Subcortical ischemic vascular disease: Roles of oligodendrocyte function in experimental models of subcortical white-matter injury

Abstract

Oligodendrocytes are one of the major cell types in cerebral white matter. Under normal conditions, they form myelin sheaths that encircle axons to support fast nerve conduction. Under conditions of cerebral ischemia, oligodendrocytes tend to die, resulting in white-matter dysfunction. Repair of white matter involves the ability of oligodendrocyte precursors to proliferate and mature. However, replacement of lost oligodendrocytes may not be the only mechanism for white-matter recovery. Emerging data now suggest that coordinated signaling between neural, glial, and vascular cells in the entire neurovascular unit may be required. In this mini-review, we discuss how oligodendrocyte lineage cells participate in signaling and crosstalk with other cell types to underlie function and recovery in various experimental models of subcortical white-matter injury.

Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase Activating Polypeptide Elicits Neuroprotection Against Acute Ischemic Neuronal Cell Death Associated with NMDA Receptors

“…Of note, aging is major co-morbidity factor of stroke [43,44]. An impaired neurovascular unit has been implicated as a key pathology of stroke [45,46], and aging appears to dampen PACAP expression in the vasculature of mice, rendering the blood supply to the brain vulnerable to stroke [47,48]. In other aging-related neurological disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease, pre-senile systemic amyloidosis displayed an accelerated trajectory in PACAP knockout mice, supporting the concept that PACAP may serve a neuroprotective role in age-induced degenerative processes [49], likely via sequestration of β-amyloid toxicity [50].…”

Oligodendrocytes in intracerebral hemorrhage

“…These processes are tightly regulated by a variety of signaling pathways from different cell types. It is important to understand the interactions between oligodendrocytes and other brain cells, taking into account the crucial functions of oligodendrocyte‐lineage cells in white matter damage repair . Here, we summarize crosstalk between oligodendrocytes and other cells in the brain.…”

“…It is important to understand the interactions between oligodendrocytes and other brain cells, taking into account the crucial functions of oligodendrocyte-lineage cells in white matter damage repair. 113 Here, we summarize crosstalk between oligodendrocytes and other cells in the brain. For a summary of the factors from other brain cells and their functions in oligodendrocyte biology, please refer to Table 3.…”

Translational lab-to-clinic hurdles in stem cell therapy

“…Numerous research groups attribute this to the small white matter in the rodent brain that is inconsistent with the structure of the human brain. While recent studies have created specific models to produce white matter injury in rodents [25,26], pursuing alternative models, such as larger animals, may increase success of clinical translation if these issues of misrepresentation from the rodent models hinder the translation from the laboratory to the clinic.…”