Primary cultures as a model for studying ependymal functions: glycogen metabolism in ependymal cells

Preterm intraventricular hemorrhage in vitro: modeling the cytopathology of the ventricular zone

BACKGROUND

Severe intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) is one of the most devastating neurological complications in preterm infants, with the majority suffering long-term neurological morbidity and up to 50% developing post-hemorrhagic hydrocephalus (PHH). Despite the importance of this disease, its cytopathological mechanisms are not well known. An in vitro model of IVH is required to investigate the effects of blood and its components on the developing ventricular zone (VZ) and its stem cell niche. To address this need, we developed a protocol from our accepted in vitro model to mimic the cytopathological conditions of IVH in the preterm infant.

METHODS

Maturing neuroepithelial cells from the VZ were harvested from the entire lateral ventricles of wild type C57BL/6 mice at 1-4 days of age and expanded in proliferation media for 3-5 days. At confluence, cells were re-plated onto 24-well plates in differentiation media to generate ependymal cells (EC). At approximately 3-5 days, which corresponded to the onset of EC differentiation based on the appearance of multiciliated cells, phosphate-buffered saline for controls or syngeneic whole blood for IVH was added to the EC surface. The cells were examined for the expression of EC markers of differentiation and maturation to qualitatively and quantitatively assess the effect of blood exposure on VZ transition from neuroepithelial cells to EC.

DISCUSSION

This protocol will allow investigators to test cytopathological mechanisms contributing to the pathology of IVH with high temporal resolution and query the impact of injury to the maturation of the VZ. This technique recapitulates features of normal maturation of the VZ in vitro, offering the capacity to investigate the developmental features of VZ biogenesis.

Absolute Proteome Analysis of Colorectal Mucosa, Adenoma, and Cancer Reveals Drastic Changes in Fatty Acid Metabolism and Plasma Membrane Transporters

Colorectal cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related death. It develops from normal enterocytes, through a benign adenoma stage, into the cancer and finally into the metastatic form. We previously compared the proteomes of normal colorectal enterocytes, cancer and nodal metastasis to a depth of 8100 proteins and found extensive quantitative remodeling between normal and cancer tissues but not cancer and metastasis (Wiśniewski et al. PMID 22968445). Here we utilize advances in the proteomic workflow to perform an in depth analysis of the normal tissue (N), the adenoma (A), and the cancer (C). Absolute proteomics of 10 000 proteins per patient from microdissected formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded clinical material established a quantitative protein repository of the disease. Between N and A, 23% of all proteins changed significantly, 17.8% from A to C and 21.6% from N to C. Together with principal component analysis of the patient groups, this suggests that N, A, and C are equidistant but not on one developmental line. Our proteomics approach allowed us to assess changes in varied cell size, the composition of different subcellular components, and alterations in basic biological processes including the energy metabolism, plasma membrane transport, DNA replication, and transcription. This revealed several-fold higher concentrations of enzymes in fatty acid metabolism in C compared with N, and unexpectedly, the same held true of plasma membrane transporters.

Transporter-mediated L-glutamate elimination from cerebrospinal fluid: possible involvement of excitatory amino acid transporters expressed in ependymal cells and choroid plexus epithelial cells

BACKGROUND

L-Glutamate (L-Glu) is the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the CNS, and its level in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is reported to be increased in neuroexcitatory diseases such as epilepsy. Since L-Glu concentration in the CSF is reported to be lower than that in plasma, it has been proposed that some mechanisms of L-Glu clearance from the CSF operate in the brain. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the major pathway of L-Glu elimination from rat CSF and the transporters responsible.

METHODS

Protein expression and localization of excitatory amino acid transporters were examined by immunohistochemical analysis using specific antibodies. In vivo elimination of L-Glu from rat CSF was evaluated by intracerebroventricular administration. An L-Glu uptake study by using primary-cultured rat ependymal cells and isolated rat choroid plexus was performed to characterize L-Glu transport mechanisms.

