title: Oligodendrocyte precursor cells synthesize neuromodulatory factors.
abstract: NG2 protein-expressing oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPC) are a persisting and major glial cell population in the adult mammalian brain. Direct synaptic innervation of OPC by neurons throughout the brain together with their ability to sense neuronal network activity raises the question of additional physiological roles of OPC, supplementary to generating myelinating oligodendrocytes. In this study we investigated whether OPC express neuromodulatory factors, typically synthesized by other CNS cell types. Our results show that OPC express two well-characterized neuromodulatory proteins: Prostaglandin D2 synthase (PTGDS) and neuronal Pentraxin 2 (Nptx2/Narp). Expression levels of the enzyme PTGDS are influenced in cultured OPC by the NG2 intracellular region which can be released by cleavage and localizes to glial nuclei upon transfection. Furthermore PTGDS mRNA levels are reduced in OPC from NG2-KO mouse brain compared to WT cells after isolation by cell sorting and direct analysis. These results show that OPC can contribute to the expression of these proteins within the CNS and suggest PTGDS expression as a downstream target of NG2 signaling.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Cell Biology, Department of Biology, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, D-55122 Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: Dominik
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sakry
authors.affiliation: Molecular Cell Biology, Department of Biology, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, D-55122 Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: Hatice
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yigit
authors.affiliation: Physiological Genomics, Biomedical Center, Ludwig-Maximilians University Munich, D-80336 Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Leda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dimou
authors.affiliation: Molecular Cell Biology, Department of Biology, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, D-55122 Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: Jacqueline
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Trotter
mesh_terms: D053687:Adult Stem Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D000941:Antigens / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002460:Cell Line; D057809:HEK293 Cells; D006801:Humans; D019746:Intramolecular Oxidoreductases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D054834:Lipocalins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D009836:Oligodendroglia / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D011509:Proteoglycans / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000099216:Chondroitin Sulfate Proteoglycan 4; D000099153:Pentraxins
chemical_list: D000941:Antigens; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D019746:Intramolecular Oxidoreductases; D054834:Lipocalins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D011509:Proteoglycans; D000099216:Chondroitin Sulfate Proteoglycan 4; D000099153:Pentraxins; C022466:prostaglandin R2 D-isomerase