Loss of ABCA8B decreases myelination by reducing oligodendrocyte precursor cells in mice

The myelin sheath, which is wrapped around axons, is a lipid-enriched structure produced by mature oligodendrocytes. Disruption of the myelin sheath is observed in several neurological diseases, such as multiple sclerosis. A crucial component of myelin is sphingomyelin, levels of which can be increased by ABCA8, a member of the ATP-binding cassette transporter family. ABCA8 is highly expressed in the cerebellum, specifically in oligodendroglia. However, whether ABCA8 plays a role in myelination and mechanisms that would underlie this role remain unknown. Here we found that absence of Abca8b, a mouse ortholog of ABCA8, led to decreased numbers of cerebellar oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) and mature oligodendrocytes in mice. We show that in oligodendrocytes, ABCA8 interacts with chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan 4 (CSPG4), a molecule essential for OPC proliferation, migration, and myelination. In the absence of Abca8b, localization of CSPG4 to the plasma membrane was decreased, contributing to reduced cerebellar CSPG4 expression. Cerebellar CSPG4+ OPCs were also diminished, leading to decreased mature myelinating oligodendrocyte numbers and cerebellar myelination levels in Abca8b-/- mice. In addition, electron microscopy analyses showed that the number of non-myelinated cerebellar axons was increased, while cerebellar myelin thickness (g-ratio), myelin sheath periodicity, and axonal diameter were all decreased, indicative of disordered myelin ultrastructure. In line with disrupted cerebellar myelination, Abca8b-/- mice showed lower cerebellar conduction velocity and disturbed locomotion. In summary, ABCA8 modulates cerebellar myelination, in part through functional regulation of the ABCA8-interacting protein CSPG4. Our findings suggest that ABCA8 disruption may contribute to the pathophysiology of myelin disorders.