Sujkovic, Elizabeth; Mileusnic, Radmila and Fry, Jonathan P.
(2009).
| DOI (Digital Object Identifier) Link: | http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-4159.2009.05965.x |
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| Google Scholar: | Look up in Google Scholar |
Abstract
Metabolism of the neuroactive steroids pregnenolone (PREG), progesterone (PROG), dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS) was investigated in day-old chick brain following direct injection of the 3H-labelled compounds into the intermediate medial mesopallium and sampling at times known to be crucial for memory formation in this brain region. 3H-label from these steroids was cleared rapidly from the brain, decreasing to barely detectable levels within 5 h. Following extraction and fractionation, the 3H-labelled brain steroids were identified by TLC, coupled with acetylation and/or separation in different solvent systems. PREG and PROG were converted within 10 min mostly to 20β-dihydropregnenolone (20β-DHPREG) and 5β-dihydroprogesterone, respectively. There was no detectable metabolism of DHEA. Label from DHEAS persisted for longer (half-time 18.9 min) than the free steroid but with no detectable metabolism other than a small amount (4%) of desulphation to DHEA. Further investigation of chick brain steroid metabolism by incubation of subcellular fractions (1–3 h, 37°C) with PREG, PROG or DHEA plus NADPH led to the formation of the following compounds: 20β-DHPREG from PREG (particularly in cytosol); 5β-dihydroprogesterone and 3α,5β-tetrahydroprogesterone from PROG and no detectable metabolism of DHEA. Following incubation of the same brain fractions and labelled steroids with NAD+, there was no detectable metabolism of PREG or PROG but some conversion of DHEA to androstenedione, especially in the nuclear fraction. The results suggest direct actions of DHEA(S) on the early stages of memory formation in the chick and introduce the possibility that PREG may act indirectly via 20β-DHPREG.
| Item Type: | Journal Article |
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| Copyright Holders: | 2009 International Society for Neurochemistry, 2009 The Authors |
| ISSN: | 0022-3042 |
| Academic Unit/Department: | Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) > Life, Health and Chemical Sciences Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) |
| Interdisciplinary Research Centre: | Biomedical Research Network (BRN) |
| Item ID: | 15811 |
| Depositing User: | Radmila Mileusnic |
| Date Deposited: | 24 Apr 2009 10:55 |
| Last Modified: | 02 Aug 2016 13:25 |
| URI: | http://oro.open.ac.uk/id/eprint/15811 |
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