title: Ceramide inhibits inwardly rectifying K+ currents via a Ras- and Raf-1-dependent pathway in cultured oligodendrocytes.
abstract: Ceramide is a lipid mediator implicated in apoptosis induced by proinflammatory cytokines in many cell types, including oligodendrocytes (OLGs). To determine whether ceramide modulates transmembrane signaling events in OLGs, we studied its effect on intracellular Ca2+ (Cai), resting membrane potential and inwardly rectifying K+ currents (IKir) in cultured neonatal rat OLGs. We report here that (1) exposure to C2-ceramide (cer) rarely increases OLG Cai, whereas sphingosine elicits sustained increase in Cai; (2) cer causes OLG depolarization, an effect mimicked by sphingosine-1-phosphate but not by sphingosine; and (3) cer, but not its inactive analog dihydroceramide, inhibits OLG IKir. The cer effect is attenuated by Ras antibody Y13-259, by protein kinase C inhibitory peptide (19-36), and by suppression of c-Raf-1 expression with antisense raf-1 oligonucleotides. We conclude that cer-induced OLG depolarization is mediated via inhibition of IKir by a Ras- and raf-1-dependent pathway, which results in the phosphorylation of the inward rectifier K+ channel protein.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, The Brain Research Institute, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hida
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takeda
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Soliven
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002518:Ceramides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008246:Lysophospholipids; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D009836:Oligodendroglia / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D024661:Potassium Channels, Inwardly Rectifying; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D019908:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-raf / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D013110:Sphingosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D018631:ras Proteins / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D002518:Ceramides; D008246:Lysophospholipids; D015221:Potassium Channels; D024661:Potassium Channels, Inwardly Rectifying; C060506:sphingosine 1-phosphate; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D019908:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-raf; D018631:ras Proteins; D013110:Sphingosine; D002118:Calcium