Abstract
Regulation of gene expression in Schwann cells may be determined, at least in part, by the interaction of these cells with axons. Two peripheral nerve tumors, neurofibroma and schwannoma, represent good tools for studying Schwann cell activity in the presence or absence of axon action. In the present work we studied the expression of triiodothyronine receptors (T3R) by Schwann cells in these two tumors and also in adult normal sciatic nerve. Confirming the results of the histological examination, immunostaining of the neurofilaments showed the presence of fascicles or scattered axons in all neurofibroma sections studied. In these neurofibromas, Schwann cells did not express T3R immunoreactivity Furthermore, in adult normal sciatic nerve, Schwann cells which ensheathed axons were devoid of any T3R expression. In contrast, in schwannoma, the complete absence of axons was demonstrated by the lack of neurofilament immunostaining. Here, Schwann cells deprived of axonal interaction displayed clear T3R immunoreactivity. In schwannoma cell cultures, Schwann cells continued to express T3R, even in cultures treated with medium that had been conditioned with rat sensory neurons. On the basis of these results, we suggest that, beside the possible regulatory mechanisms for T3R, the synthesis of T3R is regulated, at least in part, by Schwann cell-axon interaction.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Barakat Walter I, Duc C, Sarlieve LL, Puymirat J, Dussault JH, Droz B (1992) The expression of nuclear 3,5,3′-triiodothyronine receptors is induced in Schwann cells by nerve transection. Exp Neurol 116:189–197
Barakat Walter I (1993) Nuclear triiodothyronine receptor expression is regulated by axon-Schwann cell contact. Neuroreport 5:137–140
Barakat Walter I, Duc C, Puymirat J (1993) Changes in nuclear 3,5,3′-triiodothyronine receptors expression in rat dorsal root ganglia and sciatic nerve during development: comparison with regeneration. Eur J Neurosci 5:319–326
Barett R, Crame F (1963) Tumors of the peripheral nerves and so-called “ganglia” of the peroneal nerve. Clin Orthop 27: 135–146
Berenberg RA, Jorman DS, Wood DK, Desilva A, Demaree J (1977) Recovery of peripheral nerve function after axotomy: effect of triiodothyronine. Exp Neurol 57:349–363
Bosch EP, Zhong W, Lim R (1989) Axonal signals regulate expression of glia maturation factor-beta in Schwann cells: an immunohistochemical study of injured sciatic nerves and cultured Schwann cells. J Neurosci 9:3690–3698
Cockett SA, Kiernan JA (1973) Acceleration of peripheral rervous regeneration in the rat by exogenous triiodothyronine. Exp Neurol 39:389–394
Cook RA, Kierman JA (1976) Effects of triiodothyronine on protein synthesis in regenerating peripheral neurons. Exp Neurol 52:515–524
Friedman B, Scherer SS, Rudge JS, Helgren M, Morrisey D, McClain J, Wang D, Wiegand SJ, Furth ME, Lindsay RM, Ip NY (1992) Regulation of ciliary neurotrophic factor expression in myelin-related Schwann cells in vivo. Neuron 9:295–305
Harkin JC, Reed RJ (1983) In: Firminger HI (ed) Tumors of the peripheral nervous system. Atlas of tumor pathology, Armed forces Institute of Pathology, Washington, DC, pp 1–174
Heumann R, Karsching S, Bandtlow C, Thoenen H (1987) Changes of nerve growth factor synthesis in nonneuronal cells in response to sciatic nerve transection. J Cell Biol 104:1623–1631
Heumann R, Lindholm D, Bandtlow C Meyer M, Radeke MJ, Misko TP, Shooter E, Thoenen H (1987) Differential regulation of mRNA encoding nerve growth factor and its receptor in rat sciatic nerve during development, degeneration and regeneration: role of macrophages. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 84: 8735–8739
