myelinated peripheral nerves: Expression and function of junctional adhesion mol

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Science. 2007 Nov 30;318(5855):1472-5.

Expression and function of junctional adhesion molecule-C in

myelinated peripheral nerves.

Scheiermann C, Meda P, Aurrand-Lions M, Madani R, Yiangou Y, Coffey

P, Salt TE, Ducrest-Gay D, Caille D, Howell O, Reynolds R, Lobrinus

A, RH, Yu AS, Anand P, Imhof BA, Nourshargh S.

National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London,

UK.

JAM-C is an adhesion molecule that is expressed on cells within the

vascular compartment and epithelial cells and, to date, has been

largely studied in the context of inflammatory events.

Using immunolabeling procedures in conjunction with confocal and

electron microscopy, we show here that JAM-C is also expressed in

peripheral nerves and that this expression is localized to Schwann

cells at junctions between adjoining myelin end loops. Sciatic

nerves from JAM-C-deficient [having the JAM-C gene knocked out (KO)]

mice exhibited loss of integrity of the myelin sheath and defective

nerve conduction as indicated by morphological and

electrophysiological studies, respectively.

In addition, behavioral tests showed motor abnormalities in the KO

animals. JAM-C was also expressed in human sural nerves with an

expression profile similar to that seen in mice.

These results demonstrate that JAM-C is a component of the autotypic

junctional attachments of Schwann cells and plays an important role

in maintaining the integrity and function of myelinated peripheral

nerves.