Biology subjects

Wood, R. J.

Publications and source records attributed to Wood, R. J..

6 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2021

Central nervous system infusion of TrkB agonist, 7,8-dihydroxyflavone, is ineffective in promoting myelin repair in cuprizone and experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis mouse models of multiple sclerosis

Small molecular weight functional mimetics of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) which act via the TrkB receptor have been developed to overcome the pharmacokinetic limitations of BDNF as a therapeutic for neurological disease. Activation of TrkB on oligodendrocytes has been identified as a potential strategy for myelin repair in demyelinating conditions. Here, we tested the efficacy of intracerebroventricular infusion of TrkB agonist 7,8-dihydroxyflavone (DHF) to promote myelin repair in the cuprizone model and alter the course of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). In these two distinct mouse models used for the preclinical testing of remyelinating therapeutics, we found that DHF infusion increased the percentage of myelin basic protein and density of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) in the corpus callosum of female C57BL/6 mice after cuprizone demyelination. However, DHF did not alter the percentage of axons myelinated or increase the density of post-mitotic oligodendrocytes in this model. Direct cerebrospinal fluid infusion of DHF also had no effect on the clinical course of EAE, and examination of the lumbar spinal cord after 21 days of treatment revealed extensive demyelination. These results indicate that direct cerebrospinal fluid infusion of DHF is ineffective at promoting myelin repair in toxin-induced and inflammatory models of demyelination.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2020

Acute treatment with TrkB agonist LM22A-4 confers neuroprotection and preserves myelin integrity in a mouse model of pediatric traumatic brain injury

Young children have a high risk of sustaining a traumatic brain injury (TBI), which can have debilitating life-long consequences. Importantly, the young brain shows particular vulnerability to injury, likely attributed to ongoing maturation of the myelinating nervous system at the time of insult. Here, we examined the effect of acute treatment with partial tropomyosin receptor kinase B (TrkB) agonist, LM22A-4, on the pathological and neurobehavioral outcomes after pediatric TBI, with the hypothesis that targeting TrkB would minimize tissue damage and support functional recovery. We focused on myelinated tracts-- the corpus callosum and external capsules--based on recent evidence that TrkB activation potentiates oligodendrocyte remyelination. Male mice at postnatal day 21 received an experimental TBI or sham surgery. Acutely post-injury, extensive cell death, a robust glial response and disruption of compact myelin were evident in the injured brain. TBI or sham mice then received intranasal saline vehicle or LM22A-4 for 14 days. Behavior testing was performed from 4 weeks post-injury, and brains were collected at 5 weeks for histology. TBI mice showed hyperactivity, reduced anxiety-like behavior, and social memory impairments. LM22A-4 ameliorated the abnormal anxiolytic phenotype but had no effect on social memory deficits. Use of spectral confocal reflectance microscopy detected persistent myelin fragmentation in the external capsule of TBI mice at 5 weeks post-injury, which was accompanied by regionally distinct deficits in oligodendrocyte progenitor cells and postmitotic oligodendrocytes, as well as chronic reactive gliosis and atrophy of the corpus callosum and injured external capsule. LM22A-4 treatment ameliorated myelin deficits in the perilesional external capsule, as well as tissue volume loss and the extent of reactive gliosis. However, there was no effect of this TrkB agonist on oligodendroglial populations detected at 5 weeks post-injury. Collectively, our results demonstrate that targeting TrkB immediately after TBI during early life confers neuroprotection and preserves myelin integrity, and this was associated with some improved neurobehavioral outcomes as the pediatric injured brain matures.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2020

Remodeling of pre-existing myelinated axons and oligodendrocytes is stimulated by environmental enrichment in the young adult brain

