Effect of inhibitors of eicosanoid metabolism on release of [3H]noradrenaline from the human neuroblastoma, SH-SY5Y

Acute effects of interleukin-1 beta on noradrenaline release from the human neuroblastoma cell line SH-SY5Y

Interleukins are potent intercellular messenger peptides, initially found in cells of the immune system and best known for producing chronic, genomic effects in target cells. Here, interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) was tested for acute effects on neurotransmitter release. The human neuroblastoma-derived cell-line SH-SY5Y is a model for mature post-ganglionic sympathetic neurones and release of tritiated noradrenaline from these cells was measured, in response to stimulation with either elevated extracellular K+ concentration (100 K+) orveratridine. Pre-incubation for 15-25 min with 60 pM (but not 0.06 pM) IL-1beta significantly reduced 100 K+-evoked release (by approximately 75%). The interleukin was without effect on basal or veratridine-evoked noradrenaline release. The present data suggest two distinct stimulatory pathways: one that is activated by 100 K+ and veratridine and is unaffected by IL-1beta and another that is activated by 100 K+ but not veratridine and is inhibited by IL-1beta. The acute depression of 100 K+-evoked transmitter release may be involved in immune system-nervous system interactions.

Membrane fatty acid modifications of PC12 cells by arachidonate or docosahexaenoate affect neurite outgrowth but not norepinephrine release

The relationships between membrane fatty acid modification and neurite outgrowth and norepinephrine release were evaluated in PC12 cells. [3H]Norepinephrine release evoked by carbachol was unaffected by the modifications. Basal spontaneous release was elevated with increases in the degree of unsaturation using cells supplemented with n-3 fatty acids; a reverse correlation was observed for [3H]norepinephrine uptake. Supplementation of PC12 cells with either n-6 fatty acids or 18:1 also increased the basal release and decreased the uptake. Docosahexaenoic acid promoted and arachidonic acid suppressed neurite outgrowth induced by nerve growth factor. Choline acetyltransferase activity was slightly influenced by these fatty acids. Thus, modifications of PC12 cells with arachidonic acid and docosahexaenoic acid had a relatively small effect on the degree of differentiation but had pronounced but opposite effects on neurite elongation. Ethanolamine glycerophospholipid synthesis was elevated during differentiation induced by nerve growth factor and it was suppressed by added arachidonic acid but not by docosahexaenoic acid. Our results raise the possibility that the decreased phospholipid synthesis caused by arachidonate may lead to the suppression of neurite elongation.

Effects of exogenous linoleic acid on fatty acid composition, receptor-mediated cAMP formation, and transport functions in rat astrocytes in primary culture

We have examined the effects of culturing neonatal rat-brain astrocytes in medium containing delipidated serum, with or without added linoleic acid (LA, 18:2 omega 6), on membrane fatty-acid composition and functions. After 18-21 days in culture, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) constituted approximately equal to 24 mol% of the total fatty acids in the astrocytes grown in delipidated media ("controls'); these proportions were increased by 35-40% to approximately equal to 33 mol% when the cells were supplemented with 35 microM LA. Notable differences in the PUFA profiles of the cells cultured with or without added LA included: (a) higher proportions of omega 6 PUFA in the LA-supplemented astrocytes (approximately equal to 25%, relative to approximately equal to 10% in controls) that were accompanied by an increase in the ratio of omega 6/omega 3 PUFA (from < 2 in controls to approximately equal to 5), and (b) higher proportions of 20:3 omega 9 and 22:3 omega 9 in the control astrocytes (> 5%) relative to the LA-supplemented cells (approximately equal to 1%). The major metabolites in the omega 6 PUFA-enriched cells were arachidonic (20:4 omega 6), adrenic (22:4 omega 6) and docosapentaenoic (22:5 omega 6) acids (15, 5 & 3 mol%, respectively). Enrichment of the astrocytes in omega 6 PUFA did not alter basal levels of cAMP, nor did it affect the amounts of cAMP formed in response to forskolin, isoproterenol, adenosine or histamine. However, dopamine-dependent increases in cAMP formation in the presence of the phosphodiesterase inhibitor, Ro 20-1724, were reduced by approximately equal to 25% relative to those in controls. LA supplementation modified uptake of [3H]adenosine into the astrocytes; values for Kt for a high affinity transport were increased relative to controls, and maximum capacity of a lower affinity process was reduced. Uptake of [3H]glutamate was not altered in the omega 6 PUFA-enriched astrocytes. This study demonstrated that cultured astrocytes take up exogenous linoleic acid and incorporate its metabolites into phospholipid, and that the resulting changes in membrane PUFA composition modify only specific cell functional properties.