PUBLICATION

Germ Cell Migration in Zebrafish Is Dependent on HMGCoA Reductase Activity and Prenylation

Authors
Thorpe, J.L., Doitsidou, M., Ho, S.-Y., Raz, E., and Farber, S.A.
ID
ZDB-PUB-040211-1
Date
2004
Source
Developmental Cell   6: 5-302 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Doitsidou, Maria, Farber, Steven, Ho, Shiu-Ying, Raz, Erez, Thorpe, Juanita
Keywords
none
MeSH Terms
  • Animals
  • Anticholesteremic Agents/pharmacology
  • Atorvastatin
  • Cell Movement/drug effects
  • Cell Movement/genetics
  • Cell Movement/physiology*
  • Chemokine CXCL12
  • Chemokines, CXC/metabolism
  • Diterpenes/pharmacology
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Drug Interactions
  • Embryo, Nonmammalian/cytology
  • Embryo, Nonmammalian/drug effects
  • Embryo, Nonmammalian/metabolism
  • Enzyme Inhibitors/pharmacology
  • Farnesol/pharmacology
  • Germ Cells/drug effects
  • Germ Cells/enzymology
  • Germ Cells/physiology*
  • Heptanoic Acids/pharmacology
  • Hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA Reductases/genetics
  • Hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA Reductases/physiology*
  • Mevalonic Acid/pharmacology
  • Microinjections/methods
  • Morpholines/pharmacology
  • Protein Prenylation/physiology*
  • Pyrroles/pharmacology
  • RNA, Messenger/metabolism
  • RNA-Binding Proteins
  • Somites/drug effects
  • Time Factors
  • Zebrafish
  • Zebrafish Proteins/metabolism
  • gamma-Glutamyltransferase/metabolism
PubMed
14960282 Full text @ Dev. Cell
Abstract
Hydroxymethylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (HMGCoAR) is required for isoprenoid and cholesterol biosynthesis. In Drosophila, reduced HMGCoAR activity results in germ cell migration defects. We show that pharmacological HMGCoAR inhibition alters zebrafish development and germ cell migration. Embryos treated with atorvastatin (Lipitor) exhibited germ cell migration defects and mild morphologic abnormalities. The effects induced by atorvastatin were completely rescued by prior injection of mevalonate, the product of HMGCoAR activity, or the prenylation precursors farnesol and geranylgeraniol. In contrast, squalene, a cholesterol intermediate further down the pathway, failed to rescue statin-induced defects. Moreover, pharmacologic inhibition of geranylgeranyl transferase 1 (GGT1) protein prenylation activity also resulted in abnormal germ cell migration. Thus, our pharmacological inhibition-and-rescue approach provided detailed information about the elements of isoprenoid biosynthesis that contribute to germ cell migration. Together with data from Drosophila (Santos and Lehmann, 2004, this issue), our results highlight a conserved role for protein geranylgeranylation in this context.
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