Analysis of the GPR17 receptor in NG2-glia under physiological conditions unravels a new subset of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells with distinct functions.
Glia
; 71(6): 1536-1552, 2023 06.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-36815579
ABSTRACT
NG2-glia comprise a heterogeneous population of cycling cells that give rise to mature, myelinating oligodendrocytes. The mechanisms that regulate the process of differentiation from NG2-glia into oligodendrocytes are still not fully understood but over the last years the G Protein-coupled Receptor 17 (GPR17) has been on the spotlight as a possible key regulator. Interestingly, GPR17-expressing NG2-glia show under physiological conditions a slower and lower level of differentiation compared to NG2-glia without GPR17. In contrast, after a CNS insult these react with proliferation and differentiation in a high rate, pointing towards a role in repair processes. However, the role of GPR17+ NG2-glia under healthy conditions in adulthood has not been addressed yet. Therefore, we aimed here to characterize the GPR17-expressing NG2-glia. Using transgenic mouse models, we showed restricted GPR17 expression in only some NG2-glia. Furthermore, we found that these cells constitute a distinct subset within the NG2-glia population, which shows a different gene expression profile and behavior when compared to the total NG2-glia population. Genetic depletion of GPR17+ cells showed that these are not contributing to the dynamic and continuous generation of new oligodendrocytes in the adult brain. Taken together, GPR17+ NG2-glia seem to play a distinct role under physiological conditions that goes beyond their classic differentiation control, that needs to be further elucidated. These results open new avenues for using the GPR17 receptor as a target to change oligodendrogenesis under physiological and pathological conditions, highlighting the importance of further characterization of this protein for future pharmacological studies.
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Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Células Precursoras de Oligodendrócitos
Limite:
Animals
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Glia
Assunto da revista:
NEUROLOGIA
Ano de publicação:
2023
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Alemanha