title: Promotion of periostin expression contributes to the migration of Schwann cells.
abstract: Neuregulin ligands and their ErbB receptors are important for the development of Schwann cells, the glial cells of the peripheral nervous system (PNS). ErbB3 deficiency is characterized by a complete loss of Schwann cells along axons of the peripheral nerves, impaired fasciculation and neuronal cell death. We performed comparative gene expression analysis of dorsal root ganglia (DRG) explant cultures from ErbB3-deficient and wild-type mice in order to identify genes that are involved in Schwann cell development and migration. The extracellular matrix (ECM) gene periostin was found to exhibit the most prominent down regulation in ErbB3-deficient DRG. Expression analysis revealed that the periostin-expressing cell population in the PNS corresponds to Schwann cell precursors and Schwann cells, and is particularly high in migratory Schwann cells. Furthermore, stimulation of Schwann cells with neuregulin-1 (NRG1) or transforming growth factor β (TGFβ-1) resulted in an upregulation of periostin expression. Interestingly, DRG explant cultures of periostin-deficient mice revealed a significant reduction of the number of migrating Schwann cells. These data demonstrate that the expression of periostin is stimulated by ErbB ligand NRG1 and influences the migration of Schwann cell precursors.
authors.affiliation: Human Development and Health, University of Southampton, School of Medicine, Tremona Road, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK Center for Molecular Neurobiology, University of Hamburg, Falkenried 94, Hamburg 20251, Germany.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sonnenberg-Riethmacher
authors.affiliation: Center for Molecular Neurobiology, University of Hamburg, Falkenried 94, Hamburg 20251, Germany Institut for Immunological Engineering, University of Aarhus, Gustav Wieds Vej 10, Aarhus C 8000, Denmark.
authors.forename: Michaela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miehe
authors.affiliation: Human Development and Health, University of Southampton, School of Medicine, Tremona Road, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK Center for Molecular Neurobiology, University of Hamburg, Falkenried 94, Hamburg 20251, Germany d.riethmacher@soton.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Dieter
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Riethmacher
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D020890:Neuregulin-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020893:Receptor, ErbB-3 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012583:Schwann Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D020890:Neuregulin-1; C490581:Nrg1 protein, mouse; C082838:Postn protein, mouse; C508961:Tgfb1 protein, mouse; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; C000607800:ErbB3 protein, mouse; D020893:Receptor, ErbB-3
keywords: Dorsal root ganglia; ECM; Migration; Neuregulin; Periostin; Schwann cells