Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience (Nov 2019)

Identification of α,β-Hydrolase Domain Containing Protein 6 as a Diacylglycerol Lipase in Neuro-2a Cells

  • Annelot C. M. van Esbroeck,
  • Vasudev Kantae,
  • Vasudev Kantae,
  • Xinyu Di,
  • Tom van der Wel,
  • Hans den Dulk,
  • Anna F. Stevens,
  • Simar Singh,
  • Simar Singh,
  • Alexander T. Bakker,
  • Bogdan I. Florea,
  • Nephi Stella,
  • Nephi Stella,
  • Herman S. Overkleeft,
  • Thomas Hankemeier,
  • Mario van der Stelt

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fnmol.2019.00286
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12

Abstract

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The endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) is involved in neuronal differentiation. This study aimed to identify the biosynthetic enzymes responsible for 2-AG production during retinoic acid (RA)-induced neurite outgrowth of Neuro-2a cells. First, we confirmed that RA stimulation of Neuro-2a cells increases 2-AG production and neurite outgrowth. The diacylglycerol lipase (DAGL) inhibitor DH376 blocked 2-AG production and reduced neuronal differentiation. Surprisingly, CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockdown of DAGLα and DAGLβ in Neuro-2a cells did not reduce 2-AG levels, suggesting another enzyme capable of producing 2-AG in this cell line. Chemical proteomics revealed DAGLβ and α,β-hydrolase domain containing protein (ABHD6) as the only targets of DH376 in Neuro-2a cells. Biochemical, genetic and lipidomic studies demonstrated that ABHD6 possesses DAGL activity in conjunction with its previously reported monoacylglycerol lipase activity. RA treatment of Neuro-2a cells increased by three-fold the amount of active ABHD6. Our study shows that ABHD6 exhibits significant DAG lipase activity in Neuro-2a cells in addition to its known MAG lipase activity and suggest it is involved in neuronal differentiation.

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