Neurosteroids: oligodendrocyte mitochondria convert cholesterol to pregnenolone

Journal Article · Tue Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1987 · Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.84.23.8215· OSTI ID:6409041

Hu, Z Y; Bourreau, E; Jung-Testas, I; Robel, P; Baulieu, E E

Oligodendrocyte mitochondria from 21-day-old Sprague-Dawley male rats were incubated with 100 nM (/sup 3/H)cholesterol. It yielded (/sup 3/H)pregnenolone at a rate of 2.5 +/- 0.7 and 5-(/sup 3/H)pregnene-3..beta..,20..cap alpha..-diol at a rate of 2.5 +/- 1.1 pmol per mg of protein per hr. Cultures of glial cells from 19- to 21-day-old fetuses (a mixed population of astrocytes and oligodendrocytes) were incubated for 24 hr with (/sup 3/H)mevalonolactone. (/sup 3/H)Cholesterol, (/sup 3/H)pregnenolone, and 5-(/sup 3/H)pregnene-3..beta..,20..cap alpha..-diol were characterized in cellular extracts. The formation of the /sup 3/H-labeled steroids was increased by dibutyryl cAMP (0.2 mM) added to the culture medium. The active cholesterol side-chain cleavage mechanism, recently suggested immunohistochemically and already observed in cultures of C6 glioma cells, reinforces the concept of neurosteroids applied to ..delta../sup 5/-3..beta..-hydroxysteroids previously isolated from brain.

• Research Organization: Universite Paris-Sud, Bicetre (France)
• OSTI ID: 6409041
• Journal Information: Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.; (United States), Journal Name: Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.; (United States) Vol. 84:23; ISSN PNASA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550201* -- Biochemistry-- Tracer Techniques
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
ANIMAL CELLS
ANIMALS
BIOCHEMISTRY
CELL CONSTITUENTS
CHEMISTRY
CHOLESTEROL
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
IN VITRO
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
MALES
MAMMALS
METABOLISM
MITOCHONDRIA
NERVE CELLS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANOIDS
PREGNANES
RATS
RODENTS
SOMATIC CELLS
STEROIDS
STEROLS
TRITIUM COMPOUNDS
VERTEBRATES