@article{RajendranRajendranGiraldoVelasquezetal.2021,
  author    = {Rajendran, Ranjithkumar and Rajendran, Vinothkumar and Giraldo-Velasquez, Mario and Megalofonou, Fevronia-Foivi and Gurski, Fynn and Stadelmann, Christine and Karnati, Srikanth and Berghoff, Martin},
  title     = {Oligodendrocyte-specific deletion of FGFR1 reduces cerebellar inflammation and neurodegeneration in MOG\(_{35-55}\)-induced EAE},
  series = {International Journal of Molecular Sciences},
  volume    = {22},
  journal   = {International Journal of Molecular Sciences},
  number    = {17},
  issn      = {1422-0067},
  doi       = {10.3390/ijms22179495},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-284296},
  year      = {2021},
  abstract  = {Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory and degenerative disease of the central nervous system (CNS). MS commonly affects the cerebellum causing acute and chronic symptoms. Cerebellar signs significantly contribute to clinical disability, and symptoms such as tremor, ataxia, and dysarthria are difficult to treat. Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) and their receptors (FGFRs) are involved in demyelinating pathologies such as MS. In autopsy tissue from patients with MS, increased expression of FGF1, FGF2, FGF9, and FGFR1 was found in lesion areas. Recent research using mouse models has focused on regions such as the spinal cord, and data on the expression of FGF/FGFR in the cerebellum are not available. In recent EAE studies, we detected that oligodendrocyte-specific deletion of FGFRs results in a milder disease course, less cellular infiltrates, and reduced neurodegeneration in the spinal cord. The objective of this study was to characterize the role of FGFR1 in oligodendrocytes in the cerebellum. Conditional deletion of FGFR1 in oligodendrocytes (Fgfr1\(^{ind-/-}\) was achieved by tamoxifen application, EAE was induced using the MOG\(_{35-55}\) peptide. The cerebellum was analyzed by histology, immunohistochemistry, and western blot. At day 62 p.i., Fgfr1\(^{ind-/-}\) mice showed less myelin and axonal degeneration compared to FGFR1-competent mice. Infiltration of CD3(+) T cells, Mac3(+) cells, B220(+) B cells and IgG(+) plasma cells in cerebellar white matter lesions (WML) was less in Fgfr1\(^{ind-/-}\)mice. There were no effects on the number of OPC or mature oligodendrocytes in white matter lesion (WML). Expression of FGF2 and FGF9 associated with less myelin and axonal degeneration, and of the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-6, and CD200 was downregulated in Fgfr1\(^{ind-/-}\) mice. The FGF/FGFR signaling protein pAkt, BDNF, and TrkB were increased in Fgfr1\(^{ind-/-}\) mice. These data suggest that cell-specific deletion of FGFR1 in oligodendrocytes has anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects in the cerebellum in the EAE disease model of MS.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{RajendranBoettigerStadelmannetal.2021,
  author    = {Rajendran, Ranjithkumar and B{\"o}ttiger, Gregor and Stadelmann, Christine and Karnati, Srikanth and Berghoff, Martin},
  title     = {FGF/FGFR pathways in multiple sclerosis and in its disease models},
  series = {Cells},
  volume    = {10},
  journal   = {Cells},
  number    = {4},
  issn      = {2073-4409},
  doi       = {10.3390/cells10040884},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-236594},
  year      = {2021},
  abstract  = {Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory and neurodegenerative disease of the central nervous system (CNS) affecting more than two million people worldwide. In MS, oligodendrocytes and myelin sheaths are destroyed by autoimmune-mediated inflammation, while remyelination is impaired. Recent investigations of post-mortem tissue suggest that Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signaling may regulate inflammation and myelination in MS. FGF2 expression seems to correlate positively with macrophages/microglia and negatively with myelination; FGF1 was suggested to promote remyelination. In myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG)\(_{35-55}\)-induced experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), systemic deletion of FGF2 suggested that FGF2 may promote remyelination. Specific deletion of FGF receptors (FGFRs) in oligodendrocytes in this EAE model resulted in a decrease of lymphocyte and macrophage/microglia infiltration as well as myelin and axon degeneration. These effects were mediated by ERK/Akt phosphorylation, a brain-derived neurotrophic factor, and downregulation of inhibitors of remyelination. In the first part of this review, the most important pharmacotherapeutic principles for MS will be illustrated, and then we will review recent advances made on FGF signaling in MS. Thus, we will suggest application of FGFR inhibitors, which are currently used in Phase II and III cancer trials, as a therapeutic option to reduce inflammation and induce remyelination in EAE and eventually MS.},
  language  = {en}
}