Localization of sterols and oxysterols in mouse brain reveals distinct spatial cholesterol metabolism

Eylan Yutuca, Roberto Angelinia, Mark Baumertb, Natalia Mastc, Irina Pikulevac, Jillian Newtond, Malcolm R. Clenchd, David O. F. Skibinskia, Owain W. Howella, Yuqin Wanga,1, and William J. Griffithsa,1

aInstitute of Life Science, Swansea University Medical School, SA2 8PP Swansea, Wales, United Kingdom; bAdvion Limited, Harlow, Essex CM20 2NQ, United Kingdom; cDepartment of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106; and dCentre for Mass Spectrometry Imaging, Biomolecular Research Centre, Sheffield Hallam University, S1 1WB Sheffield, United Kingdom

Edited by David W. Russell, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, and approved February 3, 2020 (received for review October 13, 2019) Dysregulated cholesterol metabolism is implicated in a number of 7). Unlike cholesterol, 24S-HC can cross the BBB. The oxysterol neurological disorders. Many sterols, including cholesterol and its 24S-HC is a ligand to the liver X receptors (LXRs) (8), the β-form precursors and metabolites, are biologically active and important of which is highly expressed in brain (9), a potent modulator of the for proper brain function. However, spatial cholesterol metabo- N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) (10), glutamate-gated lism in brain and the resulting sterol distributions are poorly ion channels that are critical to the regulation of excitatory synaptic defined. To better understand cholesterol metabolism in situ across function in the CNS, and it is also a modulator of cholesterol bio- the complex functional regions of brain, we have developed on-tissue synthesis by interacting with the endoplasmic reticulum protein INSIG enzyme-assisted derivatization in combination with microliquid ex- traction for surface analysis and liquid chromatography-mass spec- (insulin induced gene) and restricting transport and processing of trometry to locate sterols in tissue slices (10 μm) of mouse brain. The SREBP-2 (sterol regulatory element-binding protein-2) to its active method provides sterolomic analysis at 400-μm spot diameter with a form as a master transcription factor for cholesterol biosynthesis (11). limit of quantification of 0.01 ng/mm2. It overcomes the limitations of Despite its potent biological activity, little is known about levels of previous mass spectrometry imaging techniques in analysis of low- 24S-HC in distinct regions of brain (12, 13). This is also true of 24S,25- abundance and difficult-to-ionize sterol molecules, allowing isomer epoxycholesterol (24S,25-EC), which is formed via a shunt pathway of differentiation and structure identification. Here we demon- cholesterol biosynthesis in parallel to the Bloch pathway but without BIOCHEMISTRY strate the spatial distribution and quantification of multiple ste- the involvement of 24-dehydrocholesterol reductase (DHCR24, SI rols involved in cholesterol metabolic pathways in wild-type and Appendix,Fig.S1) (14, 15). The oxysterol 24S,25-EC has also been cholesterol 24S-hydroxylase knockout mouse brain. The technol- shown to be formed from desmosterol by CYP46A1 in vitro (16). It is ogy described provides a powerful tool for future studies of spa- tial cholesterol metabolism in healthy and diseased tissues. a potent activator of the LXRs, inhibitor of SREBP-2 processing, and also a ligand to the G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) Smoothened liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry | brain | cholesterol | 24S- (SMO), a key protein in the Hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway (8, 11, hydroxycholesterol | 24S,25-epoxycholesterol Significance he brain is a remarkably complex organ in terms of anatomy Tand function. Little is known about the landscape of the The brain is a remarkably complex organ and cholesterol ho- metabolome or lipidome across the brain. The brain represents a meostasis underpins brain function. It is known that choles- major repository of unesterified cholesterol in