Changes of Schwann cell antigenic profile after peripheral nerve injury.

Axons and Schwann cells (SC) in the peripheral nerve (PN) are in permanent interaction. Both myelin-forming SC (MSC) and nonmyelin-forming SC (NMSC) have a defined antigenic phenotype. Four weeks after PN transection, the proliferating SC in the distal stump lose some of their antigens, they start to display antigenic profile of NMSC and, in addition, to reexpress nerve growth factor receptor (NGF-rec) and growth associated protein (GAP-43), two antigens of their precursor cells. It can be assumed that migrating SC may differ in their antigenic profile in regard to resident proliferated SC in denervated distal nerve stump. We found that many SC specific antigens (S-100 protein, glial fibrilary acidic protein-GFAP, NGF-rec, GAP-43) are down-regulated in migrating SC as compared to SC proliferating in situ in the absence of axons.