scholarly journals Metabolism of 27-, 25- and 24-hydroxycholesterol in rat glial cells and neurons

1997 ◽  
Vol 322 (1) ◽  
pp. 175-184 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jie ZHANG ◽  
Yvette AKWA ◽  
Martine EL-ETR ◽  
Etienne-Emile BAULIEU ◽  
Jan SJÖVALL

The metabolism of 27-, 25- and 24-hydroxycholesterol in cultures of rat astrocytes, Schwann cells and neurons was studied. 27- and 25-Hydroxycholesterol, but not 24-hydroxycholesterol, underwent 7α-hydroxylation with subsequent oxidation to 7α-hydroxy-3-oxo-Δ4 steroids in all three cell types. When cells were incubated for 24 h with 0.28 nmol of 27-hydroxycholesterol in 10 ml of medium, the rates of conversion into 7α-hydroxylated metabolites were 0.21, 0.12 and 0.02 nmol/24 h per 106 cells in the media of astrocytes, Schwann cells and neurons respectively. The corresponding values for 25-hydroxycholesterol were 0.26, 0.16 and 0.04. A minor fraction of 27-hydroxycholesterol and its 7α-hydroxylated metabolites was oxidized to 3β-hydroxy-5-cholestenoic acid, 3β,7α-dihydroxy-5-cholestenoic acid and 7α-hydroxy-3-oxo-4-cholestenoic acid. In addition to the two hydroxycholesterols, other 3β-hydroxy-Δ5 steroids, dehydroepiandrosterone, pregnenolone, 3β-hydroxy-5-cholestenoic acid and 3β-hydroxy-5-cholenoic acid underwent 7α-hydroxylation. Competitive experiments did not distinguish between the presence of one or several 7α-hydroxylases. In astrocyte incubations, 27-hydroxycholesterol also underwent 25-hydroxylation, and 12% of its metabolites carried a 25-hydroxy group. 25-Hydroxylation of added 24-hydroxycholesterol was also observed in the astrocyte incubations, as was the formation of 7α,25-dihydroxy-4-cholesten-3-one, 25-hydroxycholesterol and 7α,25-dihydroxycholesterol from endogenous precursor(s). Our study indicates that side-chain oxygenated cholesterol can undergo metabolic transformations that may be of importance for cholesterol homoeostasis in the brain.

2005 ◽  
Vol 71 (12) ◽  
pp. 7927-7932 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stig Rønhede ◽  
Bo Jensen ◽  
Søren Rosendahl ◽  
Birthe B. Kragelund ◽  
René K. Juhler ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Several asco-, basidio-, and zygomycetes isolated from an agricultural field were shown to be able to hydroxylate the phenylurea herbicide isoproturon [N-(4-isopropylphenyl)-N′,N′-dimethylurea] to N-(4-(2-hydroxy-1-methylethyl)phenyl)-N′,N′-dimethylurea and N-(4-(1-hydroxy-1-methylethyl)phenyl)-N′,N′-dimethylurea. Bacterial metabolism of isoproturon has previously been shown to proceed by an initial demethylation to N-(4-isopropylphenyl)-N′-methylurea. In soils, however, hydroxylated metabolites have also been detected. In this study we identified fungi as organisms that potentially play a major role in the formation of these hydroxylated metabolites in soils treated with isoproturon. Isolates of Mortierella sp. strain Gr4, Phoma cf. eupyrena Gr61, and Alternaria sp. strain Gr174 hydroxylated isoproturon at the first position of the isopropyl side chain, yielding N-(4-(2-hydroxy-1-methylethyl)phenyl)-N′,N′-dimethylurea, while Mucor sp. strain Gr22 hydroxylated the molecule at the second position, yielding N-(4-(1-hydroxy-1-methylethyl)phenyl)-N′,N′-dimethylurea. Hydroxylation was the dominant mode of isoproturon transformation in these fungi, although some cultures also produced traces of the N-demethylated metabolite N-(4-isopropylphenyl)-N′-methylurea. A basidiomycete isolate produced a mixture of the two hydroxylated and N-demethylated metabolites at low concentrations. Clonostachys sp. strain Gr141 and putative Tetracladium sp. strain Gr57 did not hydroxylate isoproturon but N demethylated the compound to a minor extent. Mortierella sp. strain Gr4 also produced N-(4-(2-hydroxy-1-methylethyl)phenyl)-N′-methylurea, which is the product resulting from combined N demethylation and hydroxylation.


