Glycerophospholipid regulation of modality-specific sensory axon guidance in the spinal cord

• DOI: 10.1126/science.aab3516
• Publication Date: 2015-08-27T18:28:21Z
• Authors: Adam T. Guy; Yasuko Nagatsuka; Noriko Ooashi; Mariko Inoue; Asuka Nakata; Peter Greimel; Asuka Inoue; Takuji Nabetani; Akiho Murayama; Kunihiro Ohta; Yukishige Ito; Junken Aoki; Yoshio Hirabayashi; Hiroyuki Kamiguchi
• Keywords: Glycerophospholipids; Slit; Nociceptor; Growth cone

Glycerophospholipids, the structural components of cell membranes, have not been considered to be spatial cues for intercellular signaling because their ubiquitous distribution. We identified lyso-phosphatidyl-β-D-glucoside (LysoPtdGlc), a hydrophilic glycerophospholipid, and demonstrated its role in modality-specific repulsive guidance spinal cord sensory axons. LysoPtdGlc is locally synthesized released by radial glia patterned distribution regulate targeting nociceptive but proprioceptive central axon projections. Library screening G protein-coupled receptor GPR55 as high-affinity LysoPtdGlc, deletion or loss function vivo caused misallocation axons into zones. These findings show that LysoPtdGlc/GPR55 lipid-based system glia-neuron communication neural development.