Major Myelin-associated Glycoprotein Research Articles

Abnormal glycosylation of myelin-associated glycoprotein in quaking mouse brain

Brain slices from actively myelinating (26-28 days) quaking and normal littermates were dual-labeled with radioactive mannose and fucose for 2 h. Following the incubation myelin was isolated by sucrose density gradient centrifugation and the incorporation of sugars into the major myelinassociated glycoprotein (MAG) determined. The incorporation of mannose (an internal monosaccharide) and fucose (a terminal monosaccharide) was impaired in quaking by approximately 70 and 83% respectively as compared to control. The mannose/fucose ratio in quaking myelin was approximately 70% higher than in control. The results indicate an abnormal processing of the N-linked oligosaccharide moiety of MAG in quaking oligodendrocytes.

Glycoproteins associated with myelin in the central nervous system

Purified myelin fractions from the central nervous system contain one major myelin-associated glycoprotein and approximately 16 minor glycoproteins. While the genuine association of the major myelin-associated glycoprotein with the oligodendroglial myelin unit is demonstrated, the possibility exists that several of the minor glycoproteins have their origin in contaminating membranes not related to myelin. The major myelin-associated glycoprotein is probably not present in compacted myelin, but immunocytochemical and subfractionation studies indicate that it is confined to the periaxonal and paranodal region of the myelin sheath. In experimental demyelination and multiple sclerosis, the major glycoprotein is the first myelin constituent to be affected. Its localization on the membrane surface where myelin and axolemma are in close contact, and other indirect evidence indicate that the major glycoprotein, and possibly other myelin-associated glycoproteins, could play a role in the process of myelination and myelin maintenance.

A rapid procedure for selectively isolating the major glycoprotein from purified rat brain myelin.

Treatment of the chloroform/methanol-insoluble residue of rat brain myelin with lithium 3,5-di-iodosalicylate solubilized the major myelin-associated glycoprotein along with most other proteins and glycoproteins. Equilibration of the extract with phenol resulted in the selective partitioning of the major glycoprotein into the aqueous phase, whereas nearly all of the other proteins and glycoproteins went into the phenol phase.

Hypomyelination in copper-deficient rats. Prenatal and postnatal copper replacement.

Copper deficiency induced by a low copper diet in three generations of rats was associated with substantial reductions in the yield of myelin (56%), brain weight (11%), and body weight (43%) in F2 generation rat pups nursed by their own copper-deficient mothers. The composition of the purified myelin was not different from that of controls in the content of individual proteins, lipids, 2',3'-cyclic nucleotide 3'-phosphohydrolase (CNP) activity, or GM1 ganglioside. The major myelin-associated glycoprotein (mGP) was consistently shifted slightly toward higher apparent molecular weight in the copper-deficient animals. Postnatal copper replacement by a foster mother produced a normal yield of myelin per gram of brain tissue, but failed to reverse the deficiency of brain and body growth. After copper replacement in a copper-deficient mother's diet prior to conception, a subsequent litter showed correction of all abnormalities found in her previous litters. The results suggest that copper is essential for myelin formation and general growth during critical periods in development.

Hexachlorophene intoxication: Characterization of myelin and myelin related fractions in the rat during early postnatal development

Neonatal rats were intoxicated with hexachlorophene in order to investigate its effect during the peak period of CNS myelin formation. The white matter showed diffuse vacuolation and splitting of myelin sheaths, but the number and sizes of myelin sheaths were not significantly reduced. Myelin and a myelin-related fraction were isolated and characterized both morphologically and biochemically from 22-day-old brains. The yield of purified myelin from hexachlorophene intoxicated rats was greatly decreased, but the composition of the myelin was normal. An abnormal “floating fraction” was recovered during myelin purification from the hexachlorophene-treated animals. This fraction was probably derived from damaged myelin sheaths, and the sum of the floating fraction plus hexachlorophene-myelin represented 88% of the yield of control myelin. The floating fraction contained myelin whorls with an altered periodicity in some areas. Single membranes and vesicular profiles were also present. With the exception of the major myelin-associated glycoprotein which was absent or greatly reduced, typical myelin constituents were present in substantial amounts in this fraction. These results suggest that the myelin glycoprotein could be particularly susceptible to degradation following hexachlorophene intoxication.

Variation of proteins, enzyme markers and gangliosides in myelin subfractions

A discontinuous sucrose gradient was used to separate adult rat brain myelin into light, medium and heavy subfractions. Basic proteins decreased sharply, proteolipid potein changed very little, and high molecular weight proteins increased from the light to the heavy fraction. The concentration of monosialoganglioside G M1 was the highest in the middle fraction. The amount of carbohydrate in the major myelin-associated glycoprotein per mg total myelin protein increased 3.5-fold from the light to the heavy fraction. 2′,3′-Cyclic nucleotide 3′-phosphohydrolase, which is related to myelin or the oligodendroglial membrane, and acetylcholinesterase, which is in neural membranes such as the axolemma, both increased between the light and the heavy fraction, although their relative distributions among the three fractions were different. The glycoprotein and 2′,3′-cyclic nucleotide 3′-phosphohydrolase had similar distributions suggesting that they were concentrated in similar locations, possibly in the loose myelin and oligodendroglial plasma membrane. Electron microscopic examination of the subfractions was consistent with this interpretation.