1Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong 226001, China
2Xinglin College, Nantong University, Nantong 226007, China

Abstract 

Myelination by oligodendrocytes in the central nervous system requires coordinated exocytosis and endocytosis of the major myelin protein, proteolipid protein (PLP). Here, we demonstrated that a small GTPase, Rab27b, is involved in PLP trafficking in oligodendrocytes. We showed that PLP co-localized with Rab27b in late endosomes/lysosomes in oligodendrocytes. Short hairpin-mediated knockdown of Rab27b not only reduced lysosomal exocytosis but also greatly diminished the surface expression of PLP in oligodendrocytes. In addition, knockdown of Rab27b reduced the myelin-like membranes induced by co-culture of oligodendrocytes and neurons. Our data suggest that Rab27b is involved in myelin biogenesis by regulating PLP transport from late endosomes/lysosomes to the cell membrane in oligodendrocytes.

Keywords

Myelination; Neuron-glial interaction; Oligodendrocyte; Lysosome; Rab27b

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