Effect of a peroxysomal proliferator agent on intracellular cholesterol accumulation in cultured fibroblasts from Niemann-Pick type C disease patients.

BACKGROUND: Niemann-Pick type C (NP-C) disease is a lysosomal storage disorder. It is possible that peroxisomes are also modified and their alterations can be an early event in the process of the disease. As the use of peroxisomal inducers restores the original function of the organelle, the importance of peroxisomes is further emphasized and can suggest future therapeutic interventions.

METHODS: We treated fibroblast cultures from NP-C patients and normal individuals with 200 and 400 micromol/l clofibrate and evaluated its action on intracellular cholesterol content that was determined by filipin staining and quantitative measurement of unesterified cholesterol.

RESULTS: The fibroblasts from NP-C patients that did not receive any drug presented a pattern of intense perinuclear fluorescence associated with the accumulation of unesterified cholesterol which was not observed in normal fibroblasts. Comparing the NP-C fibroblasts that were incubated with clofibrate and the same cells without this treatment, there were no changes in cholesterol content by filipin staining, but normal fibroblasts after incubation with this drug showed a slight increase in its cholesterol content. However, unesterified cholesterol was significantly increased in both cells treated with clofibrate when compared to untreated cells.

CONCLUSIONS: Clofibrate is probably not useful for treatment of NP-C patients because it seems to contribute to an increase the cholesterol in the cells of these individuals.