Comparison of the distribution of Na, K-ATPase and myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG) in the optic nerve, spinal cord and trigeminal ganglion of shiverer (shi/shi) and control (+/+) mice

Na+,K+ ATPase and myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG) were studied by immunocytochemistry on paraffin sections of the spinal cord, optic nerve and trigeminal ganglion of adult control (+/+) and CNS myelin-deficient shiverer (shi/shi) mice. Immunostaining for Na+, K+-ATPase outlined the periphery of nerve fibers in the spinal cord white matter, optic nerve and trigeminal ganglion of +/+ and shi/shi mice. Immunostaining for Na+,K+-ATPase appeared somewhat denser in the optic nerve and spinal cord lateral funiculi of shi/shi than in +/+ mice. In addition, immunostaining for Na+,K+-ATPase was demonstrated at the plasmalemma of presumed satellite cells situated at the periphery of ganglion cell bodies in the trigeminal ganglion of both species of mice. Immunostaining for MAG was localized along the periphery of nerve fibers in the spinal cord funiculi (with little immunostaining within gray horns), optic nerve and trigeminal ganglion of both +/+ and shi/shi mice. The major differences between shi/shi and +/+ mice were that the number of MAG-immunostained nerve fibers was greatly reduced in the spinal cord funiculi and the density of immunostaining was slightly increased in the optic nerve of shi/shi mice. The numbers of MAG-immunostained nerve fibers in trigeminal ganglion were similar in both species. Also, the cytoplasm of some oligodendrocyte-like cells was found densely immunostained for MAG in the spinal cord and optic nerve of shi/shi mice, but not of +/+ mice. This light microscopic study provides evidence that the defective shiverer gene leads to a decrease in MAG deposition and to aggregations of MAG-like material within perikarya of oligodendrocyte-like cells in regions of the CNS.