Schwann cells but not olfactory ensheathing cells inhibit CNS myelination via the secretion of connective tissue growth factor.

Cell transplantation is a promising strategy to promote CNS repair and has been studied for several decades with a focus on glial cells. Promising candidates include Schwann cells (SCs) and olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs). Both cell types are thought to be neural crest derived and share many properties in common, although OECs appear to be a better candidate for transplantation by evoking less astrogliosis. Using CNS mixed myelinating rat cultures plated on to a monolayer of astrocytes, we demonstrated that SCs, but not OECs, secrete a heat labile factor(s) that inhibits oligodendrocyte myelination. Comparative qRT-PCR and ELISA showed that SCs expressed higher levels of mRNA and protein for connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) than OECs. Anti-CTGF reversed the SCM-mediated effects on myelination. Both SCM and CTGF inhibited the differentiation of purified rat oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs). Furthermore, pretreatment of astrocyte monolayers with SCM inhibited CNS myelination and led to transcriptional changes in the astrocyte, corresponding to upregulation of bone morphogenic protein 4 mRNA and CTGF mRNA (inhibitors of OPC differentiation) and the downregulation of insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA (promoter of OPC differentiation). CTGF pretreatment of astrocytes increased their expression of CTGF, suggesting that this inhibitory factor can be positively regulated in astrocytes. These data provide evidence for the advantages of using OECs, and not mature SCs, for transplant-mediated repair and provide more evidence that they are a distinct and unique glial cell type.