RESULTS

An immunohistochemical analysis has shown that excitatory amino acid transporter (EAAT) 1 and EAAT3, which are D-aspartate-sensitive and kainate-insensitive L-Glu transporters, are localized on the CSF-side of rat ependymal cells and choroid plexus epithelial cells, respectively. In contrast, the kainate-sensitive L-Glu transporter, EAAT2, is not expressed in these cells. In vivo L-Glu elimination clearance from the rat CSF (189 μL/(min · rat)) was 23-fold higher than the CSF bulk flow rate, indicating that facilitative process(es) are involved in L-Glu elimination from the CSF. The in vivo [(3)H]L-Glu elimination from the CSF was significantly inhibited by unlabeled L-Glu and D-aspartate, but not kainate. Moreover, unlabeled L-Glu and D-aspartate inhibited [(3)H]L-Glu uptake by rat ependymal cells and choroid plexus epithelial cells, whereas kainate had little effect.

CONCLUSION

It is suggested that EAAT1 in ependymal cells and EAAT3 in choroid plexus epithelial cells participate in L-Glu elimination from the CSF.

Disruption of CDH2/N-cadherin-based adherens junctions leads to apoptosis of ependymal cells and denudation of brain ventricular walls

Disruption/denudation of the ependymal lining has been associated with the pathogenesis of various human CNS disorders, including hydrocephalus, spina bifida aperta, and periventricular heterotopia. It has been traditionally considered that ependymal denudation is a consequence of mechanical forces such as ventricular enlargement. New evidence indicates that ependymal disruption can precede ventricular dilation, but the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in the onset of ependymal denudation are unknown. Here, we present a novel model to study ependymal cell pathophysiology and demonstrate that selective disruption of N-cadherin-based adherens junctions is sufficient to provoke progressive ependymal denudation. Blocking N-cadherin function using specific peptides that interfere with the histidine-alanine-valine extracellular homophilic interaction domain caused early pathologic changes characterized by disruption of zonula adherens and abnormal intracellular accumulation of N-cadherin. These changes then triggered massive apoptosis of ependymal cells and denudation of brain ventricular walls. Because no typical extrinsic mechanical factors such as elevated pressure or stretching forces are involved in this model, the critical role of N-cadherin-based adherens junctions in ependymal survival/physiology is highlighted. Furthermore, the results suggest that abnormal adherens junctions between ependymal cells should be considered as key components of the pathogenesis of CNS disorders associated with ependymal denudation.

Serotonin 1A receptor (5-HT1A) of the sea lamprey: cDNA cloning and expression in the central nervous system

Serotonergic cells are among the earliest neurons to be born in the developing central nervous system and serotonin is known to regulate the development of the nervous system. One of the major targets of the activity of serotonergic cells is the serotonin 1A receptor (5-HT1A), an ancestral archetypical serotonin receptor. In this study, we cloned and characterized the 3D structure of the sea lamprey 5-HT1A, and studied the expression of its transcript in the central nervous system by means of in situ hybridization. In phylogenetic analyses, the sea lamprey 5-HT1A sequence clustered together with 5-HT1A sequences of vertebrates and emerged as an outgroup to all gnathostome sequences. In situ hybridization analysis during prolarval, larval and adult stages showed a widespread expression of the lamprey 5-ht1a transcript. In P1 prolarvae 5-ht1a mRNA expression was observed in diencephalic nuclei, the rhombencephalon and rostral spinal cord. At P2 prolarval stage the 5-ht1a expression extended to other brain areas including telencephalic regions. 5-ht1a expression in larvae was observed throughout almost all the main brain regions with the strongest expression in the olfactory bulbs, lateral pallium, striatum, preoptic region, habenula, prethalamus, thalamus, pretectum, hypothalamus, rhombencephalic reticular area, dorsal column nucleus and rostral spinal cord. In adults, the 5-ht1a transcript was also observed in cells of the subcommissural organ. Comparison of the expression of 5-ht1a between the sea lamprey and other vertebrates reveals a conserved pattern in most of the brain regions, likely reflecting the ancestral vertebrate condition.

