Isoform-specific localization of Nogo protein in the optic pathway of mouse embryos

Expression of Nogo protein was investigated in the optic pathway of embryonic mice by using isoform-specific antibodies Bianca and 11C7, which recognize Nogo-A/B and Nogo-A, respectively. Our previous reports from using antibody N18 have shown that Nogo is localized on the radial glia in the retina and at the midline of the ventral diencephalon in mouse embryos during the ingrowth of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) axons. This glial-specific localization is markedly different from findings in other studies. This study showed Nogo-A/B primarily on radial glia in the retina at E13 and then later on retinal ganglion cells and axons at E14 and E15, whereas Nogo-A was expressed preferentially by RGCs and their axons. In the ventral diencephalon, Nogo-A/B was expressed strongly on radial glia, particularly in those located in the midline region of the chiasm but also on RGC axons. In Nogo-A knockout embryos, the isoform Nogo-B (revealed by Bianca) was observed on radial glia in the ventral diencephalon and on RGCs and their axons. We concluded that Nogo-A is localized on the ganglion cells and retinal axons, whereas Nogo-B is expressed by the radial glia in the optic pathway. Nogo-B may play an important role in guiding axon growth in decisive regions of the visual pathway, which include the optic disc and the optic chiasm. J. Comp. Neurol. 524:2322-2334, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.