A higher proportion of ermin-immunopositive oligodendrocytes in areas of remyelination

PLoS One. 2021 Aug 26;16(8):e0256155. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0256155. eCollection 2021.

Abstract

Incomplete remyelination is frequent in multiple sclerosis (MS)-lesions, but there is no established marker for recent remyelination. We investigated the role of the oligodendrocyte/myelin protein ermin in de- and remyelination in the cuprizone (CPZ) mouse model, and in MS. The density of ermin+ oligodendrocytes in the brain was significantly decreased after one week of CPZ exposure (p < 0.02). The relative proportion of ermin+ cells compared to cells positive for the late-stage oligodendrocyte marker Nogo-A increased at the onset of remyelination in the corpus callosum (p < 0.02). The density of ermin-positive cells increased in the corpus callosum during the CPZ-phase of extensive remyelination (p < 0.0001). In MS, the density of ermin+ cells was higher in remyelinated lesion areas compared to non-remyelinated areas both in white- (p < 0.0001) and grey matter (p < 0.0001) and compared to normal-appearing white matter (p < 0.001). Ermin immunopositive cells in MS-lesions were not immunopositive for the early-stage oligodendrocyte markers O4 and O1, but a subpopulation was immunopositive for Nogo-A. The data suggest a relatively higher proportion of ermin immunopositivity in oligodendrocytes compared to Nogo-A indicates recent or ongoing remyelination.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Brain / pathology
  • Cerebral Cortex / pathology
  • Corpus Callosum / pathology
  • Cuprizone / pharmacology
  • Demyelinating Diseases / pathology
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Female
  • Gray Matter / pathology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Multiple Sclerosis / metabolism
  • Multiple Sclerosis / physiopathology
  • Myelin Basic Protein / metabolism
  • Myelin Proteins / analysis*
  • Myelin Proteins / metabolism
  • Myelin Sheath / metabolism
  • Oligodendroglia / metabolism*
  • Oligodendroglia / pathology
  • Remyelination / physiology*
  • White Matter / pathology

Substances

  • Myelin Basic Protein
  • Myelin Proteins
  • ermin protein, mouse
  • Cuprizone

Grants and funding

The authors received no specific funding for this work.