A simple method to obtain pure cultures of multiciliated ependymal cells from adult rodents

Ependymal cells form an epithelium lining the ventricular cavities of the vertebrate brain. Numerous methods to obtain primary culture ependymal cells have been developed. Most of them use foetal or neonatal rat brain and the few that utilize adult brain hardly achieve purity. Here, we describe a simple and novel method to obtain a pure non-adherent ependymal cell culture from explants of the striatal and septal walls of the lateral ventricles. The combination of a low incubation temperature followed by a gentle enzymatic digestion allows the detachment of most of the ependymal cells from the ventricular wall in a period of 6 h. Along with ependymal cells, a low percentage (less than 6 %) of non-ependymal cells also detaches. However, they do not survive under two restrictive culture conditions: (1) a simple medium (alpha-MEM with glucose) without any supplement; and (2) a low density of 1 cell/µl. This purification method strategy does not require cell labelling with antibodies and cell sorting, which makes it a simpler and cheaper procedure than other methods previously described. After a period of 48 h, only ependymal cells survive such conditions, revealing the remarkable survival capacity of ependymal cells. Ependymal cells can be maintained in culture for up to 7-10 days, with the best survival rates obtained in Neurobasal supplemented with B27 among the tested media. After 7 days in culture, ependymal cells lose most of the cilia and therefore the mobility, while acquiring radial glial cell markers (GFAP, BLBP, GLAST). This interesting fact might indicate a reprogramming of the cell identity.

Ank3-dependent SVZ niche assembly is required for the continued production of new neurons

The rodent subventricular/subependymal zone (SVZ/SEZ) houses neural stem cells (NSCs) that generate olfactory bulb interneurons. It is unclear how the SVZ environment sustains neuronal production into adulthood. We discovered that the adapter molecule Ankyrin-3 (Ank3) is specifically upregulated in ventricular progenitors destined to become ependymal cells, but not in NSCs, and is required for SVZ niche assembly through progenitor lateral adhesion. Furthermore, we found that Ank3 expression is controlled by Foxj1, a transcriptional regulator of multicilia formation, and genetic deletion of this pathway led to complete loss of SVZ niche structure. Interestingly, radial glia continued to transition into postnatal NSCs without this niche. However, inducible deletion of Foxj1-Ank3 from mature SVZ ependyma resulted in dramatic depletion of neurogenesis. Targeting a pathway regulating ependymal organization/assembly and showing its requirement for new neuron production, our results have important implications for environmental control of adult neurogenesis and harvesting NSCs for replacement therapy.

Novel observations on the origin of ependymal cells in the ventricular zone of the rat spinal cord

Despite extensive investigations of gliogenesis, the time of origin of ependymal cells in the spinal cord has not yet been fully elucidated. Using a single dose of 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine combined with various survival times we monitored: mitotic activity (short survival time), the presence of newly formed cells in the ventricular zone (intermediate survival time) and the formation of ependymal cells (long survival time) during the late embryonic and early postnatal development in the ventricular zone of the spinal cord of rats. In the period of study it was found that the ependymal cells populated this region in two waves. Most of the ependymal cells originated around embryonic day 18 and then between postnatal days 8 and 15. In addition, it was observed that in the ventricular zone of the spinal cord, proliferation and production of ependymal cells continues at the slower rate at least until day 36 of postnatal development. Elucidation of the relationship between progenitors in the embryonic ventricular zone and the relative quiescent ependymal lining of the central canal in adulthood could be important in the search for the adult neural stem cell niche.

Unlocking the ultrastructure of colorectal cancer cells in vitro using selective staining

AIM: To characterise differences between three widely used colorectal cancer cell lines using ultrastructural selective staining for glycogen to determine variation in metastatic properties.

METHODS: Transmission electron microscopy was used in this investigation to help identify intracellular structures and morphological features which are precursors of tumor invasion. In addition to morphological markers, we used selective staining of glycogen as a marker for neoplastic cellular proliferation and determined whether levels of glycogen change between the three different cell lines.

