Project 17

The role of neurotrophins, cAMP or ATP agonists on the formation of myelin in central glia

The proposed studies will address the issue of OEG myelination by examining the inherent capacity for OEG to remyelinate axons using defined in vitro co-culture systems, molecular analyses and viral vector technology. This proposal will clarify whether the size or age of the axon is an important factor in triggering myelin formation in OEG. Lastly, extrinsic factors will also be tested to ascertain whether external agents are the trigger for OEG myelin formation. Adult derived SC cultures will be used in parallel control experiments. The findings will have important implications for the future use of OEG not only for spinal cord injury, which has both primary and secondary demyelination events, but also perhaps for promoting remyelination in diseases such as multiple sclerosis. These are important particularly with the ongoing clinical trials in Portugal, Australia and China.

To determine in OEG/neuronal co-cultures whether membrane bound neuregulinß1-Type III, or factors such as brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), glial derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), neurotrophin-3 (NT-3), CPT-cAMP or ATP agonists stimulate compact myelin formation by adult OEG.