Steroids and their conjugates in the mammalian brain

The neurosteroid pregnenolone sulfate blocks NMDA antagonist-induced deficits in a passive avoidance memory task

The neurosteroid pregnenolone sulfate (PS) has been recently shown to positively modulate NMDA receptors and to have memory enhancing properties in mice. In the present study, we examined the ability of PS to increase retention performance and to reduce deficits induced by a competitive NMDA receptor antagonist, the 3-((+/-)-2-carboxypiperazin-4-yl)-propyl-1-phosphonic acid (CPP), in a step-through passive avoidance task in rats. Pretraining administration of PS (0.84-1680 pmol, ICV) had minimal effects on retention performance assessed 24 h after training, while CPP significantly decreased retention performance at the doses of 1.2 and 1.6 nmol (ICV). However, when administered in combination with CPP (1.2 nmol), PS (0.84-840 pmol, ICV) dose-dependently blocked the deficit in passive avoidance response induced by the NMDA antagonist. At the dose of 840 nmol, PS also significantly reduced the motor impairment induced by CPP (1.2 nmol). The blockade of CPP-induced behavioral deficits by PS may result from its positive modulatory action at NMDA receptors.

Precursors of the neurosteroids

In addition to the neurosteroids pregnenolone and dehydroepiandrosterone, organic solvent extracts of rat brains contain related compounds that react with various reagents to yield additional amounts of these ketosteroids. Among the chemicals producing these increments are triethylamine, HCl, FeCl3, and Pb(OAc)4. Most revealing is the action of FeSO4 on these extracts. This reducing agent also converts components of the extract into the two neurosteroids, suggesting the presence of sterol hydroperoxides or peroxides in brain. The clues provided by this study indicate that the chemical nature of the steroidal constituents existing in extracts of mammalian brains remains to be determined. It is likely that their association with neurological functions will be better understood when the structures of these substances are established.