mammals; almost terol is not evenly distributed across different brain regions; 25% of total body cholesterol is found in brain and the central however, the precise map of cholesterol metabolism in the nervous system (CNS), where it is present at a level of about brain remains unclear. If cholesterol metabolism is to be cor- 20 μg/mg (wet weight) (1). As cholesterol cannot cross the blood related with brain function it is essential to generate such a brain barrier (BBB) and be imported from the periphery, es- map. Here we describe an advanced mass spectrometry plat- form to reveal spatial cholesterol metabolism in situ at 400-μm sentially all cholesterol in brain is biosynthesized in brain. Inborn μ errors of cholesterol biosynthesis often result in neurodevelopmental spot diameter on 10- m tissue slices from mouse brain. We disorders and retardation syndromes (2). It is recognized that not only mapped, not only cholesterol, but also other biologically active sterols arising from cholesterol turnover in both wild type and the steady-state level of cholesterol is critical for brain function but mice lacking cholesterol 24S-hydroxylase (CYP46A1), the major also its constant turnover (3, 4). Much of brain cholesterol is found in cholesterol metabolizing enzyme. myelin sheaths of oligodendrocytes surrounding the axons of neurons

where it is turned over slowly (0.4% per day in mouse, 0.03% in Author contributions: Y.W. and W.J.G. designed research; E.Y. performed research; R.A., human) (1), but a more metabolically active pool of cholesterol is M.B., N.M., I.P., J.N., M.R.C., and O.W.H. contributed new reagents/analytic tools; E.Y., located in intracellular structures such as the endoplasmic reticulum, D.O.F.S., O.W.H., Y.W., and W.J.G. analyzed data; and E.Y., Y.W., and W.J.G. wrote Golgi apparatus, and nucleus of neurons. Here turnover is estimated the paper. at 20% per day in mouse (1). However, a precise map of cholesterol Competing interest statement: Y.W. and W.J.G. are listed as inventors on the patent “Kit and method for quantitative detection of steroids” US9851368B2. turnover across the specialized functional regions of brain remains to be generated. This article is a PNAS Direct Submission. Oxysterols are oxidized forms of cholesterol, or of its precur- This open access article is distributed under Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0 (CC BY). sors, and represent the initial metabolites in cholesterol catab- Data deposition: Datasets generated during this study are available in the Open Science olism (5). One of the most well-studied oxysterols in brain is Framework repository under the identifier https://osf.io/vud84/. 24S-hydroxycholesterol (24S-HC, see SI Appendix, Table S1 for 1To whom correspondence may be addressed. Email: [email protected] or w.j. abbreviations and common and systematic names). In mammals [email protected]. 24S-HC is mostly synthesized in neurons by the enzyme cytochrome This article contains supporting information online at https://www.pnas.org/lookup/suppl/ P450 (CYP) 46A1 (cholesterol 24S-hydroxylase, CYP46A1) and doi:10.1073/pnas.1917421117/-/DCSupplemental. acts as a transport form of cholesterol (SI Appendix,Fig.S1) (4, 6, First published March 4, 2020.

www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.1917421117 PNAS | March 17, 2020 | vol. 117 | no. 11 | 5749–5760 Downloaded by guest on September 25, 2021 17, 18). The oxysterol 24S,25-EC has been shown to be important in can be derivatized in parallel in the absence of cholesterol oxidase dopaminergic neurogenesis via activation of LXRs (19, 20). (Fig. 1). The cholestenoic acids, 3β,7α-dihydroxycholest-5-en-(25R)26-oic In the current study we describe how on-tissue EADSA with (3β,7α-diHCA) and 7α-hydroxy-3-oxocholest-4-en-(25R)26-oic microscale-LESA (μLESA) and liquid chromatography (LC)-MS (7αH,3O-CA) acids, also formed by enzymatic oxidation of can be exploited for the localization of cholesterol, its precur- cholesterol, are found in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), the fluid sors, and