Cultured glial cells are resistant to the effects of motor neurone disease-associated SOD1 mutations

Free radical damage has been implicated in the pathophysiology of motor neu rone disease (MND); mutations have been identified in the gene encoding Cu/ Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD1). There is evidence that glial cell dysfuncti on may contribute to motor neurone injury, but the exact role of glial cell s in MND has yet to be established. The aim of this study was to determine whether expression of mutant SOD1 affects the response of glia to oxidative stress. Stable C6 glioma cells expressing mutant SOD1 and cortical astrocy te cultures from G93A-SOD1 transgenic mice were exposed to: xanthine/xanthi ne oxidase; hydrogen peroxide; A23187 and 3-morpholinosydonimine. Cell viab ility was measured using the 3-(4,5-dimethyl-thiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetr azolium bromide assay. Neither C6 glioma cells nor cortical astrocytes expr essing mutant SOD1 were more susceptible to any of the free radical generat ing systems compared to control cells. These results suggest that astrocyte s are resistant to the toxic effects of mutant SOD1 widely reported for neu ronal cells. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.