0 avis
Retinoid X receptor gamma signaling accelerates CNS remyelination
Archive ouverte
Edité par CCSD ; Nature Publishing Group -
International audience. The molecular basis of CNS myelin regeneration (remyelination) is poorly understood. Here we generate a comprehensive transcriptional profile of the separate stages of spontaneous remyelination following focal demyelination in the rat CNS and show transcripts encoding retinoid acid receptor RXR-gamma is highly differentially expressed during remyelination. We find that oligodendrocyte lineage cells express RXR-gamma in rat tissues undergoing remyelination and in active and remyelinated MS lesions. RXR-gamma knockdown by RNA interference or RXR-specific antagonists severely inhibit oligodendrocyte differentiation in culture. In RXR-gamma deficient mice, adult oligodendrocyte precursor cells efficiently repopulate lesions following demyelination, but display delayed differentiation into mature oligodendrocytes. Administration of the RXR agonist 9-cis-retinoic acid to demyelinated cerebellar slice cultures and to aged rats following demyelination results in more remyelinated axons. RXR-gamma is therefore a positive regulator of endogenous oligodendrocyte precursor cell differentiation and remyelination, and may be a pharmacological target for CNS regenerative therapy.