1. bHLH transcription factor Olig1 is required to repair demyelinated lesions in the CNS.
- Author
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Arnett HA, Fancy SP, Alberta JA, Zhao C, Plant SR, Kaing S, Raine CS, Rowitch DH, Franklin RJ, and Stiles CD
- Subjects
- Animals, Animals, Newborn, Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors, Brain growth & development, Cell Nucleus metabolism, Cuprizone pharmacology, Cytoplasm metabolism, DNA-Binding Proteins genetics, Ethidium pharmacology, Humans, Lysophosphatidylcholines pharmacology, Mice, Mice, Inbred C57BL, Multiple Sclerosis physiopathology, Nerve Tissue Proteins genetics, Nerve Tissue Proteins physiology, Oligodendrocyte Transcription Factor 2, Rats, Rats, Sprague-Dawley, Spinal Cord growth & development, Stem Cells physiology, Transcription Factors genetics, Brain physiology, DNA-Binding Proteins metabolism, Demyelinating Diseases physiopathology, Myelin Sheath physiology, Nerve Tissue Proteins metabolism, Oligodendroglia physiology, Spinal Cord physiology, Transcription Factors metabolism
- Abstract
Olig1 and Olig2 are closely related basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factors that are expressed in myelinating oligodendrocytes and their progenitor cells in the developing central nervous system (CNS). Olig2 is necessary for the specification of oligodendrocytes, but the biological functions of Olig1 during oligodendrocyte lineage development are poorly understood. We show here that Olig1 function in mice is required not to develop the brain but to repair it. Specifically, we demonstrate a genetic requirement for Olig1 in repairing the types of lesions that occur in patients with multiple sclerosis.
- Published
- 2004
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