Laemmli UK (1970) Cleavage of structural proteins during the assembly of the head of bacteriophage T. Nature 227:680–685
Luo M, Faure R, Ruel J, Dussault JH (1988) A monoclonal antibody to the rat nuclear triiodothyronine receptors: production and characterization. Endocrinology 123:180–186
Luo M, Puymirat J, Dussault JH (1989) Immunocytochemical localization of nuclear 3,5,3′-triiodothyronine (L-T3) receptors in astrocyte cultures. Dev Brain Res 46:131–136
McIsaac G, Kierman JA (1975) Accelerated recovery from peripheral nerve injury in experimental hyperthyroidism. Exp Neurol 48:88–94
McQuarrie JG (1975) Nerve regeneration and thyroid hormone treatment. J Neurol Sci 26:499–502
Meier R, Spreyer P, Ortmann R, Harel A, Monard D (1989) Induction of glia-derived nexin after lesion of peripheral nerve. Nature 342:548–550
Neuberger IJ, Cornbrooks CJ (1989) Transient modulation of Schwann cell antigens after peripheral nerve transection and subsequent regeneration. J Neurocytol 18:695–710
Oppenheimer JH (1979) Thyroid hormone action at the cellular level. Science 203:971–979
Oppenheimer JH, Schwartz HL, Surks MI (1974) Tissue differences in the concentration of triiodothyronine nuclear binding sites in the rat: liver, kidney, pituitary, heart, brain, spleen and testis. Endocrinology 95:897–903
Oppenheimer JH, Dillman WH (1978) In: O'Malley BW, Birnbaumer L (eds) Nuclear receptors and the initiation of thyroid hormone action. Receptors and hormone action, vol 3 Academic Press, New York, pp 1–33
Puymirat J, Luo M, Dussault JH (1989) Immunocytochemical localization of thyroid hormone nuclear receptors in cultured hypothalamic dopaminergic neurons Neuroscience 30:443–449
Raivich G, Kreutzberg GW (1987) Expression of growth factor receptors in injured nervous tissue. I. Axotomy leads to a shift in the cellular distribution of specific β-nerve growth factor binding in the injured and regenerating PNS. J Neurocytol 16: 689–700
Raivich G, Hellweg R, Kreutzberg GW (1991) NGF receptor-mediated reduction in axonal NGF uptake and retrograde transport following sciatic nerve injury and during regeneration. Neuron 7:151–164
Robbins SL, Kumar V (1987) Basic pathology: the nervous system. Saunders, Philadelphia, pp 741–755
Sendtner M, Stockli KA, Thoenen H (1992) Synthesis and localization of ciliary neurotrophic factor in the sciatic nerve of the adult rat after lesion and during regeneration. J Cell Biol 118:139–148
Silva ES, Astier H, Thakare U, Schwartz HL, Oppenheimer JH (1977) Partial purification of the triiodothyronine receptor from rat liver nuclei. J Biol Chem 252:6799–6805
Taniuchi M, Clark HB, Schwaitzer JB, Johnson EM (1988) Expression of nerve growth factor receptors by Schwann cells of axotomized peripheral nerves: ultrastructural location, suppression by axonal contact, and binding properties. J Neurosci 8: 664–681
Towbin H, Staehelin T, Gordon J (1979) Electrophoretic transfer of proteins from polyacrylamide gel to nitrocellulose sheets: procedure and some applications. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 76: 4350–4353
Yusta B, Besnard F, Ortiz-Caro J, Pascual A, Aranda A, Sarlieve L (1988) Evidence of the presence of nuclear 3,5,3′-triiodothyronine receptors in secondary cultures of pure rat oligodendrocytes. Endocrinology 122:2278–2284
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Walter, I.B., Deruaz, J.P. & de Tribolet, N. Differential expression of triiodothyronine receptors in schwannoma and neurofibroma: role of Schwann cell-axon interaction. Acta Neuropathol 90, 142–149 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00294313
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00294313