metabolites, in rodent brain. The incorporation of on- that bathes the CNS (21, 22). The acid 7αH,3O-CA has been sug- line LC is essential to separate isomers and also low-abundance gested to provide an export route for (25R)26-hydroxycholesterol sterols from dominating cholesterol. We find 24S-HC to be the (26-HC, also called 27-hydroxycholesterol) which itself passes into most abundant oxysterol in all brain regions, being at the highest the brain from the circulation, but does not accumulate in brain (SI levels in striatum and thalamus and at the lowest levels in gray Appendix,Fig.S1) (23, 24). The acid 3β,7α-diHCA has been shown to matter of cerebellum. The oxysterol 24S,25-EC is also abundant be biologically active as a ligand to the LXRs and to be protective in thalamus and sparse in gray matter of cerebellum. We are able toward oculomotor neurons (21). The location of the acid has not to definitively identify 3β,7α-diHCA in brain, where it is most previously been defined in brain (25). abundant in gray matter of the cerebellum. We confirm that 24S-HC is almost completely absent from brain of the Cyp46a1 knockout To understand better the importance in brain of sterols in − − mouse (Cyp46a1 / ).Thelevelof24S,25-ECisreducedinthe general, and oxysterols in particular, it is necessary to correlate −/− molecular concentrations with histology. This can be achieved by Cyp46a1 mouse but low levels of 20S-hydroxycholesterol (20S-HC), exploiting mass spectrometry imaging (MSI). MSI technology 22R-hydroxycholesterol (22R-HC), 24R-hydroxycholesterol mostly utilizes matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (24R-HC), and 25-hydroxycholesterol (25-HC) are present in (MALDI)-MS (26–29). MALDI-MSI has been used to image this mouse. – lipids in brain (30 32); however, cholesterol and other sterols Results tend to be poorly ionized by conventional MALDI and are un- derrepresented in MALDI-MSI studies. To enhance ionization, Development of the Analytical Platform. The platform was designed other desorption/ionization methods have been employed, in- to allow the localization by MS of cholesterol, its immediate precursors, and of multiple oxysterols in tissue against a large cluding nanostructure-initiator MS (33), sputtered silver- background of cholesterol and other more readily ionized lipids. MALDI (34), and silver nanoparticle-MALDI (35). These stud- To meet this challenge, we have used on-tissue derivatization ies are mainly restricted to cholesterol. Alternatively, on-tissue (Fig. 1) in combination with μLESA and LC-MS with multistage derivitization has been used to enhance MS ionization and to fragmentation (MSn). Each of the system components required image steroid hormones and steroidal drugs in tissue by exploiting optimization as described below. hydrazine reactions with carbonyl groups present in target analytes – (36 41). These derivatives have been used in combination with On-Tissue EADSA. The protocol for on-tissue enzymatic oxidation MALDI and with liquid extraction for surface analysis (LESA) of sterols (Fig. 1B) was adapted from the in-solution procedure technology, or with reactive-DESI (desorption electrospray ioni- using cholesterol oxidase enzyme in KH2PO4 buffer (43, 45), the zation) (36, 42). Hydrazine derivatization is problematic for ste- only difference being that the enzyme was sprayed onto tissue rols, oxysterols, or steroids not possessing a carbonyl group. To in buffer and then incubated at 37 °C in a humid chamber address this issue, for in-solution analysis of oxysterols and sterols, (11.9 cm × 8.2 cm × 8.5 cm, 30 mL water), rather than being in we and others have utilized a bacterial cholesterol oxidase enzyme solution. In trial experiments, after a 1-h incubation period at 37 °C to specifically convert sterols with a 3β-hydroxy-5-ene structure to there was no evidence for any nonoxidized sterol, as indicated by an + + + a 3-oxo-4-ene and then derivatize the resulting 3-oxo group with absence of peaks corresponding to [M+H] ,[M+Na] ,[M+K] , + + + the Girard hydrazine reagent to provide