Liver X receptors regulate cholesterol homeostasis in oligodendrocytes

Liver X receptors, nervous system, and lipid metabolism

Lipids in the nervous system are represented by cholesterol and phospholipids as constituents of cell membranes and, in particular, of myelin. Therefore, lipids are finely regulated to guarantee physiological functions. In the central nervous system, cholesterol is locally synthesized due to the presence of the blood brain barrier. In the peripheral nervous system cholesterol is either up-taken by lipoproteins and/or produced by de novo biosynthesis. Defects in lipid homeostasis in these tissues lead to structural and functional changes that often result in different pathological conditions depending on the affected pathways (i.e. cholesterol biosynthesis, cholesterol efflux, fatty acid biosynthesis etc.). Alterations in cholesterol metabolism in the central nervous system are linked to several disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, Huntington disease, Parkinson disease, Multiple sclerosis, Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome, Niemann-Pick type C disease, and glioblastoma. In the peripheral nervous system changes in lipid metabolism are associated with the development of peripheral neuropathy that may be caused by metabolic disorders, injuries, therapeutics, and autoimmune diseases. Transcription factors, such as the Liver X receptors (LXR), regulate both cholesterol and fatty acid metabolism in several tissues including the nervous system. In the last few years several studies elucidated the biology of LXR in the nervous system due to the availability of knock-out mice and the development of synthetic ligands. Here, we review a survey of the literature focused on the central and peripheral nervous system and in physiological and pathological settings with particular attention to the roles played by LXR in both districts.

ABCA8 stimulates sphingomyelin production in oligodendrocytes

Members of the ABCA (ATP-binding cassette subfamily A) family are characterized by their ability to transport lipids across cellular membranes and regulate lipid homoeostasis in the brain and peripheral tissues. ABCA8 is a little-known member of this subfamily that was originally cloned from human brain libraries and has no known function. In an effort to elucidate the role of ABCA8 in the brain we first undertook a comprehensive analysis of its expression in the human brain. ABCA8 was differentially expressed in multiple regions of adult human brains with significantly higher expression in oligodendrocyte-enriched white matter regions compared with grey matter cortical regions. We then assessed the impact of ABCA8 on sphingomyelin production in oligodendrocyte and showed that ABCA8 was able to significantly stimulate both sphingomyelin synthase 1 expression and sphingomyelin production. Furthermore, ABCA8 expression in the prefrontal cortex across the human life span correlated strongly with age-associated myelination, and the myelinating gene p25α was significantly up-regulated with ABCA8. The present study represents the first extensive expression and functional study of ABCA8 in the human brain and the results strongly suggest that ABCA8 regulates lipid metabolism in oligodendrocytes and potentially plays a role in myelin formation and maintenance.

Regulation of the cytosolic sulfotransferases by nuclear receptors

The cytosolic sulfotransferases (SULTs) are a multigene family of enzymes that catalyze the transfer of a sulfonate group from the physiologic sulfate donor, 3'-phosphoadenosine-5'-phosphosulfate, to a nucleophilic substrate to generate a polar product that is more amenable to elimination from the body. As catalysts of both xenobiotic and endogenous metabolism, the SULTs are major points of contact between the external and physiological environments, and modulation of SULT-catalyzed metabolism can not only affect xenobiotic disposition, but it can also alter endogenous metabolic processes. Therefore, it is not surprising that SULT expression is regulated by numerous members of the nuclear receptor (NR) superfamily that function as sensors of xenobiotics as well as endogenous molecules, such as fatty acids, bile acids, and oxysterols. These NRs include the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors, pregnane X receptor, constitutive androstane receptor, vitamin D receptor, liver X receptors, farnesoid X receptor, retinoid-related orphan receptors, and estrogen-related receptors. This review summarizes current information about NR regulation of SULT expression. Because species differences in SULT subfamily composition and tissue-, sex-, development-, and inducer-dependent regulation are prominent, these differences will be emphasized throughout the review. In addition, because of the central role of the SULTs in cellular physiology, the effect of NR-mediated SULT regulation on physiological and pathophysiological processes will be discussed. Gaps in current knowledge that require further investigation are also highlighted.

Pathogenesis, modulation, and therapy of Alzheimer’s disease: A perspective on roles of liver-X receptors

The pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has been mostly linked to aberrant amyloid beta (Aβ) and tau proteins metabolism, disturbed lipid/cholesterol homeostasis, and progressive neuroinflammation. Liver X receptors (LXR) are ligand-activated transcription factors, best known as the key regulators of cholesterol metabolism and transport. In addition, LXR signaling has been shown to have significant anti-inflammatory properties. In this brief review, we focus on the outcome of studies implicating LXR in the pathogenesis, modulation, and therapy of AD.