Ad. Toews et al., ALTERATIONS IN GENE-EXPRESSION ASSOCIATED WITH PRIMARY DEMYELINATION AND REMYELINATION IN THE PERIPHERAL NERVOUS-SYSTEM, Neurochemical research, 22(10), 1997, pp. 1271-1280
Primary demyelination is an important component of a number of human d
iseases and toxic neuropathies. Animal models of primary demyelination
are useful for isolating processes involved in myelin breakdown and r
emyelination because the complicating events associated with axonal de
generation and regeneration are not present. The tellurium neuropathy
model has proven especially useful in this respect. Tellurium specific
ally blocks synthesis of cholesterol, a major component of PNS myelin.
The resulting cholesterol deficit in myelin-producing Schwann cells r
apidly leads to synchronous primary demyelination of the sciatic nerve
, which is followed by rapid synchronous remyelination when tellurium
exposure is discontinued. Known alterations in gene expression for mye
lin proteins and for other proteins involved in the sequence of events
associated with demyelination and subsequent remyelination in the PNS
are reviewed, and new data regarding gene expression changes during t
ellurium neuropathy are presented and discussed.