A specific immunological probe for the major myelin proteolipid: Confirmation of a deletion in DM-20

Abstract

Major myelin proteolipid (MMPL, also called PLP) and DM-20 are the two major intrinsic membrane proteins of CNS myelin. A specific immunological probe was obtained for MMPL by raising antibodies against the synthetic tridecapeptide 117–129 of MMPL. Antibodies against this peptide reacted with the MMPL but dit not cross react with DM-20, while both proteolipids had been shown previously to be recognized by antibodies directed against the C-terminal hexapeptide of MMPL. This is in accordance with previous findings showing that DM-20 diners only from MMPL by a deletion of residues 100–140 (±few units). Furthermore, this site-specific immunological probe also recognizes MMPL in its native form in oligodendrocytes in primary glial cell cultures.