The role of NG2 and OPC in induction and development of CNS inflammation

Abstract

Damage to the central nervous system (CNS) is usually followed by the formation of glial scars. A prominent component of this structure is the neuron–glial antigen 2 (NG2), also known as chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan 4 (CSPG4). In addition to the CNS, where the oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPC) are the main source of this molecule, NG2 protein expression was also detected in different cell types throughout the body, notably in immature cells of mesenchymal origin. OPC are very sensitive to inflammatory events occurring in the course of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), an animal model of multiple sclerosis (MS).