Oligodendrocyte production and central nervous system (CNS) myelination is a protracted process, extending into adulthood. While stimulation of neuronal circuits has been shown to enhance oligodendrocyte production and myelination during development, the extent to which physiological stimuli induces activity-dependent plasticity within oligodendrocytes and myelin is unclear, particularly in the adult CNS. Here, we find that using environmental enrichment (EE) to physiologically stimulate neuronal activity for 6-weeks during young adulthood in C57Bl/6 mice results in an enlargement of callosal axon diameters, with a corresponding increase in thickness of pre-existing myelin sheaths. Additionally, EE uniformly promotes the direct differentiation of pre-existing oligodendroglia in both corpus callosum and somatosensory cortex, while differentially impeding OPC homeostasis in these regions. Furthermore, results of this study indicate that physiologically relevant stimulation in young adulthood exerts little influence upon the de novo generation of new myelin sheaths on previously unmyelinated segments and does not enhance OPC proliferation. Rather in this context, activity-dependent plasticity involves the coincident structural remodeling of axons and pre-existing myelin sheaths and increases the direct differentiation of pre-existing oligodendroglia, implying constraints on maximal de novo production in the adult CNS. Together, our findings of myelinated axon remodeling and increased pre-existing oligodendroglial differentiation constitute a previously undescribed form of adaptive myelination that likely contributes to neuronal circuit maturation and the maintenance of optimum cognitive function in the young adult CNS. Main pointsO_LIEnvironmental enrichment induces the plasticity of myelinated axons, resulting in axon caliber enlargement and increased thickness of pre-existing myelin sheaths C_LIO_LIEnvironmental enrichment increases the direct differentiation of pre-existing oligodendroglia C_LIO_LIEnvironmental enrichment alters OPC homeostasis C_LI

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2019

The dynamics of oligodendrocyte generation: how distinct is the mouse from the human?

Murine oligodendrocyte generation dynamics are considered distinct from those in the human, with implications for cross-species differences in neural homeostasis, injury response and ability to functionally adapt circuits through myelin plasticity. We identify that murine oligodendrocyte precursors do not vary their cell division times in vivo and determine how daily production rates change over a lifespan. We show that murine oligodendrogenesis closely resembles what is reported for the human.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2019

TrkB Agonist LM22A-4 Increases Oligodendroglial Populations During Myelin Repair in the Brain

The neurotrophin, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) promotes central nervous system (CNS) myelination during development and after injury. This is achieved via activation of oligodendrocyte-expressed tropomyosin-related kinase (Trk) B receptors. However, while administration of BDNF has shown beneficial effects, BDNF itself has a poor pharmacokinetic profile. Here, we compare two TrkB-targeted BDNF-mimetics, the structural-mimetic, tricyclic dimeric peptide-6 (TDP6) and the non-peptide small molecule TrkB agonist LM22A-4 in the cuprizone model of central demyelination in female mice. Both mimetics promoted remyelination, increasing myelin sheath thickness and oligodendrocyte densities after one-week recovery. Importantly, LM22A-4 exerts these effects in an oligodendroglial TrkB-dependent manner. However, analysis of TrkB signaling by LM22A-4 suggests rather than direct activation of TrkB, LM22A-4 exerts its effects via indirect transactivation of Trk receptors. Overall, these studies support the therapeutic strategy to selectively targeting TrkB activation to promote remyelination in the brain.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2018

Targeting TrkB with a brain-derived neurotrophic factor mimetic promotes myelin repair in the brain

Methods to promote myelin regeneration in response to central myelin loss are essential to prevent the progression of clinical disability in demyelinating diseases. The neurotrophin brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is known to promote myelination during development via oligodendrocyte expressed TrkB receptors. Here, we use a structural mimetic of BDNF to promote myelin regeneration in a preclinical mouse model of central demyelination. We show that selective targeting of TrkB with the BDNF-mimetic enhances remyelination, increasing oligodendrocyte differentiation, the frequency of myelinated axons, and myelin sheath thickness after a demyelinating insult. Treatment with exogenous BDNF exerted an attenuated effect, increasing myelin sheath thickness only. Further, following conditional deletion of TrkB from pre-myelinating oligodendrocytes, we show the effects of the BDNF-mimetic on oligodendrocyte differentiation and remyelination are lost, indicating these are dependent on oligodendrocyte expression of TrkB. Overall, these studies demonstrate that targeting oligodendrocyte TrkB promotes in vivo remyelination in the brain.

neuroscience↗