scholarly journals Oligodendroglial Lineage Cells in Thyroid Hormone-Deprived Conditions

2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Min Joung Kim ◽  
Steven Petratos

Oligodendrocytes are supporting glial cells that ensure the metabolism and homeostasis of neurons with specific synaptic axoglial interactions in the central nervous system. These require key myelinating glial trophic signals important for growth and metabolism. Thyroid hormone (TH) is one such trophic signal that regulates oligodendrocyte maturation, myelination, and oligodendroglial synaptic dynamics via either genomic or nongenomic pathways. The intracellular and extracellular transport of TH is facilitated by a specific transmembrane transporter known as the monocarboxylate transporter 8 (MCT8). Dysfunction of the MCT8 due to mutation, inhibition, or downregulation during brain development leads to inherited hypomyelination, which manifests as psychomotor retardation in the X-linked inherited Allan-Herndon-Dudley syndrome (AHDS). In particular, oligodendroglial-specific MCT8 deficiency may restrict the intracellular T3 availability, culminating in deficient metabolic communication between the oligodendrocytes and the neurons they ensheath, potentially promulgating neurodegenerative adult diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS). Based on the therapeutic effects exhibited by TH in various preclinical studies, particularly related to its remyelinating potential, TH has now entered the initial stages of a clinical trial to test the therapeutic efficacy in relapsing-remitting MS patients (NCT02506751). However, TH analogs, such as DITPA or Triac, may well serve as future therapeutic options to rescue mature oligodendrocytes and/or promote oligodendrocyte precursor cell differentiation in an environment of MCT8 deficiency within the CNS. This review outlines the therapeutic strategies to overcome the differentiation blockade of oligodendrocyte precursors and maintain mature axoglial interactions in TH-deprived conditions.

2009 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wendy M van der Deure ◽  
Robin P Peeters ◽  
Theo J Visser

Thyroid hormone is a pleiotropic hormone with widespread biological actions. For instance, adequate levels of thyroid hormone are critical for the development of different tissues such as the central nervous system, but are also essential for the regulation of metabolic processes throughout life. The biological activity of thyroid hormone depends not only on serum thyroid hormone levels, but is also regulated at the tissue level by the expression and activity of deiodinases, which activate thyroid hormone or mediate its degradation. In addition, thyroid hormone transporters are necessary for the uptake of thyroid hormone into target tissues. With the discovery of monocarboxylate transporter 8 (MCT8) as a specific thyroid hormone transporter and the finding that mutations in this transporter lead to a syndrome of severe psychomotor retardation and elevated serum 3,3′,5-tri-iodothyronine levels known as the Allan–Herndon–Dudley syndrome, the interest in this area of research has greatly increased. In this review, we will focus on the molecular aspects of thyroid hormone transporters, including MCT8, MCT10, organic anion transporting polypeptides, and the effects of genetic variation in these transporters.


Endocrinology ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 151 (2) ◽  
pp. 802-809 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marija Trajkovic-Arsic ◽  
Theo J. Visser ◽  
Veerle M. Darras ◽  
Edith C. H. Friesema ◽  
Bernhard Schlott ◽  
...  

Patients carrying inactivating mutations in the gene encoding the thyroid hormone transporting monocarboxylate transporter (MCT)-8 suffer from a severe form of psychomotor retardation and exhibit abnormal serum thyroid hormone levels. The thyroidal phenotype characterized by high-serum T3 and low-serum T4 levels is also found in mice mutants deficient in MCT8 although the cause of these abnormalities is still unknown. Here we describe the consequences of MCT8 deficiency for renal thyroid hormone transport, metabolism, and function by studying MCT8 null mice and wild-type littermates. Whereas serum and urinary parameters do not indicate a strongly altered renal function, a pronounced induction of iodothyronine deiodinase type 1 expression together with increased renal T3 and T4 content point to a general hyperthyroid state of the kidneys in the absence of MCT8. Surprisingly, accumulation of peripherally injected T4 and T3 into the kidneys was found to be enhanced in the absence of MCT8, indicating that MCT8 deficiency either directly interferes with the renal efflux of thyroid hormones or activates indirectly other renal thyroid hormone transporters that preferentially mediate the renal uptake of thyroid hormones. Our findings indicate that the enhanced uptake and accumulation of T4 in the kidneys of MCT8 null mice together with the increased renal conversion of T4 into T3 by increased renal deiodinase type 1 activities contributes to the generation of the low-serum T4 and the increase in circulating T3 levels, a hallmark of MCT8 deficiency.


