H. Araujo et al., BLOCKAGE OF 9-O-ACETYL GANGLIOSIDES INDUCES MICROTUBULE DEPOLYMERIZATION IN GROWTH CONES AND NEURITES, European journal of cell biology, 72(3), 1997, pp. 202-213
Gangliosides have been implicated in numerous cellular functions in th
e developing nervous system. The expression of 9-O-acetyl gangliosides
recognized by the JONES mAb correlates with periods of cell migration
and axonal pathfinding. In vitro, addition of JONES induces growth co
ne collapse of dorsal root ganglion neurons. This suggests a modulator
y activity of 9-O-acetyl gangliosides on growth cone motility and/or a
dhesion. In this study we have investigated the effect of JONES mAb ad
dition on the cytoskeleton of dorsal root ganglion neurons in vitro. W
e have shown that blockage of 9-O-acetyl gangliosides induces the appe
arance of lateral spikes along the neurites in addition to the effect
on the growth cone. Microfilament and microtubular rearrangements acco
mpany these structural modifications. We present evidence that the mai
n effect of JONES mAb is to induce microtubule depolymerization both i
n growth cones and neurites. Together with the analysis on the spatial
distribution of these gangliosides along the cell surface, our result
s suggest that 9-O-acetyl gangliosides recognized by JONES mAb might s
erve a concerted action, modulating growth cone motility and axonal br
anch formation.