Genes ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 1502
Author(s):  
Fabio Caradonna ◽  
Gabriella Schiera ◽  
Carlo Maria Di Liegro ◽  
Vincenzo Vitale ◽  
Ilenia Cruciata ◽  
...  

Gliomas are complex and heterogeneous tumors that originate from the glial cells of the brain. The malignant cells undergo deep modifications of their metabolism, and acquire the capacity to invade the brain parenchyma and to induce epigenetic modifications in the other brain cell types. In spite of the efforts made to define the pathology at the molecular level, and to set novel approaches to reach the infiltrating cells, gliomas are still fatal. In order to gain a better knowledge of the cellular events that accompany astrocyte transformation, we developed three increasingly transformed astrocyte cell lines, starting from primary rat cortical astrocytes, and analyzed them at the cytogenetic and epigenetic level. In parallel, we also studied the expression of the differentiation-related H1.0 linker histone variant to evaluate its possible modification in relation with transformation. We found that the most modified astrocytes (A-FC6) have epigenetic and chromosomal alterations typical of cancer, and that the other two clones (A-GS1 and A-VV5) have intermediate properties. Surprisingly, the differentiation-specific somatic histone H1.0 steadily increases from the normal astrocytes to the most transformed ones. As a whole, our results suggest that these three cell lines, together with the starting primary cells, constitute a potential model for studying glioma development.


Viruses ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 1468
Author(s):  
Yashika S. Kamte ◽  
Manisha N. Chandwani ◽  
Alexa C. Michaels ◽  
Lauren A. O’Donnell

Viruses that infect the central nervous system (CNS) are associated with developmental abnormalities as well as neuropsychiatric and degenerative conditions. Many of these viruses such as Zika virus (ZIKV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), and herpes simplex virus (HSV) demonstrate tropism for neural stem cells (NSCs). NSCs are the multipotent progenitor cells of the brain that have the ability to form neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes. Viral infections often alter the function of NSCs, with profound impacts on the growth and repair of the brain. There are a wide spectrum of effects on NSCs, which differ by the type of virus, the model system, the cell types studied, and the age of the host. Thus, it is a challenge to predict and define the consequences of interactions between viruses and NSCs. The purpose of this review is to dissect the mechanisms by which viruses can affect survival, proliferation, and differentiation of NSCs. This review also sheds light on the contribution of key antiviral cytokines in the impairment of NSC activity during a viral infection, revealing a complex interplay between NSCs, viruses, and the immune system.


Biomedicines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 325
Author(s):  
Petra Korać ◽  
Mariastefania Antica ◽  
Maja Matulić

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short non-coding RNA involved in the regulation of specific mRNA translation. They participate in cellular signaling circuits and can act as oncogenes in tumor development, so-called oncomirs, as well as tumor suppressors. miR-7 is an ancient miRNA involved in the fine-tuning of several signaling pathways, acting mainly as tumor suppressor. Through downregulation of PI3K and MAPK pathways, its dominant role is the suppression of proliferation and survival, stimulation of apoptosis and inhibition of migration. Besides these functions, it has numerous additional roles in the differentiation process of different cell types, protection from stress and chromatin remodulation. One of the most investigated tissues is the brain, where its downregulation is linked with glioblastoma cell proliferation. Its deregulation is found also in other tumor types, such as in liver, lung and pancreas. In some types of lung and oral carcinoma, it can act as oncomir. miR-7 roles in cell fate determination and maintenance of cell homeostasis are still to be discovered, as well as the possibilities of its use as a specific biotherapeutic.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 2358
Author(s):  
Maria Grazia Giovannini ◽  
Daniele Lana ◽  
Chiara Traini ◽  
Maria Giuliana Vannucchi