2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (Suppl. 1) ◽  
pp. 87-91 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eva K. Wirth ◽  
Eddy Rijntjes ◽  
Franziska Meyer ◽  
Josef Köhrle ◽  
Ulrich Schweizer

Background: The Allan-Herndon-Dudley syndrome is a severe psychomotor retardation accompanied by specific changes in circulating thyroid hormone levels (high T3, low T4). These are caused by mutations in the thyroid hormone transmembrane transport protein monocarboxylate transporter 8 (MCT8). Objective: To test the hypothesis that circulating low T4 and high T3 levels are caused by enhanced conversion of T4 via increased activity of hepatic type I deiodinase (Dio1). Methods: We crossed mice deficient in Mct8 with mice lacking Dio1 activity in hepatocytes. Translation of the selenoenzyme Dio1 was abrogated by hepatocyte-specific inactivation of selenoprotein biosynthesis. Results: Inactivation of Dio1 activity in the livers of global Mct8-deficient mice does not restore normal circulating thyroid hormone levels. Conclusions: Our data suggest that although hepatic Dio1 activity is increased in Mct8-deficient mice, it does not cause the observed abnormal circulating thyroid hormone levels. Since global inactivation of Dio1 in Mct8-deficient mice does normalize circulating thyroid hormone levels, the underlying mechanism and relevant tissues involved remain to be elucidated.


2011 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Edward Visser ◽  
Edith C. H. Friesema ◽  
Theo J. Visser

The effects of thyroid hormone (TH) on development and metabolism are exerted at the cellular level. Metabolism and action of TH take place intracellularly, which require transport of the hormone across the plasma membrane. This process is mediated by TH transporter proteins. Many TH transporters have been identified at the molecular level, although a few are classified as specific TH transporters, including monocarboxylate transporter (MCT)8, MCT10, and organic anion-transporting polypeptide 1C1. The importance of TH transporters for physiology has been illustrated dramatically by the causative role of MCT8 mutations in males with psychomotor retardation and abnormal serum TH concentrations. Although Mct8 knockout animals have provided insight in the mechanisms underlying parts of the endocrine phenotype, they lack obvious neurological abnormalities. Thus, the pathogenesis of the neurological abnormalities in males with MCT8 mutations is not fully understood. The prospects of identifying other transporters and transporter-based syndromes promise an exciting future in the TH transporter field.


Endocrinology ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 150 (11) ◽  
pp. 5163-5170 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Edward Visser ◽  
Nancy J. Philp ◽  
Thamar B. van Dijk ◽  
Wim Klootwijk ◽  
Edith C. H. Friesema ◽  
...  

The human monocarboxylate transporter 8 (hMCT8) protein mediates transport of thyroid hormone across the plasma membrane. Association of hMCT8 mutations with severe psychomotor retardation and disturbed thyroid hormone levels has established its physiological relevance, but little is still known about the basic properties of hMCT8. In this study we present evidence that hMCT8 does not form heterodimers with the ancillary proteins basigin, embigin, or neuroplastin, unlike other MCTs. In contrast, it is suggested that MCT8 exists as monomer and homodimer in transiently and stably transfected cells. Apparently hMCT8 forms stable dimers because the complex is resistant to denaturing conditions and dithiothreitol. Cotransfection of wild-type hMCT8 with a mutant lacking amino acids 267–360 resulted in formation of homo-and heterodimers of the variants, indicating that transmembrane domains 4–6 are not involved in the dimerization process. Furthermore, we explored the structural and functional role of the 10 Cys residues in hMCT8. All possible Cys>Ala mutants did not behave differently from wild-type hMCT8 in protein expression, cross-linking experiments with HgCl2 and transport function. Our findings indicate that individual Cys residues are not important for the function of hMCT8 or suggest that hMCT8 has other yet-undiscovered functions in which cysteines play an essential role.


1999 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 287-290
Author(s):  
Per Soelberg Sùrensen

Reliable biological markers in body fluids for disease activity and progression are important for our understanding of the pathophysiology and therapeutic decisions in various subtypes of multiple sclerosis. Sampling from body fluids such as cerebrospinal fluid, blood, and urine constitutes the problem that the local immuno-inflammatory process takes place in the central nervous system whereas the disease activity is only to some extent reflected in the systemic immune compartment. Promising results have been obtained in studies of adhesion molecules, pro-inflammatory cytokines, co-stimulatory molecules and neopterin as markers of disease activity in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. However, these results apply to groups of patients but not necessarily to individual patients. Currently no single body fluid marker is sufficiently correlated to disease activity to be used in the individual patient in monitoring disease activity, progression, or therapeutic effects.


