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Low density lipoprotein receptor‐related protein‐2/megalin is expressed in oligodendrocytes in the mouse spinal cord white matter
Author(s) -
Wicher Grzegorz,
Larsson Mårten,
Svenningsen Åsa Fex,
Gyllencreutz Erika,
Rask Lars,
Aldskogius Håkan
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
journal of neuroscience research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.72
H-Index - 160
eISSN - 1097-4547
pISSN - 0360-4012
DOI - 10.1002/jnr.20774
Subject(s) - spinal cord , choroid plexus , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , myelin , white matter , extracellular , chemistry , central nervous system , neuroscience , medicine , magnetic resonance imaging , radiology
Lipoprotein receptor‐related protein‐2 (LRP2)/megalin is a member of the low density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) family, and is essential in absorptive epithelia for endocytosis of lipoproteins, low molecular weight proteins, cholesterol and vitamins, as well as in cellular signaling. Previous studies have shown megalin expression in ependymal cells and choroid plexus. We have investigated megalin expression in the spinal cord of postnatal mice with immunohistochemistry and immunoblot. Antibodies recognizing either the cytoplasmic tail (MM6) or the extracellular domain (E11) of megalin labeled oligodendrocytes in the spinal cord white matter, in parallel with myelination. MM6 antibodies, predominantly labeled the nuclei, whereas E11 antibodies labeled the cytoplasm of these cells. MM6 antibodies labeled also nuclei of oligodendrocytes cultured from embryonic mouse spinal cord. Immunoblots of spinal cord showed intact megalin, as well as its carboxyterminal fragment, the part remaining after shedding of the extracellular domain of megalin. Megalin‐immunoreactive oligodendrocytes also expressed presenilin 1, an enzyme responsible for γ‐secretase mediated endodomain cleavage. These findings show that spinal cord oligodendrocytes are phenotypically different from those in the brain, and indicate that megalin translocates signals from the cell membrane to the nucleus of oligodendrocytes during the formation and maintenance of myelin of long spinal cord pathways. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.