Differential effects of glucocorticoids and gonadal steroids on glutathione levels in neuronal and glial cell systems

✍ Scribed by A.J. Schmidt; J.-C. Krieg; H. Vedder

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2002
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 346 KB
• Volume: 67
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0360-4012
• DOI: 10.1002/jnr.10146

✦ Synopsis

The aim of the present study was to investigate the shortand long-term effects of glucocorticoids [corticosterone (CORT), dexamethasone (DEX), 6-methylprednisolone (6-MP)] and gonadal steroids [17␤-estradiol (E 2 ), progesterone (PROG), testosterone (TEST)] on the levels of the antioxidant glutathione (GSH) in different cell systems of the CNS (neuronal hippocampal HT22 cells, primary hippocampal and neocortical brain cells, and C 6 glioma cells). In HT22 cells, steroids exerted mainly long-term effects. Significant increases of GSH levels were detectable after a 24 hr treatment with 10 -7 M of DEX (122% Ϯ 5%), 6-MP (208% Ϯ 32%), E 2 (134% Ϯ 10%), and TEST (155% Ϯ 17%). A significant decrease occurred after incubation with PROG for 24 hr (79% Ϯ 9%). In primary hippocampal cultures, a 24 hr treatment with DEX (140% Ϯ 8%), E 2 (123% Ϯ 6%), and PROG (118% Ϯ 5%) led to significant increases of the GSH levels, whereas, in neocortical primary cultures, only an incubation with E 2 increased GSH (149% Ϯ 8%). In C 6 cells, hormone treatment led to both significant short-term (1 hr: CORT 114% Ϯ 5%, DEX 90% Ϯ 3%, E 2 88% Ϯ 3%; 3 hr: DEX 115% Ϯ 5%, E 2 122% Ϯ 6%, TEST 78% Ϯ 4%) and significant long-term (24 hr: CORT 74% Ϯ 4%, 6-MP 84% Ϯ 5%, E 2 115% Ϯ 6%, PROG 91% Ϯ 4%, TEST 116% Ϯ 5%) effects. In summary, we were able to demonstrate differential effects of steroids on GSH levels in different cellular CNS models, showing an important influence of steroids and especially E 2 on antioxidative cellular functions in neuronal and glial cells.