Journal of Neuroscience, Vol 7, 682-699, Copyright © 1987 by Society for Neuroscience
Schwann cell proliferation and migration during paranodal demyelination
JW Griffin, N Drucker, BG Gold, J Rosenfeld, M Benzaquen, LR Charnas, KE Fahnestock and EA Stocks
This study examined Schwann cell behavior during paranodal demyelination
induced by beta,beta'-iminodipropionitrile (IDPN). The stimuli for Schwann
cell proliferation, extensively studied in vitro, are less well understood
in vivo. Most in vivo systems previously used to examine Schwann cell
proliferation in disease are dominated by loss of internodal myelin
sheaths. As used in this study, IDPN administration produces
neurofilamentous axonal swellings and paranodal demyelination, without
segmental demyelination or fiber degeneration. We asked whether Schwann
cells would proliferate following the restricted paranodal demyelination
that accompanies the axonal swellings, and if so what the sources and
distributions of new Schwann cells might be. IDPN was given as a single
large dose (2 ml/kg) to 21-d- old rats. Neurofilamentous axonal swellings
formed in the proximal regions of motor axons, reaching their greatest
enlargement in the root exit zone 8 d after IDPN administration. These
swellings subsequently migrated distally down the nerves at rates
approaching 1 mm/d. The axonal enlargement was consistently associated with
displacement of the myelin sheath attachment sites into internodal regions,
and consequent paranodal demyelination. This stage was associated with
perikaryal changes, including nucleolar enlargement, "girdling" of the
perikaryon, and formation of attenuated stalks separating the perinuclear
region from the external cytoplasmic collar. Schwann cells proliferated
abundantly during this stage. Daughter Schwann cells migrated within the
endoneurial space (outside the nerve fiber basal laminae) to overlie the
demyelinated paranodes of swollen nerve fibers. In these regions, local
proliferation of Schwann cells continued, resulting in large paranodal
clusters of Schwann cells. As the axonal calibers subsequently returned to
normal, the outermost myelin lamellae of the original internodes returned
to their paranodal attachment sites and the supernumerary Schwann cells
disappeared. Formation of short internodes, segmental demyelination, and
nerve fiber loss were rare phenomena. These results indicate that paranodal
demyelination is a sufficient stimulus to excite abundant Schwann cell
proliferation; neither internodal demyelination nor myelin breakdown is a
necessary stimulus for mitosis. The 3H-thymidine incorporation studies
indicated that the sources of new Schwann cells included markedly increased
division of the Schwann cells of unmyelinated fibers and, as they formed,
supernumerary Schwann cells. In addition, there were rare examples of
3H-thymidine incorporation by Schwann cells associated with myelinated
nerve fibers.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)