Monoclonal antibodies (O1 to O4) to oligodendrocyte cell surfaces: an immunocytological study in the central nervous system

Four monoclonal antibodies are characterized that have been obtained from a fusion of mouse myeloma P3-NS1/1-Ag4-1 with spleen cells from BALB/c mice immunized with white matter from bovine corpus callosum. The corresponding antigens (O antigens) are designated O1, O2, O3, and O4. The localization of these antigens was investigated by indirect immunofluorescence in cultures of early postnatal mouse cerebellum, cerebrum, spinal cord, optic nerve, and retina. When tested on live cultures none of the O antibodies reacted with the surface of astrocytes, neurons, or fibroblasts, however, all are positive on the surface of oligodendrocytes. The identity of these cells was determined by double-immunolabeling experiments with indpendent cell-type-specific antigenic markers (glial fibrillary acidic protein, tetanus toxin receptors, fibronectin, and galactocerebroside). Antigen O1 is exclusively expressed on galactocerebroside-positive cells, whereas O2, O3, and O4 are expressed on additional cells that are negative for any of the markers tested. None of the O antigens is expressed on the surface of cultured retinal cells. In fresh-frozen sections of adult mouse cerebellum all O antigens are detectable in white matter tracts and in vesicular structures of the granular layer. O2 and O3 antigens are in addition detectable in GFA protein-positive radial fibers in the molecular layer. In fixed cerebellar cultures, where intracellular antigens are accessible, O1, O2, and O3 antibodies label astrocytes in a GFA protein-like pattern. O antigens are expressed in mouse, rat, chicken, and human central nervous systems. O antibodies belong to the IgM immunoglobulin subclass and have been used in complement-dependent cytotoxic elimination of cerebellar oligodendrocytes in culture. At limiting antibody dilutions all processes of oligodendrocytes are preferably lysed over cell bodies.