Neonatal and adult O4(+) oligodendrocyte lineage cells display different growth factor responses and different gene expression patterns.
Oligodendrocytes are the myelinating cells of the central nervous system. Although the CNS possesses the ability to repair demyelinating insults, in certain cases, such as the chronic lesions found in multiple sclerosis, remyelination fails. Cycling cells capable of becoming oligodendrocytes have been identified in both the developing and the adult mammalian forebrain. Many studies have focused on differences in gene expression profiles as oligodendrocyte progenitors differentiate into myelinating oligodendrocytes by isolating cells at different developmental stages from animals at a single age. However, few have studied the differences that exist between the progenitors of the neonatal CNS and those of the adult CNS. This study examined the response of neonatal and adult O4(+) cells to platelet-derived growth factor-AA, basic fibroblast growth factor, and insulin-like growth factor-1 and revealed marked differences. Whereas adult cells readily differentiated in vitro, the majority of neonatal progenitors remained immature. Microarray analysis was used to examine differences between acutely isolated neonatal and adult progenitors further. Gene expression profiles showed that the adult O4(+) cells are more developmentally mature than neonatal cells. Neonatal cells expressed higher levels of genes involved in proliferation. Adult O4(+) cells expressed higher levels of transcripts for genes involved in cell death and survival. Therefore, O4(+) cells from the adult differ greatly from those of the neonate, and the developmental stage of the animal models utilized must be taken into consideration when applying principles from neonatal systems to the adult.
Lin
Grace
G
Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA.
Mela
Angeliki
A
Guilfoyle
Eileen M
EM
Goldman
James E
JE
D000367:Age Factors; D000375:Aging / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D016923:Cell Death / Q000235:genetics; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D019070:Cell Lineage / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000235:genetics; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D009186:Myelin Sheath / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000235:genetics; D009836:Oligodendroglia / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*
D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor; C075278:platelet-derived growth factor A; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I