TNF receptor 2 protects oligodendrocyte progenitor cells against oxidative stress

Abstract

The neuroprotective role of TNF receptor 2 (TNFR2) has been shown in various studies. However, a direct role of TNFR2 in oligodendrocyte function has not yet been demonstrated. Using primary oligodendrocytes of transgenic mice expressing human TNFR2, we show here that TNFR2 is primarily expressed on oligodendrocyte progenitor cells. Interestingly, preconditioning with a TNFR2 agonist protects these cells from oxidative stress, presumably by increasing the gene expression of distinct anti-apoptotic and detoxifying proteins, thereby providing a potential mechanism for the neuroprotective role of TNFR2 in oligodendrocyte progenitor cells.

Keywords: 2′,3′-cyclic nucleotide 3′-phosphodiesterase; Apoptosis; CD120b; CNP; CNS; EAE; MBP; MS; OLG; OPC; Oligodendroglia; PLL; PLP; SOD; TNC; TNF; TNFR; TUNEL; Tumor necrosis factor; central nervous system; experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis; multiple sclerosis; myelin basic protein; oligodendrocyte; oligodendrocyte progenitor cell; poly-l-lysine; proteolipid protein; scTNF(R2); single chain TNF specific for TNFR2; superoxide dismutase; tenascin C; terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling; tumor necrosis factor; tumor necrosis factor receptor.