Analysis of oligodendroglial differentiation using cDNA arrays

We used cDNA arrays to investigate molecular aspects of the differentiation of an immortalized line of oligodendroglial progenitors, and of immunopan-purified primary cultures of oligodendroglial progenitors, to immature oligodendroglia. Developmental regulation of the proteolipid and 2- hydroxyacylsphingosine 1-galactosyltransferase genes was tighter in the primary than in the immortalized cells. Our data suggest that increased expression of genes encoding the following proteins are involved in oligodendroglial differentiation: Fyn, Erk, p85, G-α-12 guanine nucleotide binding, and transducin β-2 signal transduction molecules; glial maturation factor; the proteasomal subunits C8 and C3; the proteasomal targeting molecule polyubiquitin; the cell cycle regulatory proteins Set, protein phosphatase 2A, and nuclear tyrosine phosphatase (PRL-1); and the high- affinity glutamate cotransporter EAAC-1. (C) 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.