title: Psychosine-induced apoptosis in a mouse oligodendrocyte progenitor cell line is mediated by caspase activation.
abstract: Globoid cell leukodystrophy (GLD) is an inherited neurological disorder caused by the deficiency of galactocerebrosidase (GALC) activity resulting in cell death of oligodendrocytes and subsequent demyelination. The death of oligodendrocytes is accompanied by accumulation of psychosine, which is also a substrate for the GALC enzyme. In this report, we investigated the mechanism of the toxic effect of psychosine in a mouse-derived oligodendrocyte progenitor cell line (OLP-II), a precursor to the cell type most affected in GLD. Psychosine caused cytotoxicity in a dose-dependent manner. Lower concentration of psychosine (5 microM) did not significantly reduce OLP-II cell numbers. However, 50 microM psychosine induced up to 45% cell death. These results were confirmed by the Tunel assay, which is a hallmark for the detection of apoptosis. Moreover, psychosine treatment resulted in the activation/cleavage of initiator caspase-8 and -9, and effector caspase-3. These results support a role for psychosine in OLP-II cell death via an apoptotic mechanism, and suggest the involvement of caspases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, 1020 Locust Street, Room 394, Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA.
authors.forename: Mariam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zaka
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Wenger
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D053181:Caspase 8; D053453:Caspase 9; D020169:Caspases / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D005698:Galactosylceramidase / Q000172:deficiency; D007965:Leukodystrophy, Globoid Cell / Q000201:enzymology / Q000503:physiopathology; D051379:Mice; D009836:Oligodendroglia / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D011609:Psychosine / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000633:toxicity; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D011609:Psychosine; D005698:Galactosylceramidase; C505526:Casp8 protein, mouse; C506434:Casp9 protein, mouse; D053181:Caspase 8; D053453:Caspase 9; D020169:Caspases