Proteomic changes associated with degeneration of myelin-forming cells in the central nervous system of c-myc transgenic mice

Myelin is necessary for the conduction of high frequency and high velocity nerve impulses in the central nervous system of mammals, and severe neurological disturbances develop as a result of myelin loss. In this report, we have characterized changes in the brain proteomic profile of transgenic mice that develop a c-myc-induced degenerative disorder of myelin. Marked differences were seen in the accumulation of cytoskeletal proteins associated with the pathological condition fibrous gliosis in the optic nerves of affected animals, including upregulation of glial fibrillary acid protein and vimentin. In addition, the expression of several major myelin proteins, including five isoforms of myelin basic protein, four isoforms of cyclic nucleotide 3'-phosphodiesterase, and myelin-associated glycoprotein, was markedly reduced in the brains of c-myc transgenic mice as revealed by immunocytochemistry and by two-dimensional immunoblots. A number of novel proteomic disease marker candidates were revealed, which displayed pronounced changes in their expression profile. Sequence determination of these proteins and molecular cloning of their mRNAs will provide an opportunity to further evaluate their roles in the disease process.