X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy mice demonstrate abnormalities in cholesterol metabolism.
The neurodegenerative disorder X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (X-ALD) is caused by ABCD1 mutations and characterized by very long-chain fatty acid (VLCFA) accumulation. Cholesterol-lowering normalized VLCFA in fibroblasts and plasma of X-ALD patients. We show that in cultured cells, cholesterol-loading induces ABCD1. In X-ALD mice, plasma cholesterol is elevated and not further increasable by cholesterol-feeding, whereas hepatic HMG-CoA reductase and Abcd2 are downregulated. Upon cholesterol modulation, brain VLCFA increased in X-ALD mice, but decreased in controls. In murine X-ALD fibroblasts, cholesterol-lowering did not normalize VLCFA. Thus, ALDP-deficiency and VLCFA are linked to cholesterol but species differences complicate evaluating cholesterol-lowering drugs in X-ALD mice.
Weinhofer
Isabelle
I
Center for Brain Research, Medical University Vienna, Austria. isabelle.weinhofer@meduniwien.ac.at
Forss-Petter
Sonja
S
Kunze
Markus
M
Zigman
Mihaela
M
Berger
Johannes
J
D000074063:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily D, Member 1; D018528:ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D000326:Adrenoleukodystrophy / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000187:drug effects; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D006903:Hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA Reductases / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism
C115572:ABCD1 protein, human; D000074063:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily D, Member 1; D018528:ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters; D005227:Fatty Acids; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D002784:Cholesterol; D006903:Hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA Reductases