Premium
Lipid content of brain, brain membrane lipid domains, and neurons from acid sphingomyelinase deficient mice
Author(s) -
Scandroglio Federica,
Venkata Jagadish Kummetha,
Loberto Nicoletta,
Prioni Simona,
Schuchman Edward H.,
Chigorno Vanna,
Prinetti Alessandro,
Sonnino Sandro
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
journal of neurochemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.75
H-Index - 229
eISSN - 1471-4159
pISSN - 0022-3042
DOI - 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2008.05591.x
Subject(s) - sphingomyelin , glycerophospholipid , sphingolipid , ganglioside , acid sphingomyelinase , ceramide , biochemistry , cholesterol , membrane , chemistry , biology , granule (geology) , phospholipid , apoptosis , paleontology
The cholesterol, sphingolipid, and glycerophospholipid content of total brain, of detergent‐resistant membranes prepared from the total brain, and of cerebellar granule cells differentiated in culture from wild type (WT) and acid sphingomyelinase knockout (ASMKO) were studied. Brains derived from 7‐month‐old ASMKO animals showed a fivefold higher level of sphingomyelin and a significant increase in ganglioside content, mainly because of monosialogangliosides GM3 and GM2 accumulation, while the cholesterol and glycerophospholipid content was unchanged with respect to WT animals. An increase in sphingomyelin, but not in gangliosides, was also detected in cultured cerebellar granule neurons from ASMKO mice, indicating that ganglioside accumulation is not a direct consequence of the enzyme defect. When a detergent‐resistant membrane fraction was prepared from ASMKO brains, we observed that a higher detergent‐to‐protein ratio was needed than in WT animals. This likely reflects a reduced fluidity in restricted membrane areas because of a higher enrichment in sphingolipids in the case of ASMKO brain.