The Journal of Neuroscience, September 1, 2002, 22(17):7586-7595
Mammalian Achaete Scute Homolog 2 Is Expressed in the Adult
Sciatic Nerve and Regulates the Expression of Krox24, Mob-1, CXCR4, and
p57kip2 in Schwann Cells
Patrick
Küry,
Regine
Greiner-Petter,
Christiane
Cornely,
Tim
Jürgens, and
Hans Werner
Müller
Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, Department of Neurology,
Heinrich-Heine University of Düsseldorf, D-40225
Düsseldorf, Germany
The molecular control mechanisms and regulatory molecules involved
in nerve repair are not yet well known. Schwann cells have been
attributed an important role in peripheral nerve regeneration; therefore, attention has been drawn to regulatory factors expressed by
these glial cells. Here, we demonstrate that Mash2, a basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor previously shown to be
crucial for placenta development, is expressed by Schwann cells of
adult peripheral nerves. We observed that this gene is downregulated
after nerve lesion and, using cDNA array hybridization technology, we
could demonstrate that Mash2 is a regulator of Krox24, Mob-1, and CXCR4
expression in cultured Schwann cells. In addition, we provide strong
evidence that Mash2 is a negative regulator of Schwann cell
proliferation. Mash2 represents a first candidate for the missing class
B bHLH proteins in peripheral nerves.
Key words:
basic helix-loop-helix; Schwann cell; cDNA array
hybridization; Wallerian degeneration; proliferation; cytokine
Copyright © 2002 Society for Neuroscience 0270-6474/02/22177586-10$05.00/0