Astrocyte-derived clusterin disrupts glial physiology to obstruct remyelination in mouse models of demyelinating diseases

Abstract Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a debilitating demyelinating disease characterized by remyelination failure attributed to inadequate oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) differentiation and aberrant astrogliosis. A comprehensive cell atlas reanalysis of clinical specimens brings to light heightened clusterin (CLU) expression in a specific astrocyte subtype links to active lesions in MS patients. Our investigation reveals elevated astrocytic CLU levels in both active lesions of patient tissues and female murine MS models. CLU administration stimulates primary astrocyte proliferation while concurrently impeding astrocyte-mediated clearance of myelin debris. Intriguingly, CLU overload directly impedes OPC differentiation and induces OPCs and OLs apoptosis. Mechanistically, CLU suppresses PI3K-AKT signaling in primary OPCs via very low-density lipoprotein receptor. Pharmacological activation of AKT rescues the damage inflicted by excess CLU on OPCs and ameliorates demyelination in the corpus callosum. Furthermore, conditional knockout of CLU emerges as a promising intervention, showcasing improved remyelination processes and reduced severity in murine MS models.