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Biomedical subjects

G Rebel

Publications and source records attributed to G Rebel.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Membrane lipids of hepatocytes, Kupffer cells and endothelial cells.

The membrane lipid composition of isolated hepatocytes, Kupffer cells and endothelial cells was determined. The hepatocytes are characterized by a lower quantity of gangliosides, cholesterol, sphingomyelin and a reduced cholesterol/phospholipid molar ratio when compared to the two other liver cell types. The main gangliosides of Kupffer and endothelial cells are the GM3 species, and those of hepatocytes are of the polysialogangliosides species.

Animals↗

Effect of methylmercuric chloride on gangliosides of mouse neuroblastoma cells in culture.

The effect of methylmercuric chloride (CH3HgCl) on the levels of gangliosides in mouse neuroblastoma cells (NBP2) in culture was studied. The treatment of NB cells with low concentrations (0.1 microM and 0.2 microM) of CH3HgCl, which did not affect the growth rate or morphology, caused an increase in the level of the GM3 ganglioside without changing the level of other gangliosides. The treatment of NB cells with higher concentrations (0.5 microM and 1 microM) of CH3HgCl, which inhibited the growth of NB cells, caused a decrease in the level of GM3 and an increase in the level of GM2. These results show that alterations in the levels of specific gangliosides can be observed in cells which do not exhibit any detectable change in growth rate or morphology. This change may be associated with subtle changes in brain functions, including behavioral and psychological changes, after exposure to low concentrations of organic mercury.

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Lipid composition in liver and brain of genetically obese (ob/ob), heterozygote (ob/+)and normal (+/+) mice.

Lipid composition was studied in liver and brain of normal (+/+), heterozygote (ob/+) and obese (ob/ob) mice. It was found that this genetic defect is expressed differently in the lipid composition of these organs. Cholesterol is increased in liver but strongly decreased in brain of obese animals. Phosphatide fatty acid composition is modified in liver and not in brain. In contrast, phospholipids and total ganglioside sialic acid are affected similarly in both organs. Although clinically normal, heterozygote (ob/+) mice already show an abnormal lipid composition in liver and brain. The potential importance of these results is presented.

Animals↗

Changes in lipid composition of the brain cellular membranes of an hibernating mammal during its circannual rhythm.

The lipid composition of whole brain hemispheres and subcellular fractions of European Hamsters (Cricetus cricetus) was investigated at four different periods of the year. 1. No difference was observed in winter between hibernating animals and active animals awake for 24 hr. 2. A slight increase of cholesterol/phospholipid molar ratio was observed in winter. 3. A slight increase of the ratio ethanolamine phosphoglycerides/choline phosphoglycerides was observed in summer and autumn. 4. Some changes in sugar moieties proportions of gangliosides were observed, with a tendency of increased polysialylation in winter. 5. An increase of docosahexaenoic acid was observed in summer, while a slight increase of linoleic acid and of the monounsaturated fatty acids was observed in winter. These changes were mainly exhibited in the synaptosomal fraction. All the changes observed were of very small magnitude and might not be sufficient for the maintenance of a fluid state of membranes during hibernation.

Animals↗

Biosynthesis of galactocerebrosides and glucocerebrosides in glial cell lines.

UDP-galactose:ceramide galactosyltransferase (CGalT, EC 2.4.1.45) and UDP-glucose:ceramide glucosyltransferase (CGlcT, EC 2.4.1.80) were determined in the glial cell lines G26-20, G26-24, C6, and C6TK-. The enzymatic assay for CGalT in cultured glial cells was complicated by a rapid conversion of UDP-galactose to UDP-glucose, due to the elevated UDP-galactose-4'-epimerase activity in certain glial cell clones. It seems that mechanisms regulating UDP-galactose-4'-epimerase activity and levels of UDP sugars in the glial cell lines differ from those in brain tissue. Compared with the maximum activity of CGalT in the myelinating rat brain, the enzyme activities in the oligodendroglioma clonal cell lines G26-20 and G26-24 were 16-30 times lower. On the other hand, CGalT levels in G26-20 and G26-24 cells were comparable to the values found in young rat brain before myelination starts. No CGalT activity could be detected in C6 or C6TK- cells by the method used in this study, whereas CGlcT activity was found in all glial cell lines tested and its levels were close to the values observed in the young rat brain.

Animals↗

[Membrane polyunsaturated fatty acids of mammalian nerve cells in culture].

We have observed some important changes in the distribution of fatty acid classes in cultured nerve cells according to the normal or tumoral origin of the cells: normal cells exhibit higher levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids and lower levels of monounsaturated fatty acids than tumoral cells do. When the culture medium of neuroblastoma cells is supplemented with polyunsaturated fatty acids, these fatty acids are incorporated into membrane phospholipids and some specific alterations of membrane functions occur: modification of the kinetic parameters of ecto-enzyme activities, modification of amino-acid transport characteristics. A brief review of the literature shows that polyunsaturated fatty acids are not essential for cell life in vitro, provided that monounsaturated fatty acids can be present in the cells. Polyunsaturated fatty acids seem therefore play only a regulatory role of some membrane functions.

Amino Acids↗

Membrane lipids in bromodeoxyuridine-differentiated astroglial cells in culture.

Embryonic hamster astroblasts (NN strain) grown in continuous line were cultivated in the presence of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU). A decrease in the growth rate of the cells and striking changes in their morphology were observed, the morphology of the cells resembling that of mature astrocytes. Membrane lipids of BrdU-differentiated and standard cells were compared. No modification of the lipid/protein ratio was observed. Phospholipids and cholesterol were increased in the same proportions in the cells, and no modification of the phospholipid distribution was observed. Ganglioside sialic acid remained at the same level, but the ganglioside distribution was highly modified. Complex gangliosides appeared (GM1 and GD1a), while the proportion of simple gangliosides (GM3 and GD3) decreased. However, neither GT1 nor GQ1 were detected in differentiated cells. The distribution of phosphoglyceride acyl groups was highly modified, the proportion of arachidonic and docosapentaenoic acids being 2 to 3 times higher in BrdU-treated cells than in proliferating ones. These results were compared to those obtained with another clonal line of glial cells (C6) which exhibited no morphological differentiation in the presence of BrdU; the lipids of these cells were not modified by such a treatment.

Animals↗