RT Journal Article
T1 Molecular mechanism of central nervous system repair by the Drosophila NG2 homologue kon-tiki
A1 Losada Pérez, María De La Paloma
A1 Harrison, Neale
A1 Hidalgo, Alicia
AB Neuron glia antigen 2 (NG2)–positive glia are repair cells that proliferate upon central nervous system (CNS) damage, promoting functional recovery. However, repair is limited because of the failure of the newly produced glial cells to differentiate. It is a key goal to discover how to regulate NG2 to enable glial proliferation and differentiation conducive to repair. Drosophila has an NG2 homologue called kon-tiki (kon), of unknown CNS function. We show that kon promotes repair and identify the underlying mechanism. Crush injury up-regulates kon expression downstream of Notch. Kon in turn induces glial proliferation and initiates glial differentiation by activating glial genes and prospero (pros). Two negative feedback loops with Notch and Pros allow Kon to drive the homeostatic regulation required for repair. By modulating Kon levels in glia, we could prevent or promote CNS repair. Thus, the functional links between Kon, Notch, and Pros are essential for, and can drive, repair. Analogous mechanisms could promote CNS repair in mammals.
PB Rockefeller University Press
SN 0021-9525
YR 2016
FD 2016
LK https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/94805
UL https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/94805
LA eng
NO Maria Losada-Perez, Neale Harrison, Alicia Hidalgo; Molecular mechanism of central nervous system repair by the Drosophila NG2 homologue kon-tiki. J Cell Biol 29 August 2016; 214 (5): 587–601. doi: https://doi.org/10.1083/jcb.201603054
NO This work was funded by Marie Curie-Sklodowska Intra-European Post-doctoral fellowship "Kon-TikiGENET" to M. Losada-Perez and Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council Project Grant BB/L008343/1 to A. Hidalgo.
NO Biological Sciences Research Council (UK)
NO European Commission
DS Docta Complutense
RD 24 abr 2025