dizocilpine-maleate and safingol

1-Deoxysphingolipids (1-deoxySL) are atypical and neurotoxic sphingolipids formed by alternate substrate usage of the enzyme serine-palmitoyltransferase. Pathologically increased 1-deoxySL formation causes hereditary sensory and autosomal neuropathy type 1 (HSAN1) - a progressive peripheral axonopathy. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms by which 1-deoxySL acts are unknown. Herein we studied the effect of 1-deoxysphinganine (1-deoxySA) and its canonical counterpart sphinganine (SA) in aged cultured neurons comparing their outcome on cell survival and cytoskeleton integrity. 1-deoxySA caused rapid neuronal cytoskeleton disruption and modulated important cytoskeletal regulatory and associated components including Rac1, Ezrin and insulin receptor substrate 53. We show that 1-deoxySA is internalized and metabolized downstream to 1-deoxydihydroceramide since inhibition of ceramide synthase protected neurons from 1-deoxySA-mediated cell death. In addition, 1-deoxySA reduced protein levels of N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) subunit GluN2B, the postsynaptic density protein 95 and induced cleavage of p35 to p25. Notably, blocking NMDAR activation by MK-801 or memantine significantly prevented 1-deoxySA neurotoxicity. Functional studies of differentiating primary neurons via the patch-clamp technique demonstrated that 1-deoxySA irreversibly depolarizes the neuronal membrane potential in an age-dependent manner. Notably, only neuronal cells that displayed functional NMDAR- and NMDA-induced whole-cell currents responded to 1-deoxySA treatment. Furthermore, pre-exposure to the non-competitive antagonist MK-801 blocked the current response of NMDA and glycine, as well as 1-deoxySA. We conclude that 1-deoxySA-induced neurotoxicity compromises cytoskeletal stability and targets NMDAR signaling in an age-dependent manner. Thus stabilization of cytoskeletal structures and/or inhibition of glutamate receptors could be a potential therapeutic approach to prevent 1-deoxySA-induced neurodegeneration.

Topics: Animals; Cell Line, Tumor; Cerebral Cortex; Cytoskeleton; Disks Large Homolog 4 Protein; Dizocilpine Maleate; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; Glycine; Humans; Memantine; Membrane Potentials; Mice, Inbred C57BL; N-Methylaspartate; Neurons; Neuroprotective Agents; rac1 GTP-Binding Protein; Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; Signal Transduction; Sphingolipids; Sphingosine

Studies performed in animals have highlighted the major role of sphingolipids in regulating the balance between cell proliferation and cell death. Sphingolipids have also been shown to induce cell death in plants via calcium-based signalling pathways but the contribution of free cytosolic and/or nuclear calcium in the overall process has never been evaluated. Here, we show that increase in tobacco BY-2 cells of the endogenous content of Long Chain Bases (LCBs) caused by external application of d-erythro-sphinganine (DHS) is followed by immediate dose-dependent elevations of cellular free calcium concentration within the first minute in the cytosol and 10min later in the nucleus. Cells challenged with DHS enter a death process through apoptotic-like mechanisms. Lanthanum chloride, a general blocker of calcium entry, suppresses the cellular calcium variations and the PCD induced by DHS. Interestingly, dl-2-amino-5-phosphopentanoic acid (AP5) and [(+)-dizocilpine] (MK801), two inhibitors of animal and plant ionotropic glutamate receptors, suppress DHS-induced cell death symptoms by selectively inhibiting the variations of nuclear calcium concentration. The selective action of these compounds demonstrates the crucial role of nuclear calcium signature in controlling DHS-induced cell death in tobacco cells.

Topics: Active Transport, Cell Nucleus; Apoptosis; Calcium; Calcium Signaling; Cell Line; Cell Nucleus; Dizocilpine Maleate; Hydrolysis; Lanthanum; Nicotiana; Phosphotransferases (Alcohol Group Acceptor); Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; Serine C-Palmitoyltransferase; Sphingosine; Valine