THE ROLE OF GLYCINE IN OLIGODENDROGLIAL CELL PROLIFERATION

Abstract

Like for other neurotransmitters, there is growing evidence that glycine, besides its classical role in fast inhibitory neurotransmission could play a role in paracrine communication within the central nervous system. Studies have shown that inhibitory neurotransmitters can have beneficial effects on neuronal precursor cells with respect to migration, differentiation and cell survival. There has also been evidence suggesting that the myelination process is in part regulated by neurotransmitter receptors. With these and other indications we propose the hypothesis that inhibitory neurotransmitters could play a functional role in oligodendrocytes and their precursors with respect to developmental and repair processes. In that context, glycine receptors (GlyR) and transporters (GlyT) were already described on oligondendroglial cells cultured in oligospheres. However, this was not confirmed either in other culture models or in vivo. With RT-PCR, Western blot and immunocytochemistry we already confirmed the presence of GlyRs and GlyTs in three different oligodendroglial cell lines (OLN-93, MO3.13 and HOG). By using whole-cell patch-clamp and cell surface protein analysis we looked for he presence of functional GlyR and/or GlyTs on the cell membrane. Finally, we investigated the effects of glycine on cell proliferation.