Transmembrane protein 108 inhibits the proliferation and myelination of oligodendrocyte lineage cells in the corpus callosum

BACKGROUND: Abnormal white matter is a common neurobiological change in bipolar disorder, and dysregulation of myelination in oligodendrocytes (OLs) is the cause. Transmembrane protein 108 (Tmem108), as a susceptible gene of bipolar disorder, is expressed higher in OL lineage cells than any other lineage cells in the central nervous system. Moreover, Tmem108 mutant mice exhibit mania-like behaviors, belonging to one of the signs of bipolar disorder. However, it is unknown whether Tmem108 regulates the myelination of the OLs. RESULTS: Tmem108 expression in the corpus callosum decreased with the development, and OL progenitor cell proliferation and OL myelination were enhanced in the mutant mice. Moreover, the mutant mice exhibited mania-like behavior after acute restraint stress and were susceptible to drug-induced epilepsy. CONCLUSIONS: Tmem108 inhibited OL progenitor cell proliferation and mitigated OL maturation in the corpus callosum, which may also provide a new role of Tmem108 involving bipolar disorder pathogenesis. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13041-022-00918-7.