Biology subjects

Murcia-Belmonte, V.

Publications and source records attributed to Murcia-Belmonte, V..

2 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2022

Extracellular matrix protein anosmin-1 overexpression regulates dopaminergic phenotype in the CNS and the PNS with no pathogenic consequences in MPTP model of Parkinson disease

The development and survival of dopaminergic neurons are influenced by the fibroblast growth factor (FGF) pathway. Anosmin-1 (A1) is an extracellular matrix protein that acts as a major regulator of this signaling pathway, controlling FGF diffusion, and receptor interaction and shuttling. Furthermore, overexpression of A1 in vivo gives rise to higher number of dopaminergic neurons in the olfactory bulb. Here, using A1 overexpressing mice (A1-mice), we studied the effects of A1 on different populations of catecholaminergic neurons in the central (CNS) and the peripheral nervous systems (PNS). A1 overexpression increases the number of dopaminergic SNpc neurons and alters the striosome/matrix organization of the striatum. Interestingly, these numerical and morphological changes in the nigrostriatal pathway of A1-mice do not confer an altered susceptibility to experimental MPTP-parkinsonism with respect to wild type controls. Moreover, the study of the effects of A1 overexpression was extended to different dopaminergic tissues associated with the PNS, detecting a significant reduction in the number of dopaminergic chemosensitive carotid body glomus cells in A1-mice. Overall, these analyses confirm A1 as a principal regulator of the FGF pathway in the development and survival of dopaminergic neurons in different nuclei of the mammalian nervous system.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2019

Age-linked heterogeneity among oligodendrocyte precursor cells in the cerebral cortex of mice and human

Oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) are responsible for spontaneous remyelination after a demyelinating lesion. They are present in large parts of the mouse and human central nervous system, both during development and in adulthood, yet how their physiological behaviour is modified throughout life remains largely unknown. Moreover, the activity of adult human OPCs is still not fully understood. Significantly, most of the molecules involved in OPC-mediated remyelination are also involved in their development, a phenomenon that may be clinically relevant. In this article, we have systematically analyzed the intrinsic properties of OPCs isolated from the cerebral cortex of neonatal, postnatal and adult mice, as well as those recovered from neurosurgical adult human cerebral cortex tissue. We also analyze the response of these cells to two molecules that have known effects on OPC biology during development and that are overexpressed in individuals with Multiple Sclerosis (MS): FGF2 and anosmin-1. By analyzing intact OPCs for the first time with H-1 HR-MAS NMR spectroscopy, we show that these cells behave distinctly and that they have different metabolic patterns in function of their stage of maturity. Moreover, their response to FGF-2 and anosmin-1 differs in relation to their developmental stage and in function of the species. Our data reveal that the behaviour of adult human and mouse OPCs differs in a very dynamic way that should be considered when testing drugs and for the proper design of effective pharmacological and/or cell therapies for MS.

neuroscience↗