a charge-tag to the target [M+H-(H2O)n] ,[M+Na-(H2O)n] or [M+K-(H2O)n] of endog- molecule (Fig. 1) (43–45). This strategy is termed enzyme-assisted enous cholesterol or 24S-HC, or of added deuterated standards, derivatization for sterol analysis (EADSA). For comprehensive only of the 3-oxo-4-ene oxidation products (see also SI Appendix). The analysis, oxysterols naturally possessing an oxo group, e.g., next step in the method was on-tissue derivatization of oxo- 7αH,3O-CA or 7-oxocholesterol (7-OC, also called 7-ketocholesterol) containing sterols using the Girard P (GP) hydrazine re- agent (Fig. 1). Others have used Girard T (GT) hydrazine as the derivatizing agent to react on-tissue with oxo-containing sterols/ steroids (36–41); however, based on our experience of using the A GP reagent for in-solution derivatization of oxysterols, GP hy- drazine was preferred here (43, 45). A disadvantage of using GT + hydrazine is that a major MS2 fragment ion is the [M-59] species + ([M-NMe3] ) and the exact same neutral loss is observed in the fragmentation of endogenous choline-containing lipids. With 2 2 + 2 [ H0]GP the major MS fragment ion is [M-79] and for [ H5]GP + [M-84] , neutral losses not common for other lipids (for further details of fragmentations see refs. 25 and 43). We sprayed GP B 2 reagent (6.3 mg/mL for [ H5]GP bromide) in the same solvent as previously used for in-solution derivatization (70% methanol, 5% acetic acid) (43, 45). As in reported studies using the GT reagent (36, 37, 40), it was essential to incubate the GP-coated tissue in a humid atmosphere to achieve efficient derivatization. Initial tests in a dry atmosphere revealed no derivatization of 3-oxo-4-ene substrates. Incubation in a humid chamber (12 cm × 12 cm × 7.2 cm) containing 30 mL of 50% methanol, 5% acetic acid at 2 37 °C for 1 h provided an efficient derivatization environment with Fig. 1. Derivatization of oxysterols. (A) Derivatization of 7-OC with [ H0] 2 2 Girard P reagent ([ H0]GP) and of (B) 24S-HC with [ H5]GP reagent following minimum lateral dispersion of analytes (SI Appendix,Fig.S2). enzymatic oxidation with cholesterol oxidase. For MSn fragmentation see Increasing the volume or organic content of solution led to lipid refs. 25 and 43 and SI Appendix, Fig. S9F. delocalization, while reducing the volume and organic content

5750 | www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.1917421117 Yutuc et al. Downloaded by guest on September 25, 2021 provided less efficient derivatization based on ion current in for quantification of oxysterols was assessed by spraying both 2 2 μLESA-MS measurements. [ H7]24R/S-HC and [ H7]22S-HC onto six successive slices of 2 brain tissue at increasing concentration ratios of [ H7]24R/S-HC: μ 2 2 LESA. LESA is based on liquid microjunction surface sampling [ H7]22S-HC, but keeping the areal density of [ H7]22S-HC constant. 2 2 (46), where solvent is deposited as a small volume liquid A plot of peak area ratio of [ H7]24R/S-HC: [ H7]22S-HC (averaged microjunction by a robotic sampling probe, i.e., pipette tip or over three closely arranged spots from the same isocortical region 2 capillary, onto a surface, aspirated back to the tip or capillary, on each slice) against areal density of sprayed-on [ H7]24R/S-HC, and the extract analyzed by electrospray ionization (ESI)-MS. gave a straight line with R2 > 0.999 (SI Appendix, Fig. S5A). When The LESAPLUS configuration of the TriVersa Nanomate incor- this experiment was repeated but by plotting the peak area ratio of μ μ 2 porates a 200- m internal diameter (i.d.)