RESULTS: Ultrastructural analysis revealed morphological differences between the cell lines, as well as differentiation into two sub-populations within each cell line. Caco-2 cells contained large glycogen deposits as well as showing the most obvious morphological changes between the two sub-populations. SW480 cells also contained large glycogen stores as well as deep cellular protrusions when grown on porous filter membranes. HT-29 cells had trace amounts of glycogen stores with few cellular projections into the filter pores and no tight junction formation.

CONCLUSION: Morphology indicative of metastatic properties coincided with larger glycogen deposits, providing strong evidence for the use of selective staining to determine the neoplastic properties of cells.

Ependymal cells: biology and pathology

The literature was reviewed to summarize the current understanding of the role of ciliated ependymal cells in the mammalian brain. Previous reviews were summarized. Publications from the past 10 years highlight interactions between ependymal cells and the subventricular zone and the possible role of restricted ependymal populations in neurogenesis. Ependymal cells provide trophic support and possibly metabolic support for progenitor cells. Channel proteins such as aquaporins may be important for determining water fluxes at the ventricle wall. The junctional and anchoring proteins are now fairly well understood, as are proteins related to cilia function. Defects in ependymal adhesion and cilia function can cause hydrocephalus through several different mechanisms, one possibility being loss of patency of the cerebral aqueduct. Ependymal cells are susceptible to infection by a wide range of common viruses; while they may act as a line of first defense, they eventually succumb to repeated attacks in long-lived organisms. Ciliated ependymal cells are almost certainly important during brain development. However, the widespread absence of ependymal cells from the adult human lateral ventricles suggests that they may have only regionally restricted value in the mature brain of large size.

VIP down-regulates the inflammatory potential and promotes survival of dying (neural crest-derived) corneal endothelial cells ex vivo: necrosis to apoptosis switch and up-regulation of Bcl-2 and N-cadherin

The neuropeptide vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) is anti-inflammatory and protective in the immune and nervous systems, respectively. This study demonstrated in corneal endothelial (CE) cells injured by severe oxidative stress (1.4 mM H(2)O(2)) in bovine corneal organ cultures that VIP pre-treatment (0, 10(-10), 10(-8), and 10(-6) M; 15 min), in a VIP concentration-dependent manner, switched the inflammation-causing necrosis to inflammation-neutral apoptosis (showing annexin V-binding, chromatin condensation, and DNA fragmentation) and upheld ATP levels in a VIP antagonist (SN)VIPhyb-sensitive manner, while up-regulated mRNA levels of the anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 and the differentiation marker N-cadherin in a kinase A inhibitor-sensitive manner. As a result, VIP, in a concentration-dependent and VIP antagonist-sensitive manners, promoted long-term CE cell survival. ATP levels, a determining factor in the choice of apoptosis versus necrosis, measured after VIP pre-treatment and 0.5 min post-H(2)O(2) were 39.6 +/- 3.3, 50.8 +/- 6.2, 60.1 +/- 4.8, and 53.6 +/- 5.3 pmoles/microg protein (mean +/- SEM), respectively (p < 0.05, anova). VIP treatment alone concentration-dependently increased levels of N-cadherin (Koh et al. 2008), the phosphorylated cAMP-responsive-element binding protein and Bcl-2, while 10(-8) M VIP, in a VIP antagonist (SN)VIPhyb-sensitive manner, increased ATP level by 38% (p < 0.02) and decreased glycogen level by 32% (p < 0.02). VPAC1 (not VPAC2) receptor was expressed in CE cells. Thus, CE cell VIP/VPAC1 signaling is both anti-inflammatory and protective in the corneal endothelium.

Lentiviral transfection of ependymal primary cultures facilitates the characterisation of kinocilia-specific promoters

