title: UDP-N-acetylhexosamines and hypotaurine in human glioblastoma, normal brain tissue and cell cultures: 1H/NMR spectroscopy study.
abstract: NMR spectroscopy was used to analyse perchloric acid extracts of normal human brain, murine brain cell cultures, glioblastoma tissue and the glioblastoma cell line U-87. 1H NMR spectra revealed the presence of elevated levels of UDP-N-acetylglucosamine and UDP-N-acetylgalactosamine in glioblastoma extracts and the glioblastoma cell line U-87, in comparison with normal brain tissue and primary cell cultures of neurons and astrocytes. UDP-N-acetylhexosamines appear to accumulate in cells that are unable to differentiate. Furthermore, it was found that the culture medium had an effect on the concentration of UDP-N-acetygalactosamine in the glioblastoma cell line. Hypotaurine, previously only associated with oligodendrocytes, has been identified in astrocyte cultures and in cerebellar granule cells. In normal brain it was not observed by NMR spectroscopy, but was easily detectable in glioblastoma tissue extracts. UDP-N-acetylhexoseamines and hypotaurine might be useful markers for brain pathology and play a role in cell differentiation and cell division.
authors.affiliation: MR-Center, SINTEF UNIMED, Trondheim, Norway.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Sonnewald
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Isern
authors.forename: I S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Gribbestad
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Unsgård
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D051379:Mice; D013654:Taurine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000032:analysis / Q000502:physiology; D014536:Uridine Diphosphate N-Acetylgalactosamine / Q000032:analysis* / Q000502:physiology; D014537:Uridine Diphosphate N-Acetylglucosamine / Q000032:analysis* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D013654:Taurine; D014537:Uridine Diphosphate N-Acetylglucosamine; C003949:hypotaurine; D014536:Uridine Diphosphate N-Acetylgalactosamine