Surface Receptors in Axon Fasciculation and Regeneration

Lagenaur, Carl F.

Abstract

We have discovered that a purified cell adhesion molecule, the 8D9-antigen can serve as a potent substrate for neurite growth in vitro. The 8D9-antigen is similar or identical to NILE, L1 and Ng- CAM. Using a novel in vitro assay it is now possible to further characterize the biochemical properties of the 8D9-antigen as well as begin a rational search for the 8D9-receptor. It has been demonstrated that this class of cell adhesion molecule is present during development of the nervous system but disappears in many parts of the mature nervous system. It is also known that it reappears in the regenerating peripheral nervous system. This suggests that the 8D9-antigen may serve a permissive, if not essential, role in regeneration of axon pathways. Therefore, we propose to investigate the use of this molecule as a substrate for promoting regeneration in the peripheral and central nervous systems.

Funding Agency

• Agency: National Institute of Health (NIH)
• Institute: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
• Type: Research Project (R01)
• Project #: 5R01NS025543-02
• Application #: 3410791
• Study Section: Neurology C Study Section (NEUC)
• Project Start: 1988-02-01
• Project End: 1991-01-31
• Budget Start: 1989-02-01
• Budget End: 1990-01-31
• Support Year: 2
• Fiscal Year: 1989

Institution

• Name: University of Pittsburgh
• Type: Schools of Medicine
• DUNS #: 053785812
• City: Pittsburgh
• State: PA
• Country: United States
• Zip Code: 15213

Publications

Styren, S D; Bowser, R; Dekosky, S T (1997) Expression of fetal ALZ-50 reactive clone 1 (FAC1) in dentate gyrus following entorhinal cortex lesion. J Comp Neurol 386:555-61

Styren, S D; Miller, P D; Lagenaur, C F et al. (1995) Alternate strategies in lesion-induced reactive synaptogenesis: differential expression of L1 in two populations of sprouting axons. Exp Neurol 131:165-73

Miller, P D; Styren, S D; Lagenaur, C F et al. (1994) Embryonic neural cell adhesion molecule (N-CAM) is elevated in the denervated rat dentate gyrus. J Neurosci 14:4217-25

Styren, S D; Lagenaur, C F; Miller, P D et al. (1994) Rapid expression and transport of embryonic N-CAM in dentate gyrus following entorhinal cortex lesion: ultrastructural analysis. J Comp Neurol 349:486-92

Abosch, A; Lagenaur, C (1993) Sensitivity of neurite outgrowth to microfilament disruption varies with adhesion molecule substrate. J Neurobiol 24:344-55

Perera, A D; Lagenaur, C F; Plant, T M (1993) Postnatal expression of polysialic acid-neural cell adhesion molecule in the hypothalamus of the male rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta). Endocrinology 133:2729-35

Chung, W W; Lagenaur, C F; Yan, Y M et al. (1991) Developmental expression of neural cell adhesion molecules in the mouse neocortex and olfactory bulb. J Comp Neurol 314:290-305

Lemmon, V; Farr, K L; Lagenaur, C (1989) L1-mediated axon outgrowth occurs via a homophilic binding mechanism. Neuron 2:1597-603