Inflammatory cytokines induce protein tyrosine nitration in rat astrocytes.
Protein tyrosine nitration may be relevant for the pathogenesis of hepatic encephalopathy (HE). Infections, sepsis, and trauma precipitate HE episodes. Recently, serum levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha were shown to correlate with severity of HE in chronic liver failure. Here the effects of inflammatory cytokines on protein tyrosine nitration in cultured rat astrocytes and rat brain in vivo were studied. In cultured rat astrocytes TNF-alpha (50 pg/ml-10 ng/ml) within 6h increased protein tyrosine nitration. TNF-alpha-induced tyrosine nitration was related to an increased formation of reactive oxygen and nitrogen intermediates, which was downstream from a NMDA-receptor-dependent increase of intracellular [Ca(2+)](i) and nNOS-catalyzed NO production. Astroglial tyrosine nitration was also elevated in brains of rats receiving a non-lethal injection of lipopolysaccharide, as indicated by colocalization of nitrotyrosine immunoreactivity with glial fibrillary acidic protein and glutamine synthetase, and by identification of the glutamine synthetase among the tyrosine-nitrated proteins. It is concluded that reactive oxygen and nitrogen intermediates as well as protein tyrosine nitration by inflammatory cytokines may alter astrocyte function in an NMDA-receptor-, Ca(2+)-, and NOS-dependent fashion. This may be relevant for the pathogenesis of HE and other conditions involving cytokine exposure the brain.
Clinic for Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Infectiology, Heinrich-Heine-University, Düsseldorf, Germany.
Boris
B
Görg
Hans J
HJ
Bidmon
Verena
V
Keitel
Natalie
N
Foster
Roland
R
Goerlich
Freimut
F
Schliess
Dieter
D
Häussinger
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016207:Cytokines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000008:administration & dosage; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014443:Tyrosine / Q000378:metabolism*
D016207:Cytokines; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D014443:Tyrosine