Аннотация:
Neuregulin ligands and their ErbB receptors are important for the
development of Schwann cells, the glial cells of the peripheral
nervous system (PNS). ErbB3 deficiency is characterized by a
complete loss of Schwann cells along axons of the peripheral nerves,
impaired fasciculation and neuronal cell death. We performed
comparative gene expression analysis of dorsal root ganglia (DRG)
explant cultures from ErbB3-deficient and wild-type mice in order to
identify genes that are involved in Schwann cell development and
migration. The extracellular matrix (ECM) gene periostin was found to
exhibit the most prominent down regulation in ErbB3-deficient DRG.
Expression analysis revealed that the periostin-expressing cell
population in the PNS corresponds to Schwann cell precursors and
Schwann cells, and is particularly high in migratory Schwann cells.
Furthermore, stimulation of Schwann cells with neuregulin-1 (NRG1)
or transforming growth factor β (TGFβ-1) resulted in an upregulation of
periostin expression. Interestingly, DRG explant cultures of periostindeficient
mice revealed a significant reduction of the number of
migrating Schwann cells. These data demonstrate that the
expression of periostin is stimulated by ErbB ligand NRG1 and
influences the migration of Schwann cell precursors