Ependymal primary cultures (EPCs) are an established model for studying ependymal cell biochemistry and the biology of kinocilia-bearing cells. However, the difficulty in causing them to express transgenes at high efficiency has been an important drawback of the system. Indeed plasmid-based transfection attempts remain at an efficiency below 1% and fail to elicit reporter gene expression, namely green fluorescent protein (GFP) synthesis, in any of the kinocilia-bearing cells of the cultures. Human immunodeficiency virus pseudotyped with the vesicular stomatitis virus envelope glycoprotein (HIV/VSV-G) and encoding GFP under the control of the ubiquitously recognised promoter of elongation factor 1 alpha (EF1alpha) also does not cause transgene expression in the kinocilia-bearing cells of an EPC when applied at multiplicities of infection (MOIs) of up to 40 and destroys the culture when the MOI is increased further. In contrast, HIV/VSV-G encoding GFP under the control of a promoter specifically active in kinocilia-bearing cells leads to transgene expression in up to 79% of the kinociliated cells of an EPC when applied at an MOI of 20. This has permitted the initial characterisation of the promoter for the gene specifically transcribed in kinocilia-bearing cells, wdr16. The results have identified two regions of 100 nucleotides length each, which are critical for promoter activity and contain putative binding sites for the transcription factors Foxd1, Sox17 and Spz1. It appears that wdr16 is controlled by a bidirectional promoter also responsible for regulating the syntaxin 8 gene.

Estrogen effects on high-affinity choline uptake in primary cultures of rat basal forebrain

Basal forebrain cholinergic neurons (BFCNs) degenerate in aging and Alzheimer's disease. It has been proposed that estrogen can affect the survival and function of BFCNs. This study characterized primary rat BFCN cultures and investigated the effect of estrogen on high-affinity choline uptake (HACU). BFCNs were identified by immunoreactivity to the vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT) and represented up to 5% of total cells. HACU was measured in living BFCN cultures and differentiated from low-affinity choline uptake by hemicholinium-3 (HC-3) inhibition. A HC-3 concentration curve showed that 0.3 muM HC-3, but not higher concentrations that inhibit LACU, could distinguish the two transport activities. 17-beta-Estradiol treatment increased HACU in some culture preparations that contained non-neuronal cells. Elimination of dividing cells using antimitotic treatments resulted in a lack of estrogen effects on HACU. These results suggest that estrogen may have indirect effects on BFCNs that are mediated through non-neuronal cells.

Expression of 3-hydroxyisobutyrate dehydrogenase in cultured neural cells

The branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs)--isoleucine, leucine, and valine--belong to the limited group of substances transported through the blood-brain barrier. One of the functions they are thought to have in brain is to serve as substrates for meeting parenchymal energy demands. Previous studies have shown the ubiquitous expression of a branched-chain alpha-keto acid dehydrogenase among neural cells. This enzyme catalyzes the initial and rate-limiting step in the irreversible degradative pathway for the carbon skeleton of valine and the other two branched-chain amino acids. Unlike the acyl-CoA derivates in the irreversible part of valine catabolism, 3-hydroxyisobutyrate could be expected to be released from cells by transport across the mitochondrial and plasma membranes. This could indeed be demonstrated for cultured astroglial cells. Therefore, to assess the ability of neural cells to make use of this valine-derived carbon skeleton as a metabolic substrate for the generation of energy, we investigated the expression in cultured neural cells of the enzyme processing this hydroxy acid, 3-hydroxyisobutyrate dehydrogenase (HIBDH). To achieve this, HIBDH was purified from bovine liver to serve as antigen for the production of an antiserum. Affinity-purified antibodies against HIBDH specifically recognized the enzyme in liver and brain homogenates. Immunocytochemistry demonstrated the ubiquitous expression of HIBDH among cultured glial (astroglial, oligodendroglial, microglial, and ependymal cells) and neuronal cells. Using an RT-PCR technique, these findings were corroborated by the detection of HIBDH mRNA in these cells. Furthermore, immunofluorescence double-labeling of astroglial cells with antisera against HIBDH and the mitochondrial marker pyruvate dehydrogenase localized HIBDH to mitochondria. The expression of HIBDH in neural cells demonstrates their potential to utilize valine imported into the brain for the generation of energy.

