Effects of A23187 in cultures containing only rat Schwann cells and sensory neurons
Autor(es): Mithen F A,Birchem R
Resumo: Serum from approximately 40% of patients with the acute Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) selectively destroys myelin and myelin-related Schwann cells in cultures containing only rat dorsal root ganglion neurons and Schwann cells. To determine if the effects of GBS serum on myelin and myelin-related Schwann cells could be mediated through elevations in the intracellular concentration of calcium ions, we compared the effects of cytotoxic serum to A23187, a divalent cation ionophore. Both myelin- and nonmyelin-related Schwann cells were killed along with neurons in the presence of A23187 and extracellular calcium ions. Myelin sheaths also underwent vesicular disruption. The ultrastructural appearance of myelin and myelin-related Schwann cell lysis caused by A23187 were essentially identical to damage produced by GBS serum. These observations suggest that GBS serum factors might damage myelin and myelin-related Schwann cells in culture by an increase in myelin-related Schwann cell permeability to extracellular calcium ions. In contrast, A23187 causes necrosis of Schwann cells and neurons as well as myelin lysis by a nonselective increase in membrane permeability to extracellular calcium ions.
Palavras-Chave: A23187; Guillain-Barré syndrome; Schwann cell; Myelin sheath; Tissue culture; Peripheral nerve disease
Imprenta: Brain Research, v. 525, n. 2, p. 267-274, 1990
Identificador do objeto digital: 10.1016/0006-8993(90)90873-A
Descritores: Guillain-Barre Syndrome - Cell
Data de publicação: 1990
