Tet3 Mediates O-GlcNAcylation-Induced Remyelination

Abstract

The failure of oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) to generate mature oligodendrocytes represents a major hurdle impeding myelin repair. However, the cellular determinants for OPC differentiation and the pharmacological targets driving remyelination remain rudimentary. Here, we demonstrate that O-GlcNAcylation intrinsically drives remyelination, in which Tet3 is one downstream effector. Enhanced O-GlcNAcylation significantly promotes OPC differentiation, whereas conditional depletion of Ogt in OPCs seriously impairs myelin formation in the developing central nervous system (CNS). Intriguingly, O-GlcNAcylation in OPCs positively correlates with the myelin status, and enhanced O-GlcNAcylation dramatically accelerates remyelination. Proteomic analyses reveal a cohort of proteins uniquely O-GlcNAcylated in OPCs. Among these, Tet3 is exclusively O-GlcNAcylated in OPCs within CNS, which in turn modulates its demethylation activity, thereby regulating myelin gene expression and remyelination. Our findings highlight the crucial role of the Ogt-Tet3 axis in OPC differentiation and suggest O-GlcNAcylation as a druggable target for treating demyelinating diseases.