title: Ceramide activates microglia to enhance the production/secretion of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) without induction of deleterious factors in vitro.
abstract: In analyzing the regulation of neurotrophin production/secretion from microglia, C8-ceramide (D-erythro-sphingosine, N-octanoyl-) was found to induce secretion of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) from microglia in vitro. In the present study, the action of C8-ceramide in secreting neurotrophic and harmful factors was investigated and compared with the effects of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). C8-ceramide as well as LPS enhanced the production/secretion of BDNF but, different from LPS, did not induce tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin-1beta, or nitric oxide. The C8-ceramide-induced BDNF release was significantly suppressed by protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor, bisindolylmaleimide, which targets PKC isoforms, alpha, beta, gamma, delta and epsilon. However, it was not suppressed by a specific inhibitor of PKCalpha. Furthermore, PKCbeta and gamma were undetected in the microglia. Therefore, PKCdelta and/or epsilon appear to be functioning PKC isoforms. In contrast, none of the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and none of the transcription factors, including the cAMP response element-binding transcription factor (CREB) and nuclear factor kappaB (NFkappaB) were activated in the microglia in response to C8-ceramide. These results indicate that ceramide-induced BDNF release in microglia is mediated by a signaling pathway associated with PKCdelta and/or epsilon, but not with activation of MAPKs, CREB and NFkappaB.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Life Science, Soka University, Hachioji, Tokyo, Japan. nakajima@t.soka.ac.jp
authors.forename: Kazuyuki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakajima
authors.forename: Yoko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tohyama
authors.forename: Shinichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kohsaka
authors.forename: Tadashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kurihara
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002518:Ceramides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D017628:Microglia / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism; D010958:Plasminogen / Q000378:metabolism; D011493:Protein Kinase C / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D002518:Ceramides; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D007375:Interleukin-1; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014157:Transcription Factors; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D010958:Plasminogen; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor; D011493:Protein Kinase C; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases