HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Bernoud, N. Articles by Lecerf, J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Bernoud, N. Articles by Lecerf, J. Social Bookmarking                      What's this?

The Journal of Lipid Research, Vol. 39, 1816-1824, September 1998
Copyright © 1998 by Lipid Research, Inc.

Original Article

Astrocytes are mainly responsible for the polyunsaturated fatty acid enrichment in blood–brain barrier endothelial cells in vitro

Correspondence to: N. Bernoud.

To determine the respective roles of endothelial cells from brain capillaries and astrocytes in the conversion of circulating 18:2n–6 and 18:3n–3 into 20:4n–6 and 22:6n–3, respectively, a coculture of the two cell types mimicking the in vivo blood–brain barrier was used. During the culture period, endothelial cells cultured on an insert were set above the medium of a Petri dish containing or not a stabilized culture of astrocytes. Five days after confluence, labeled 18:2n–6 and 18:3n–3 (10 µM each) were added to the endothelial cells and incubated for 48 h. Analogous experiments were also performed by using each cell type cultured alone in the culture device. The distribution of radioactivity in lipids and fatty acids was studied in all the compartments of the culture device. Endothelial cells cultured alone weakly converted the precursor fatty acids into 20:4n–6 and 22:6n–3. When endothelial cells were cocultured with astrocytes, their content of polyunsaturated fatty acids increased dramatically. This effect was associated with the uptake of polyunsaturated fatty acids from the lower medium (astrocyte medium). These fatty acids were released by astrocytes after they were synthesized from the precursor fatty acids that passed through the endothelial cell monolayer into the lower medium. Polyunsaturated fatty acids were released by astrocytes as unesterified fatty acids and as phospholipids (mainly phosphatidylcholine and lysophosphatidylcholine) even when the medium was devoid of serum.

These results suggest that astrocytes could play a major role in the delivery of essential polyunsaturated fatty acids to the barrier itself and to the brain.—Bernoud, N., L. Fenart, C. Bénistant, J. F. Pageaux, M. P. Dehouck, P. Molière, M. Lagarde, R. Cecchelli, and J. Lecerf. Astrocytes are mainly responsible for the polyunsaturated fatty acid enrichment in blood–brain barrier endothelial cells in vitro. J. Lipid Res. 1998. 39: 1816–1824.

Supplementary key words: blood–brain barrier model, coculture, free fatty acids, phosphatidylcholine, lysophosphatidylcholine, lipid release

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				S. M. Innis and R. A. Dyer Brain astrocyte synthesis of docosahexaenoic acid from n-3 fatty acids is limited at the elongation of docosapentaenoic acid J. Lipid Res., September 1, 2002; 43(9): 1529 - 1536. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. E. Williard, S. D. Harmon, T. L. Kaduce, M. Preuss, S. A. Moore, M. E. C. Robbins, and A. A. Spector Docosahexaenoic acid synthesis from n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in differentiated rat brain astrocytes J. Lipid Res., September 1, 2001; 42(9): 1368 - 1376. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				N. Bernoud-Hubac, S. S. Davies, O. Boutaud, T. J. Montine, and L. J. Roberts II Formation of Highly Reactive gamma -Ketoaldehydes (Neuroketals) as Products of the Neuroprostane Pathway J. Biol. Chem., August 10, 2001; 276(33): 30964 - 30970. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]