Identification of key neuronal mechanisms triggered by dimethyl fumarate in SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells through a metabolomic approach

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2024-03-12

Authors

Ana Margarida Araújo (Author) Other; Sandra I. Marques (Author) Other; Paula Guedes de Pinho (Author) FFUP; Helena Carmo (Author) FFUP; Felix Carvalho (Author) FFUP; João Pedro Silva (Author) Other

Journal

Title: Archives of Toxicology

Vol. 98

Pages: 1151-1161

ISSN: 0340-5761

Publisher: Springer Nature

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Other information

Authenticus ID: P-010-2YX

DOI: 10.1007/s00204-024-03683-9

Abstract (EN): Dimethyl fumarate (DMF) is an old drug used for psoriasis treatment that has recently been repurposed to treat relapse-remitting multiple sclerosis, mostly due to its neuro- and immunomodulatory actions. However, mining of a pharmacovigilance database recently ranked DMF as the second pharmaceutical most associated with cognitive adverse events. To our best knowledge, the signaling mechanisms underlying its therapeutic and neurotoxic outcomes remain mostly undisclosed. This work thus represents the first-hand assessment of DMF-induced metabolic changes in undifferentiated SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells, through an untargeted metabolomic approach using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The endometabolome was analyzed following 24 h and 96 h of exposure to two pharmacologically relevant DMF concentrations (0.1 and 10 mu M). None of these conditions significantly reduced metabolic activity (MTT reduction assay). Our data showed that 24 h-exposure to DMF at both concentrations tested mainly affected metabolic pathways involved in mitochondrial activity (e.g., citric acid cycle, de novo triacylglycerol biosynthesis), and the synthesis of catecholamines and serotonin by changing the levels of their respective precursors, namely phenylalanine (0.68-fold decrease for 10 mu M DMF vs vehicle), and tryptophan (1.36-fold increase for 0.1 mu M DMF vs vehicle). Interestingly, taurine, whose levels can be modulated via Nrf2 signaling (DMF's primary target), emerged as a key mediator of DMF's neuronal action, displaying a 3.86-fold increase and 0.27-fold decrease for 10 mu M DMF at 24 h and 96 h, respectively. A 96 h-exposure to DMF seemed to mainly trigger pathways associated with glucose production (e.g., gluconeogenesis, glucose-alanine cycle, malate-aspartate shuttle), possibly related to the metabolism of DMF into monomethyl fumarate and its further conversion into glucose via activation of the citric acid cycle. Overall, our data contribute to improving the understanding of the events associated with neuronal exposure to DMF.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 11