[PDF][PDF] Rejuvenation of regeneration in the aging central nervous system

JM Ruckh, JW Zhao, JL Shadrach, P van Wijngaarden… - Cell stem cell, 2012 - cell.com
JM Ruckh, JW Zhao, JL Shadrach, P van Wijngaarden, TN Rao, AJ Wagers, RJM Franklin
Cell stem cell, 2012cell.com
Remyelination is a regenerative process in the central nervous system (CNS) that produces
new myelin sheaths from adult stem cells. The decline in remyelination that occurs with
advancing age poses a significant barrier to therapy in the CNS, particularly for long-term
demyelinating diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS). Here we show that remyelination of
experimentally induced demyelination is enhanced in old mice exposed to a youthful
systemic milieu through heterochronic parabiosis. Restored remyelination in old animals …
Summary
Remyelination is a regenerative process in the central nervous system (CNS) that produces new myelin sheaths from adult stem cells. The decline in remyelination that occurs with advancing age poses a significant barrier to therapy in the CNS, particularly for long-term demyelinating diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS). Here we show that remyelination of experimentally induced demyelination is enhanced in old mice exposed to a youthful systemic milieu through heterochronic parabiosis. Restored remyelination in old animals involves recruitment to the repairing lesions of blood-derived monocytes from the young parabiotic partner, and preventing this recruitment partially inhibits rejuvenation of remyelination. These data suggest that enhanced remyelinating activity requires both youthful monocytes and other factors, and that remyelination-enhancing therapies targeting endogenous cells can be effective throughout life.
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