/360- m outer diameter [ H7]24R/S-HC: 24S-HC, where 24S-HC refers to the endogenous 2 (o.d.) fused silica capillary replacing the conventional pipette tip molecule, against areal density of sprayed-on [ H7]24R/S-HC, for (47), reducing the extraction spot size to ≤1 mm (48, 49). closely arranged spots (n = 3) in the same region of interest, on six However, when using a 50% methanol solvent, as required here successive slices, the result was a straight line of R2 > 0.994 (SI for extraction of derivatized sterols, we were unable to achieve Appendix,Fig.S5B and C). Assuming the concentration of en- this spot size as the surface tension required for a stable liquid dogenous 24S-HC does not vary across the six slices, or adjacent microjunction was not attainable. To overcome this problem, the spots within the same region of interest, the results indicate that sampling probe can be used to make a seal against the tissue deuterated surrogates can be used as a reliable internal standard surface, thereby minimizing the possibility of solvent spreading for quantification of endogenous sterols. (50). We have attached a 330-μm i.d./794-μm o.d. FEP (fluori- To assess the reproducibility of the EADSA-μLESA-LC-MS nated ethylene propylene) sleeve to the fused silica capillary and technology, adjacent spots (n = 6) in the isocortical region of a used it to make a direct seal with the tissue surface, preventing single slice of mouse brain were analyzed. The mean value of spreading of the extraction solvent beyond the boundary of the areal density of 24S-HC was determined to be 0.947 ± 0.078 sleeve (SI Appendix, Fig. S3A). This gave a spot size diameter ng/mm2 (mean ± SD), giving a % coefficient of variation (% CV) of ≤400 μm, as assessed by microscopic evaluation of tissue after of 8%. Assuming that the endogenous concentration of 24S-HC liquid extraction was performed in triplicate (SI Appendix, Fig. did not vary across the six adjacent spots, the reproducibility of S3B). A 50% methanol extraction solvent was chosen to closely the method is satisfactory. Reproducibility was further assessed match the derivatization solvent. The volume of solvent dis- by analyzing nine regions of interest from four closely cut slices pensed onto (more correctly, forced to be in contact with) tissue, from a single brain. The % CV for areal density in each indi- was optimized to maximize oxysterol extraction with an extraction vidual region varied from 12.4% for the striatum where the areal BIOCHEMISTRY time of 30 s, as assessed by MS ion current for target oxysterols (e.g., density of 24S-HC was high (1.415 ± 0.176 ng/mm2, n = 4) to 24S-HC), without compromising spatial resolution, i.e., leaking of 46.3% in the white matter of the cerebellum where the areal solvent through the tissue–FEP seal. The number of repeat ex- density of 24S-HC was low (0.191 ± 0.088 ng/mm2, n = 4, SI tractions on the same spot was similarly optimized. The optimal Appendix, Fig. S6A). However, there is likely some contamina- conditions were a “dispensed volume” of 1 μL, an extraction time of tion of white matter of the cerebellum by gray matter and vice 30 s, and performed three times on the same spot. versa, accounting for the high % CV in these regions. Other than for the cerebellum, the interslice reproducibility was deemed EADSA-μLESA-LC-MS. Previous studies using MS have defined acceptable. Similar analysis for cholesterol with conventional concentrations of 24S-HC, the major oxysterol in mouse brain, to LC-MS gave a value of 387.3 ± 14.6 ng/mm2 (% CV = 4%) for be of the order of 20 to 60 ng/mg (wet weight) (25, 51–53). For five adjacent spots in the isocortex of a single tissue slice. comparison, the concentration of cholesterol is in the range of 10 to 20 μg/mg (1, 25, 52), and after EADSA treatment, in the absence Cholesterol Metabolism in Different Regions of Wild-Type Mouse of chromatographic separation, cholesterol totally dominates the Brain. Although cholesterol has been imaged in adult rodent μLESA-MS analysis of the mouse brain surface extract (Fig. 2A). brain, its precursors and metabolites have not. To demonstrate However, with the addition of LC to give the μLESA-LC-MS the potential of our platform and gain insight into spatial cho- platform, analysis of 400-μm diameter spot extracts of brain tis- lesterol metabolism in brain, we quantitatively analyzed the sue give clear separation of peaks corresponding to 24S-HC, sterol distribution in nine regions of interest, i.e., isocortex, 24S,25-EC, desmosterol, 8(9)-dehydrocholesterol (8-DHC), and