Biosynthesis of Wdr16, a marker protein for kinocilia-bearing cells, starts at the time of kinocilia formation in rat, and wdr16 gene knockdown causes hydrocephalus in zebrafish

The rat ortholog of the WD40 repeat protein Wdr16 is abundantly expressed in testis and cultured ependymal cells. Low levels are found in lung and brain, respectively, while it is absent from kinocilia-free tissues. In testis and ependymal primary cultures, Wdr16 messenger RNA appears concomitantly with the messages for sperm-associated antigen 6, a kinocilia marker, and for hydin, a protein linked to ciliary function and hydrocephalus. In testis, ependyma and respiratory epithelium, the Wdr16 protein is up-regulated together with kinocilia formation. The wdr16 gene is restricted to genera in possession of kinocilia, and it is strongly conserved during evolution. The human and zebrafish proteins are identical in 62% of their aligned amino acids. On the message level, the zebrafish Wdr16 ortholog was found exclusively in kinocilia-bearing tissues by in situ hybridisation. Gene knockdown in zebrafish embryos by antisense morpholino injection resulted in severe hydrocephalus formation with unaltered ependymal morphology or ciliary beat. Wdr16 can be considered a differentiation marker of kinocilia-bearing cells. In the brain, it appears to be functionally related to water homeostasis or osmoregulation.

Presence of D1- and D2-like dopamine receptors in the rat, mouse and bovine multiciliated ependyma

The multiciliated ependyma forms an epithelial-like layer that could act as a selective barrier between the brain parenchyma and cerebrospinal fluid. In the present study, tyrosine hydroxylase-containing fibres have been detected in the basal pole of the ependymal cells of the lateral ventricles of rat, mouse and calf. The use of antibodies against at least two different peptide sequences of each D(2), D(3), D(4) and D(5) dopamine receptor subtype has allowed their detection in: (i) sections of mouse, rat and bovine lateral ventricles, by means of immunocytochemistry; and (ii) membrane protein extracts obtained from the ependymal layer of the bovine lateral ventricles, using immunoblotting. The immunocytochemical study has shown the presence of all these subtypes of dopamine receptors in the ependymal cells. Immunoblotting demonstrated similar immunoreactive bands for all receptor subtypes in both ependymal and corpus striatum membrane extracts.

Thrombin causes the enrichment of rat brain primary cultures with ependymal cells via protease-activated receptor 1

Ependymal cell culture models from rat have been developed over the last 20 years to facilitate biochemical studies on this least-studied glial cell type. The cell culture protocol calls for the presence of thrombin, which is essential for obtaining a high proportion of multiciliated ependymal cells. The serine protease appears to act via protease-activated receptor 1 to prevent the apoptosis of ependymal precursors and enhance their proliferation without affecting contaminating cells. Unciliated precursors differentiate into polyciliated ependymocytes by passing through a stage of monociliation. The message for protease-activated receptor (PAR) 1 is initially abundant in the cultures, but its level declines as the cells differentiate. Besides PAR 1, signalling through PAR 2 also promotes ciliation in rat brain primary cultures, albeit to a lesser degree than the thrombin receptor. Thrombin and other proteases may be involved in the regulation of ventricular wall development. This action would be mediated mainly by PAR1.

GFAP-expressing cells in the postnatal subventricular zone display a unique glial phenotype intermediate between radial glia and astrocytes

Neural stem cells in the adult subventricular zone (SVZ) derive from radial glia and express the astroglial marker glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). Thus, they have been termed astrocytes. However, it remains unknown whether these GFAP-expressing cells express the functional features common to astrocytes. Using immunostaining and patch clamp recordings in acute slices from transgenic mice expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP) driven by the promoter of human GFAP, we show that GFAP-expressing cells in the postnatal SVZ display typical glial properties shared by astrocytes and prenatal radial glia such as lack of action potentials, hyperpolarized resting potentials, gap junction coupling, connexin 43 expression, hemichannels, a passive current profile, and functional glutamate transporters. GFAP-expressing cells express both GLAST and GLT-1 glutamate transporters but lack AMPA-type glutamate receptors as reported for dye-coupled astrocytes. However, they lack 100 microM Ba2+-sensitive inwardly rectifying K+ (K(IR)) currents expressed by astrocytes, but display delayed rectifying K+ currents and 1 mM Ba2+-sensitive K+ currents. These currents contribute to K+ transport at rest and maintain hyperpolarized resting potentials. GFAP-expressing cells stained positive for both K(IR)2.1 and K(IR)4.1 channels, two major K(IR) channels in astrocytes. Ependymal cells, which also derive from radial glia and express GFAP, display typical glial properties and K(IR) currents consistent with their postmitotic nature. Our results suggest that GFAP-expressing cells in concert with ependymal cells can perform typical astrocytic functions such as K+ and glutamate buffering in the postnatal SVZ but display a unique set of functional characteristics intermediate between astrocytes and radial glia.

