H carbohydrate resulted in the delayed maturation of the glomerular layer of the main olfactory bulb. In addition, ubiquitous expression of blood group A on olfactory axons in gain-of-function transgenic mice caused mis-routing of axons in the glomerular layer of the main olfactory bulb and led to exuberant growth of vomeronasal axons in the accessory olfactory bulb. These results provide in vivo evidence for a role of specific cell surface carbohydrates during development of the olfactory nerve pathways.
St John
James A
JA
Brain Growth and Regeneration Laboratory, School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane 4072, Queensland, Australia.
Claxton
Christina
C
Robinson
Mark W
MW
Yamamoto
Fumiichiro
F
Domino
Steven E
SE
Key
Brian
B
D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000502:physiology*; D001789:Blood Group Antigens / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D002241:Carbohydrates / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D005647:Fucosyltransferases / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D008954:Models, Biological; D009830:Olfactory Bulb / Q000196:embryology*; D009833:Olfactory Pathways / Q000196:embryology*; D014312:Trisaccharides / Q000378:metabolism; D000097631:Galactoside 2-alpha-L-fucosyltransferase
D001789:Blood Group Antigens; D002241:Carbohydrates; D005647:Fucosyltransferases; D014312:Trisaccharides; D000097631:Galactoside 2-alpha-L-fucosyltransferase; C494566:fucopyranosyl-1-2-(fucopyranosyl-1-4)galactopyranose