A metalloprotease activity from C6 glioma cells inactivates the myelin-associated neurite growth inhibitors and can be neutralized by antibodies.

Glioblastoma cells infiltrate brain tissue and migrate preferentially along white matter fibre tracts, an environment that is highly inhibitory to the migration of astrocytes and the growth of neurites because of the presence of specific inhibitory proteins. In vitro, spreading and migration of rat C6 glioma cells on a CNS (central nervous system) myelin substrate is correlated with and dependent on the presence of a metalloprotease. This membrane-bound metalloendoprotease exhibits a blocker profile different from known proteases. Pretreatment of CNS myelin or of a highly purified CNS myelin component, the inhibitory protein bNI-220, with C6 metalloproteolytic activity converts these non-permissive substrates into permissive environments for astrocytes and fibroblasts, indicating that this C6 cell-derived metalloprotease may inactivate myelin-associated inhibitory proteins. Antibodies were raised in chicken against fractions enriched in metalloproteolytic activity; these antibodies were able to inhibit specifically spreading and migration of C6 glioma cells on a CNS myelin substrate, as well as the invasion of C6 cells into adult rat optic nerve explants in vitro. These results suggest a crucial involvement of a membrane-bound metalloprotease in the mechanisms of C6 glioma migration and infiltration of brain tissue by proteolytic inactivation of the neurite growth inhibitory proteins present in CNS myelin.

Spreading and migration of human glioma and rat C6 cells on central nervous system myelin in vitro is correlated with tumor malignancy and involves a metalloproteolytic activity.

Malignant gliomas infiltrate the brain preferentially along myelinated fiber tracts. Central nervous system (CNS) myelin, however, contains inhibitory proteins that block axon regeneration, neurite outgrowth, and cell spreading of astrocytes and fibroblasts. We tested 5 human brain tumor cell lines, 1 rat brain tumor cell line, and 29 short-term cultured specimens from human brain tumors for their ability to spread and migrate on a CNS myelin substrate. Low-grade and pilocytic astrocytoma, ependymoma, medulloblastoma, and meningioma cell lines as well as primary cultures were strongly sensitive to the inhibitory proteins present in the CNS myelin. In contrast, glioblastomas, anaplastic astrocytomas, and oligodendrogliomas were able to spread and migrate on CNS myelin-coated culture dishes, demonstrating that within the gliomas, the ability to overcome the inhibitory effects of the CNS myelin is correlated with the grade of malignancy of the original tumor. Cell spreading of glioblastomas and anaplastic astrocytomas specifically on a CNS myelin substrate was strongly inhibited by the metalloprotease blocker O-phenanthroline and the peptide derivative carbobenzoxy-Phe-Ala-Phe-Tyr-amide, whereas blockers for serine, aspartyl, and cysteine proteases had no effect. Enzymatic peptide degradation assays revealed the presence of a phosphoramidon-sensitive and thiorphan-insensitive metalloproteolytic activity in the plasma membranes of high-grade glioma cells. These results suggest a crucial involvement of a membrane-bound metalloendoprotease in the process of invasive migration of malignant gliomas along CNS white matter fiber tracts.

Oligodendrocyte-type 2 astrocyte progenitors use a metalloendoprotease to spread and migrate on CNS myelin.

Oligodendrocyte-type 2 astrocyte (O-2A) progenitors are highly motile cells which migrate in the developing and adult central nervous system (CNS). Adult CNS myelin, however, contains inhibitory proteins, the neurite growth inhibitors NI 35/250, which block neurite outgrowth and spreading of many different cell types, such as astrocytes and fibroblasts. In the present study we investigated the spreading of dissociated cells and migration out of aggregates ('spheres') of primary O-2A cultures and of a glial precursor cell line (CG-4) on purified CNS myelin and on CNS tissue. Primary O-2A progenitors and CG-4 cells quickly attached to and spread on CNS myelin-coated culture dishes, showing no inhibition by the neurite growth inhibitors. CG-4 cells migrated with a velocity of 30 microns/h on a CNS myelin protein extract and at 5.7 microns/h on adult spinal cord tissue. Both cell spreading and migration on a CNS substrate could be specifically blocked by metalloprotease blockers like o-phenanthroline and the tetrapeptide carbobenzoxy-phe-ala-phe-tyr-amide, whereas blockers of the serine, aspartyl and cysteine proteases had no effect. On differentiation to astrocytes, the O-2A progenitors lost their ability to spread on CNS myelin. These results suggest the crucial involvement of a metalloprotease in the mechanism of migration on a CNS substrate. In vivo, migration of oligodendrocyte progenitors may be an important aspect of myelin repair following local traumatic, inflammatory or toxin-induced myelin loss.