Immunocytochemical localization of 3-methylcrotonyl-CoA carboxylase in cultured ependymal, microglial and oligodendroglial cells

To evaluate the ability of ependymal, microglial and oligodendroglial cells to degrade leucine, the presence of 3-methylcrotonyl-CoA carboxylase (MCC) was investigated in cultures of these cells. MCC is a biotin-containing heterodimeric enzyme that is specific for the irreversible part of the leucine catabolic pathway. It has been reported previously that in cell culture MCC is expressed in astrocytes and a subpopulation of neurones. In the present study ependymal, microglial and oligodendroglial cell cultures, derived from the brains of newborn rats, were examined for the expression of MCC by RT-PCR, western blotting and immunocytochemistry. The results of RT-PCR and western blotting showed the presence of mRNA as well as protein of both subunits of MCC in ependymal, microglial and oligodendroglial cell cultures. Immunocytochemical investigation of the cellular and subcellular distribution of MCC demonstrated a mitochondrial location of MCC in all neuroglial cell types investigated. The ubiquitous expression of MCC in glial cells demonstrates the ability of the cells to engage in the catabolism of leucine transported into the brain, mainly for the generation of energy.

Distribution of secretory pathway Ca2+ ATPase (SPCA1) in neuronal and glial cell cultures

1. Secretory pathway Ca(2+) ATPase type 1 (SPCA1) is a newly recognized Ca(2+)/Mn(2+)-transporting pump localized in membranes of the Golgi apparatus. 2. The expression level of SPCA1 in brain tissue is relatively high in comparison with other tissues. 3. With the aim to determine the expression of SPCA1 within the different types of neural cells, we investigated the distribution of SPCA1 in neuronal, astroglial, oligodendroglial, ependymal, and microglial cell cultures derived from rat brains. 4. Western Blot analysis with rabbit anti-SPCA1 antibodies revealed the presence of SPCA1 in homogenates derived from neuronal, astroglial, ependymal, and oligodendroglial, but not from microglial cells. 5. Cell cultures that gave rise to positive signal in the immunoblot analysis were also examined immunocytochemically. 6. Immunocytochemical double-labeling experiments with anti-SPCA1 serum in combination with antibodies against cell-type specific proteins showed a localization of the SPCA1signal within cells stained positively also for GFAP, alpha-tubulin or MBP. 7. These results definitely established the expression of SPCA1 in astroglial, ependymal, and oligodendroglial cells. 8. In addition, the evaluation of neuronal cultures for the presence of SPCA1 revealed an SPCA1-specific immunofluorescence signal in cells identified as neurons.

Natriuretic peptides, but not nitric oxide donors, elevate levels of cytosolic guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate in ependymal cells ex vivo

Atrial natriuretic peptide-(1-28) (ANP), brain natriuretic peptide-(1-32) (BNP) and C-Type natriuretic polypeptide (CNP) occur in the brain, are concentrated in the anteroventral area of the third cerebral ventricle and participate in the regulation of body fluid homeostasis. The ventricles of the mammalian brain are lined by a continuous monolayered epithelium of polyciliated ependymal cells. In the adult rat, the ependymocytes continue to express the intermediate filament vimentin, but do not contain glial fibrillary acidic protein. Ependymal functions are poorly understood, but may extend to osmoregulation and volume sensing. Ependymal cells possess receptors for the natriuretic peptides, and in cell culture respond to them with an increase in their cyclic GMP content. In this study, a cyclic GMP-specific antibody was employed together with an ex vivo brain slice system to assess the ependymal response to ANP, BNP and CNP under close to life-like conditions. While ANP in concentrations of 0.1 nM and 1 nM had no effect, at concentrations of 10nM and 100 nM it increased ependymal cyclic GMP levels in a concentration-dependent manner. The other natriuretic peptides BNP, and CNP, also increased the cyclic GMP content of ependymocytes, while nitric oxide (NO) donors had no effect. However, in contrast to the natriuretic peptides, the NO donors elevated the level of cyclic GMP in the brain parenchyma below the ependymal layer.

