Okadaic acid and cultured frog sciatic nerves: potent inhibition of axonal regeneration in spite of unaffected Schwann cell proliferation and ganglionic protein synthesis.

Okadaic acid (OA) is a frequently used phosphatase inhibitor that by inhibiting dephosphorylation increases the net phosphorylation level in various systems. In the present study OA was used to assess the role of balanced phosphorylation-dephosphorylation reactions for successful regeneration of peripheral nerves. To achieve this, the effects of OA on phosphorylation levels, neurite outgrowth, injury-induced support cell proliferation, and neurofilament stability, respectively, were investigated in the in vitro regenerating, adult frog sciatic sensory nerve. OA at a moderate concentration (20 nM) increased phosphorylation levels and almost completely inhibited the in vitro regeneration in a reversible way. The effect on regeneration was not due to induced neurofilament instability and was only seen when the drug was applied in the outgrowth region. The latter and the absence of effects on support cell proliferation indicate that OA acts locally at the level of newly formed axons. However, the inhibition of regeneration was not a consequence of reduced delivery of proteins by axonal transport, because this process in fact was increased by OA. Altogether, the study suggests that properly balanced phosphorylating-dephosphorylating reactions are critical for regeneration of peripheral nerves.