Sk. Gross et al., EXPRESSION OF GLYCOSPHINGOLIPIDS IN SERUM-FREE PRIMARY CULTURES OF MOUSE KIDNEY-CELLS - MALE-FEMALE DIFFERENCES AND ANDROGEN SENSITIVITY, Molecular and cellular biochemistry, 137(1), 1994, pp. 25-31
The expression of neutral glycosphingolipids was examined in primary k
idney cell cultures derived from adult male and female beige mutant mi
ce (C57BL/6J;bg'/bg') with enrichment for proximal tubule cells during
preparation of explants and using defined serum-free medium for the c
ulture conditions, Cells proliferated for 7 days in vitro to provide c
onfluent or nearly confluent monolayers of epithelial-type growth indi
cative of proximal tubule cells. The male vs female differences in neu
tral glycosphingolipids seen in the kidney in vivo were retained in th
ese 7 day cultures. Cultures derived from males contained galacto- and
digalactosylceramides whereas those from females did not express thes
e types of glycolipids. Also, male cells had higher ratios of sphingos
ine: phytosphingosine containing species in Nfa (non-hydroxy fatty aci
d) globotriaosylceramide and in glucosylceramide than females. The shi
ft in sphingosine: phytosphingosine to male ratios in Nfa globotriaosy
lceramide and in glucosylceramide could be stimulated in female kidney
cells by treatment with 10(-5) M testosterone or 5 alpha-dihydrotesto
sterone. The male-specific expression of neutral glycosphingolipids, t
hen, appears to be stable character of male-type differentiation in mo
use kidney that is passed on during proliferation in culture. Female k
idney cells retain an ability to respond to androgens with specific ch
anges in neutral glycosphingolipid expression during 7 days of growth
in vitro in serum-free conditions, but do not respond with the inducti
on of the male-specific glycolipids galacto- and digalactosylceramides
as seen in vivo.