Sulfatide does not induce apoptosis in arylsulfatase A-deficient cells

Deficiency of arylsulfatase A (ASA) causes metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD). Patients suffering from this inherited disease show reduced or complete loss of ability to degrade sulfatide. Sulfatide is an abundant lipid of mammalian cellular membrances and preferentially localised in brain tissue. Neurological symptoms of MLD-patients, therefore, may be caused by increased amoounts of cellular sulfatide. In the present study I have tested this idea by treating various cell lines with sulfatide and examining the rate of apoptosis. Four mammalian cell lines including the mouse glial cell lines 11+/+C1 and ASA-deficient 17–/–A1 have been used. I show that exogenously applied sulfatide was incorporated and intracellularly stored in these cells. Incorporation of sulfatide was at a lower level in the presence of recombinant ASA. FACS analysis of propidiumiodide stained cells revealed that treatment of cells with sulfatide had no effect on apoptosis.