Glycogen metabolism in rat ependymal primary cultures: regulation by serotonin

Ependymal primary cultures are a model for studying ependymal energy metabolism. Intracellular glycogen is built up in the cultures dependent on culture age and the presence of glucose and glutamate. This energy store is mobilized upon glucose withdrawal, stimulation with isoproterenol, forskolin or serotonin and after uncoupling of oxidative phosphorylation from ATP production. Serotonin regulates ependymal glycogen metabolism predominantly via 5-HT receptor (5-HTR) 7, which elicits an increase in the level of ependymal cyclic AMP. Although the most abundant mRNAs for serotonin receptors are those of 5-HTR 2B and 5-HTR 3A, ependymal cells in primary culture do not respond to serotonin with an increase in their concentration of cytosolic calcium ions. The mRNAs of 5-HTRs 1A, 6, 1B, 5B, 7, 1/2C and 5A are also detectable in order of decreasing abundance. The mRNAs for 5-HTRs 1D, 1F, 3B and 4 are absent from the cultured cells. The ability of serotonin to mobilize ependymal glycogen depends on the culture age and the time allowed for glycogen buildup. During glycogen buildup time, glutamate is consumed by the cells. An increased ability of 5-HT to mobilize ependymal glycogen stores is noticed after the depletion of glutamate from the glycogen buildup medium. In ependymal primary cultures, cilia are colocalized with glycogen phosphorylase isozyme BB, while the MM isoform is not expressed. It is known from the literature that an increase in the concentration of cytosolic cAMP in ependymal cells leads to a decrease in ciliary beat frequency. Therefore, the present data point towards a function for ependymal glycogen other than supplying energy for the movement of cilia.

Regulation by insulin and insulin-like growth factor of 2-deoxyglucose uptake in primary ependymal cell cultures

Ependymal cells have been reported to express the facilitative glucose carriers GLUT1, GLUT2, and GLUT4, as well as glucokinase. They are therefore speculated to be part of the cerebral glucose sensing system and may also respond to insulin with alterations in their glucose uptake rate. A cell culture model was employed to study the functional status of ependymal insulin-regulated glucose uptake in vitro. Insulin increased the uptake of the model substrate 2-deoxyglucose (2-DG) dependent on the insulin concentration. This was due to a near doubling of the maximal 2-DG uptake rate. Insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) was at least 10 times more potent than insulin in stimulating the rate of ependymal 2-DG uptake, suggesting that IGF-1, rather than insulin, is the physiological agonist regulating glucose transport in ependymal cells. The predominant glucose transporter in ependymal cell cultures was found to be GLUT1, which is apparently regulated by IGF-1 in ependymal cells.

Atrial natriuretic peptides elevate cyclic GMP levels in primary cultures of rat ependymal cells

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of atrial natriuretic peptides on primary cultures of ependymal cells, as measured by changes in intracellular levels of cyclic GMP. Incubation of ependymal cells with rat atrial natriuretic peptide-(1-28) (rANP) elicited a 30-fold increase in ependymal cGMP content within 1 min and more than a 100-fold increase within 10 min to a plateau value of approximately 30 pmol/mg protein. The C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) elicited a similar increase in cGMP levels; however the maximal effect was observed within 1 min and the levels subsequently dropped by 90% to a low plateau within 10 min. A comparison of the concentration-response curves for rANP, human ANP-(1-28) (hANP) and CNP showed that rANP, hANP and CNP had similar effects, with regards to elevation of cGMP levels at high concentrations, but with differing EC50 values. These results demonstrate the presence of a heterogenous population of functional ANP receptors i n cultured ependymalcells suggesting that ANP may regulate specific ependymal cell activity.