The microbiota–gut system can be thought of as a single unit that interacts with the brain via the “two-way” microbiota–gut–brain axis. Through this axis, a constant interplay mediated by the several products originating from the microbiota guarantees the physiological development and shaping of the gut and the brain. In the present review will be described the modalities through which the microbiota and gut control each other, and the main microbiota products conditioning both local and brain homeostasis. Much evidence has accumulated over the past decade in favor of a significant association between dysbiosis, neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration. Presently, the pathogenetic mechanisms triggered by molecules produced by the altered microbiota, also responsible for the onset and evolution of Alzheimer disease, will be described. Our attention will be focused on the role of astrocytes and microglia. Numerous studies have progressively demonstrated how these glial cells are important to ensure an adequate environment for neuronal activity in healthy conditions. Furthermore, it is becoming evident how both cell types can mediate the onset of neuroinflammation and lead to neurodegeneration when subjected to pathological stimuli. Based on this information, the role of the major microbiota products in shifting the activation profiles of astrocytes and microglia from a healthy to a diseased state will be discussed, focusing on Alzheimer disease pathogenesis.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (11) ◽  
pp. 5818
Author(s):  
Gaylia Jean Harry

A change in microglia structure, signaling, or function is commonly associated with neurodegeneration. This is evident in the patient population, animal models, and targeted in vitro assays. While there is a clear association, it is not evident that microglia serve as an initiator of neurodegeneration. Rather, the dynamics imply a close interaction between the various cell types and structures in the brain that orchestrate the injury and repair responses. Communication between microglia and neurons contributes to the physiological phenotype of microglia maintaining cells in a surveillance state and allows the cells to respond to events occurring in their environment. Interactions between microglia and astrocytes is not as well characterized, nor are interactions with other members of the neurovascular unit; however, given the influence of systemic factors on neuroinflammation and disease progression, such interactions likely represent significant contributes to any neurodegenerative process. In addition, they offer multiple target sites/processes by which environmental exposures could contribute to neurodegenerative disease. Thus, microglia at least play a role as a significant other with an equal partnership; however, claiming a role as an initiator of neurodegeneration remains somewhat controversial.


1992 ◽  
Vol 282 (2) ◽  
pp. 339-344 ◽  
Author(s):  
C B Srikant ◽  
K K Murthy ◽  
Y C Patel

Pharmacological studies have suggested that the somatostatin (SS) receptor is heterogeneous and exhibits SS-14-and SS-28-selective subtypes. Whether such subtypes arise from molecular heterogeneity of the receptor protein has not been definitively established. Previous reports characterizing the molecular properties of the SS receptor by the cross-linking approach have yielded divergent size estimates ranging from 27 kDa to 200 kDa. In order to resolve this discrepancy, as well as to determine whether SS-14 and SS-28 interact with specific receptor proteins, we have cross-linked radioiodinated derivatives of [125I-Tyr11]SS-14 (T*-SS-14) and [Leu8,D-Trp22,125I-Tyr25]SS-28 (LTT*-SS-28) to membrane SS receptors in rat brain, pituitary, exocrine pancreas and adrenal cortex using a number of chemical and photoaffinity cross-linking agents. The labelled cross-linked receptor proteins were analysed by SDS/PAGE under reducing conditions followed by autoradiography. Our findings indicate that the pattern of specifically labelled cross-linked SS receptor proteins is sensitive to the concentration of chemical cross-linking agents such as disuccinimidyl suberate and dithiobis-(succinimidyl propionate). Labelled high-molecular-mass complexes of cross-linked receptor-ligand proteins were observed only when high concentrations of these cross-linkers were employed. Using optimized low concentrations of cross-linkers, however, two major labelled bands of 58 +/- 3 kDa and 27 +/- 2 kDa were detected. These two bands were identified as specifically labelled SS receptor proteins subsequent to cross-linking with a number of photoaffinity cross-linking agents as well. We demonstrate here that the 58 kDa protein is the major SS receptor protein in the rat pituitary, adrenal and exocrine pancreas, whereas the 27 kDa moiety represents the principal form in the brain. Additionally, the presence of a minor specifically labelled band of 32 kDa was detected uniquely in the brain, and a minor labelled protein of 42 kDa was observed in the pancreas. The labelling pattern obtained with LTT*-SS-28 was identical to that observed with T*-SS-14. Labelling of the 27 kDa band by either ligand was inhibited by SS-14 and SS-28 in a dose-dependent manner. Densitometric quantification showed that SS-14 exhibited greater than 2-fold greater potency than SS-28 for inhibiting the labelling of the 27 kDa species. These findings emphasize the need for careful interpretation of cross-linking data obtained for SS receptors, and provide evidence for molecular heterogeneity and for a tissue-specific distribution of the two principal SS receptor proteins.


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