The Na, K-ATPase alpha3-isoform specifically localizes in the Schmidt-Lanterman incisures of human nerve.
BACKGROUND
To our knowledge, there is little reference in literature with regards to alpha3-isoform of Na+,K+-ATPase in human peripheral nerves. The aim of this study was to determine the expression of the neuronal alpha3-isoform of Na+,K+-ATPase in human sural nerves from patients with a permanent medullary central nervous system injury.


METHODS
We studied the immunolocalization of alpha3-isoform of Na+,K+-ATPase using a polyclonal antibody against the amino sequence near the phosphorylation site of the alpha3-isoforms of Na+,K+-ATPase using immunohistochemistry and confocal laser scanning microscopy. An antibody specific for alpha2-isoform of Na+,K+-ATPase was used to label the Schwann cells.


RESULTS
Morphometric analysis of longitudinal section of human sural nerves showed that the alpha3-isoform of Na+,K+-ATPase was distributed along the length of axolemma. The myelin sheath of the Schwann cells showed clearly a distribution of alpha3- but not alpha2-isoforms of Na+,K+-ATPase at the level of Schmidt-Lanterman incisures.


CONCLUSIONS
The human sural nerve shows a specific localization of the Na+,K+-ATPase alpha3-isoform in the Schmidt-Lanterman incisures of Schwann cells in addition to its localization in axonal membranes.
Rigoard
P
P
Inserm U927, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Poitiers France.
Tartarin
F
F
Buffenoir
K
K
Chaillou
M
M
Fares
M
M
D'Houtaud
S
S
Wager
M
M
Giot
J P
JP
Quellard
N
N
Fernandez
B
B
Lapierre
F
F
Maixent
J M
JM
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D006801:Humans; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009186:Myelin Sheath / Q000201:enzymology; D011487:Protein Conformation; D012583:Schwann Cells / Q000201:enzymology*; D000254:Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase / Q000032:analysis*; D013497:Sural Nerve / Q000201:enzymology*
C488756:ATP1A3 protein, human; D000254:Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase