Research project: Revealing protective effects derived from oligodendrocyteneuron interaction via Myelin-Associated Glycoprotein (MAG)

VIVINETTO, ANA LAURA; PALANDRI, ANABELA; ROZÉS SALVADOR, VICTORIA; HEREDIA, FLORENCIA; GARCIA-KELLER, CONSTANZA; PABLO HECTOR HORACIO LOPEZ

Huerta Grande, Prov. de Córdoba

Congreso; XXVII Annual Meeting of the Argentinean Society for Neuroscience Research (SAN); 2012

Sociedad Argentina de Investigación en Neurociencias

The present research project assesses the effect of oligodendrocyte (OL) function, focusing on their critical role as white matter extracellular glutamate modulators. Crosslinking of MAG at the cell membrane of OL by using an anti-MAG mAb (clone 513) can initiate signalling events that mimic MAG signalling via interaction with its neuronal receptors. One such event implies the promotion of OL survival by increasing the resistance to glutamate excitotoxicity. Based in previous findings and preliminary results that support this concept, our aims are: identify the mechanism of OL protection, clarify mayor components of MAG-associated intracellular signaling on OLs, characterize axonal receptors capable to stimulate this effect and analyze the effects of MAG activation on animal models with etiologies involving excitotoxic mechanisms. We propose multiple approaches in order to identify and characterize such events: OL-enriched primary culture, cerebellar organotypic culture, and EAE and stroke animal models. These studies can help to clarify the importance of an intact axon-myelin interaction on stability and viability of both neurons and OL. Moreover they can contribute to the development of novel neuroprotective therapies to mitigate demyelination consequences.