Spatiotemporal Control of CNS Myelination by Oligodendrocyte Programmed Cell Death through the TFEB-PUMA Axis

Lu O. Sun, Sara B. Mulinyawe, Hannah Y. Collins, Adiljan Ibrahim, Qingyun Li, David J. Simon, Marc Tessier-Lavigne, Ben A. Barres

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

80 Scopus citations

Abstract

Nervous system function depends on proper myelination for insulation and critical trophic support for axons. Myelination is tightly regulated spatially and temporally, but how it is controlled molecularly remains largely unknown. Here, we identified key molecular mechanisms governing the regional and temporal specificity of CNS myelination. We show that transcription factor EB (TFEB) is highly expressed by differentiating oligodendrocytes and that its loss causes precocious and ectopic myelination in many parts of the murine brain. TFEB functions cell-autonomously through PUMA induction and Bax-Bak activation to promote programmed cell death of a subset of premyelinating oligodendrocytes, allowing selective elimination of oligodendrocytes in normally unmyelinated brain regions. This pathway is conserved across diverse brain areas and is critical for myelination timing. Our findings define an oligodendrocyte-intrinsic mechanism underlying the spatiotemporal specificity of CNS myelination, shedding light on how myelinating glia sculpt the nervous system during development.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1811-1826.e21
JournalCell
Volume175
Issue number7
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 13 2018
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • CNS
  • PUMA
  • myelination
  • oligodendrocyte
  • programmed cell death
  • stress response
  • temporal and regional specificity
  • transcription factor EB

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

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