Endocrinology ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 154 (7) ◽  
pp. 2553-2561 ◽  
Author(s):  
Doreen Braun ◽  
Iva Lelios ◽  
Gerd Krause ◽  
Ulrich Schweizer

Abstract Mutations in monocarboxylate transporter 8 (MCT8; SLC16A2) cause the Allan-Herndon-Dudley syndrome, a severe X-linked psychomotor retardation syndrome. MCT8 belongs to the major facilitator superfamily of 12 transmembrane-spanning proteins and transports thyroid hormones across the blood-brain barrier and into neurons. How MCT8 distinguishes thyroid hormone substrates from structurally closely related compounds is not known. The goal of this study was to identify critical amino acids along the transport channel cavity, which participate in thyroid hormone recognition. The fact that T3 is bound between a His-Arg clamp in the crystal structure of the T3 receptor/T3 complex prompted us to investigate whether such a motif might potentially be relevant for T3 recognition in MCT8. We therefore replaced candidate histidines and arginines by site-directed mutagenesis and performed activity assays in MDCK-1 cells and Xenopus oocytes. Histidines were replaced by alanine, phenylalanine, and glutamine to probe for molecular properties like aromatic ring structure and H-bonding properties. It was found that some mutations in His192 and His415 significantly changed substrate transport kinetics. Arg301 at the intracellular end of the substrate channel is at an ideal distance to His415 to participate in a His-Arg clamp and mutation to alanine-abrogated hormone transport. Molecular modeling demonstrates a perfect fit of T3 poised into the substrate channel between His415 and Arg301 and observing the same geometry as in the T3 receptor.


Endocrinology ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 154 (7) ◽  
pp. 2525-2532 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefan Groeneweg ◽  
Elaine C. Lima de Souza ◽  
W. Edward Visser ◽  
Robin P. Peeters ◽  
Theo J. Visser

Abstract Monocarboxylate transporter 8 (MCT8) facilitates cellular uptake and efflux of thyroid hormone (TH). So far, functional domains within MCT8 are not well defined. Mutations in MCT8 result in severe psychomotor retardation due to impaired neuronal differentiation. One such mutation concerns His192 (H192R), located at the border of transmembrane domain (TMD) 1 and extracellular loop (ECL) 1, suggesting that this His residue is important for efficient TH transport. Here, we studied the role of different His residues, predicted within TMDs or ECLs of MCT8, in substrate recognition and translocation. Therefore, we analyzed the effects of the His-modifying reagent diethylpyrocarbonate (DEPC) and of site-directed mutagenesis of several His residues on TH transport by MCT8. Reaction of MCT8 with DEPC inhibited subsequent uptake of T3 and T4, whereas T3 and T4 efflux were not inhibited. The inhibitory effect of DEPC on TH uptake was prevented in the presence of T3 or T4, suggesting that TH blocks access to DEPC-sensitive residues. Three putative DEPC target His residues were replaced by Ala: H192A, H260A, and H450A. The H260A and H450A mutants showed similar TH transport and DEPC sensitivity as wild-type MCT8. However, the H192A mutant showed a significant reduction in TH uptake and was insensitive to DEPC. Taken together, these results indicate that His192 is sensitive to modification by DEPC and may be located close to a putative substrate recognition site within the MCT8 protein, important for efficient TH uptake.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ferdy S. van Geest ◽  
Nilhan Gunhanlar ◽  
Stefan Groeneweg ◽  
W. Edward Visser

Genetic defects in the thyroid hormone transporter monocarboxylate transporter 8 (MCT8) result in MCT8 deficiency. This disorder is characterized by a combination of severe intellectual and motor disability, caused by decreased cerebral thyroid hormone signalling, and a chronic thyrotoxic state in peripheral tissues, caused by exposure to elevated serum T3 concentrations. In particular, MCT8 plays a crucial role in the transport of thyroid hormone across the blood-brain-barrier. The life expectancy of patients with MCT8 deficiency is strongly impaired. Absence of head control and being underweight at a young age, which are considered proxies of the severity of the neurocognitive and peripheral phenotype, respectively, are associated with higher mortality rate. The thyroid hormone analogue triiodothyroacetic acid is able to effectively and safely ameliorate the peripheral thyrotoxicosis; its effect on the neurocognitive phenotype is currently under investigation. Other possible therapies are at a pre-clinical stage. This review provides an overview of the current understanding of the physiological role of MCT8 and the pathophysiology, key clinical characteristics and developing treatment options for MCT8 deficiency.


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