Oligodendrocyte precursor cells facilitate neuronal lysosome release

Li-Pao Fang, Ching-Hsin Lin, Yasser Medlej, Renping Zhao, Hsin-Fang Chang, Qilin Guo, Zhonghao Wu, Yixun Su, Na Zhao, Davide Gobbo, Amanda Wyatt, Vanessa Wahl, Frederic Fiore, Szu-Min Tu, Ulrich Boehm, Wenhui Huang, Shan Bian, Amit Agarwal, Marcel A. Lauterbach, Chenju Yi, Jianqin Niu, Anja Scheller, Frank Kirchhoff (frank.kirchhoff@uks.eu) and Xianshu Bai (xianshu.bai@uks.eu)
Additional contact information
Li-Pao Fang: University of Saarland
Ching-Hsin Lin: University of Saarland
Yasser Medlej: University of Saarland
Renping Zhao: University of Saarland
Hsin-Fang Chang: University of Saarland
Qilin Guo: University of Saarland
Zhonghao Wu: Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University
Yixun Su: Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University
Na Zhao: University of Saarland
Davide Gobbo: University of Saarland
Amanda Wyatt: University of Saarland
Vanessa Wahl: University of Saarland
Frederic Fiore: Heidelberg University
Szu-Min Tu: University of Saarland
Ulrich Boehm: University of Saarland
Wenhui Huang: University of Saarland
Shan Bian: Tongji University
Amit Agarwal: Heidelberg University
Marcel A. Lauterbach: University of Saarland
Chenju Yi: Third Military Medical University
Jianqin Niu: Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University
Anja Scheller: University of Saarland
Frank Kirchhoff: University of Saarland
Xianshu Bai: University of Saarland

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Abstract Oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) shape brain function through many non-canonical regulatory mechanisms beyond myelination. Here we show that OPCs form contacts with their processes on neuronal somata in a neuronal activity-dependent manner. These contacts facilitate exocytosis of neuronal lysosomes. A reduction in the number or branching of OPCs reduces these contacts, which is associated with lysosome accumulation and altered metabolism in neurons and more senescent neurons with age. A similar reduction in OPC branching and neuronal lysosome accumulation is seen in an early-stage mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease. Our findings have implications for the prevention of age-related pathologies and the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-56484-8

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