Journal Article

DZNE-2025-00282

http://join2-wiki.gsi.de/foswiki/pub/Main/Artwork/join2_logo100x88.png Interactions of Oligodendrocyte Precursor Cells and Dopaminergic Neurons in the Mouse Substantia Nigra.

Fitzgerald, J. C. ; Sun, Y. ; Reinecke, F. ; Bauer, E. ; Garaschuk, O. ; Kahle, P. J.DZNE* ; Pfeiffer, F.

2025
Wiley-Blackwell Oxford

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Please use a persistent id in citations: doi:10.1111/jnc.16298

Abstract: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a prevalent neurodegenerative disease caused by the death of dopaminergic neurons within the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) region of the midbrain. Recent genomic and single cell sequencing data identified oligodendrocytes and oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) to confer genetic risk in PD, but their biological role is unknown. Although SNpc dopaminergic neurons are scarcely or thinly myelinated, there is a gap in the knowledge concerning the physiological interactions between dopaminergic neurons and oligodendroglia. We sought to investigate the distribution of OPCs with regard to the myelination state in the mouse substantia nigra (SN) by high-resolution imaging to provide a morphological assessment of OPC-dopaminergic neuron interactions and quantification of cell numbers across different age groups. OPCs are evenly distributed in the midbrain throughout the lifespan and they physically interact with both the soma and axons of dopaminergic neurons. The presence of OPCs and their interaction with dopaminergic neurons does not correlate with the distribution of myelin. Myelination is sparse in the SNpc, including dopaminergic fibers originating from the SNpc and projecting through the substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNpr). We report that OPCs and dopaminergic neurons exist in a 1:1 ratio in the SNpc, with OPCs accounting for 15%-16% of all cells in the region across all age groups. This description of OPC-dopaminergic neuron interaction in the midbrain provides a first look at their longitudinal distribution in mice, suggesting additional functions of OPCs beyond their differentiation into myelinating oligodendrocytes.

Keyword(s): Dopaminergic Neurons: physiology (MeSH) ; Animals (MeSH) ; Dopaminergic Neurons: metabolism (MeSH) ; Mice (MeSH) ; Substantia Nigra: cytology (MeSH) ; Oligodendrocyte Precursor Cells: metabolism (MeSH) ; Mice, Inbred C57BL (MeSH) ; Male (MeSH) ; Female (MeSH) ; Myelin Sheath: metabolism (MeSH) ; Oligodendroglia (MeSH) ; Cell Communication: physiology (MeSH) ; Substantia Nigra: metabolism (MeSH) ; Substantia Nigra: physiology (MeSH) ; Oligodendrocyte Precursor Cells: physiology (MeSH) ; OPCs ; Parkinson's disease ; SNpc ; dopaminergic neurons ; midbrain ; mouse brain ; oligodendrocyte precursor cells

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Contributing Institute(s):

1. Parkinson Genetics (AG Gasser)

Research Program(s):

1. 353 - Clinical and Health Care Research (POF4-353) (POF4-353)

Appears in the scientific report 2025

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Database coverage:
; ; ; BIOSIS Previews ; Biological Abstracts ; Clarivate Analytics Master Journal List ; Current Contents - Life Sciences ; DEAL Wiley ; Ebsco Academic Search ; Essential Science Indicators ; IF < 5 ; JCR ; Nationallizenz ; SCOPUS ; Science Citation Index Expanded ; Web of Science Core Collection

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