striatum, thalamus, hippocampus, midbrain, pons, medulla, cer- cholesterol (Fig. 2B). The 8-DHC is an enzymatically generated ebellum (gray matter), and cerebellum (white matter) using isomer of 7-dehydrocholesterol (7-DHC), the immediate precursor μLESA-LC-MS with conventional-flow and nano-LC-MS for- of cholesterol in the Kandutsch–Russell pathway (54). mats (Fig. 3). We integrated μLESA with two different LC-MS systems: 1) Cholesterol is the most abundant sterol across the whole brain μLESA-LC-MS with a “conventional” flow rate of 200 μL/min, but there are concentration differences between regions (Figs. and 2) μLESA-nano-LC-MS with a flow rate of 350 nL/min. Both 3A and 4A). Hierarchal cluster analysis separated the nine re- systems incorporate a microswitch and a reversed-phase trap gions into three groups (Fig. 4B), of which cholesterol is most column prior to an analytical column which allowed trapping of abundant in pons (575.5 ± 122.0 ng/mm2, n = 3 animals) and GP-derivatized sterols and washing to waste of unreacted GP re- white matter of the cerebellum (509.2 ± 83.0 ng/mm2) but least agent and more polar analytes (SI Appendix,Fig.S4A and B). The abundant in hippocampus (252.9 ± 27.3 ng/mm2), gray matter of nano-LC-MS format gives a 10-fold improvement in sensitivity over cerebellum (263.3 ± 71.3 ng/mm2), and isocortex (305.1 ± 53.8 the conventional flow-rate LC-MS format, based on analysis of 24S- ng/mm2). Desmosterol, the immediate precursor of cholesterol HC, and is more suitable for the analysis of very low-abundance in the Bloch pathway, was found to be about two orders of oxysterols; however, it is susceptible to overloading by highly magnitude less abundant than cholesterol but its spatial distri- abundant cholesterol. Both systems were utilized in this study to bution correlated significantly with cholesterol (SI Appendix, Fig. cover the broadest range of sterols in brain. S7A). The areal density of desmosterol ranged from 4.212 ± 1.546 ng/mm2 in pons to 1.025 ± 0.356 ng/mm2 in the gray matter Quantification Using On-Tissue Internal Standards. To quantify sterols of the cerebellum (Figs. 3B and 4C). We also detected 8-DHC in and oxysterols, isotope-labeled surrogates were sprayed on-tissue our analysis (Fig. 2 B and E), which is an enzymatic isomeric providing known areal densities of internal standards. Initially, the product 7-DHC, the immediate precursor of cholesterol in the 2 validity of using sprayed-on [ H7]24R/S-HC as an internal standard Kandutsch–Russell pathway (SI Appendix, Fig. S1) (54). The

Yutuc et al. PNAS | March 17, 2020 | vol. 117 | no. 11 | 5751 Downloaded by guest on September 25, 2021 M-Py-CO ey_190728_mast_wt-3_#75_striatum3_20p... 07/29/19 04:36:38 AEY_190728_Mast_WT-3_#75_striatum2_20p... 29/07/2019 03:13:55 D MS3: 523.4b439.4b EY_190728_Mast_WT-3_#75_striatum2_20pcMeOH-load_+2x_highB_39min_15 #17-4831 RT: 0.10-23.66 AV: 803 NL: 1.15E6 EY_190728_Mast_WT-3_#75_striatum2_20pcMeOH-load_+2x_highB_39min_15 #4204 RT: 20.89 AV: 1 NL: 7.82E6 F: FTMS + p ESI Full ms [400.00-610.00] F: ITMS + c ESI Full ms3 [email protected] [email protected] [120.00-530.00] 100100 20.89 min 411 523.4398 100100 90 Cholesterol 90 80 Combined *b3-28 80 70 *b -12 70 mass spectra 1 M-Py-CONH 60 60 524.4424 %RA %RA50 163 50 40 *b2 40 151 30 525.4461 30 396 20 20 327 10 10 177 367 00 00 500 505 510 515 520 525 530 535 540 545 550 555 560 565 570 575 580 140 3 160 180 200 220 240 260 280 300 320 340 360 380 400 420 440 460 m/z MS : 523.4b439.4b m/z M-Py-CO EY_190728_Mast_WT-3_#75_striatum2_20pcMeOH-load_+2x_highB_39min_15+ #3337 RT: 17.03 AV: 1 NL: 7.03E5 [M] ey_190728_mast_wt-3_#75_striatum3_20pcmeoh-load_+2x_highb_39min_17+ #4198 RT: 20.88 AV: 1 NL: 7.30E6 F: FTMS + p ESI Full ms [400.00-610.00] F: ITMS + c20.88 ESI Full ms3 [email protected] [email protected] [120.00-530.00][M] 100 411 100 17.03 min 539.4354 Cholesterol 100 10090 90 80 *b3-28 80 70 70 *b1-12 60 163 60 540.4388 %RA50 50 M-Py-CONH %RA *b 40 40 151 2 30 541.4423 30 20 20 327 396 10 367 546.4793 10 177 0 0500 505 510 515 520 525 530 535 540 545 550 555 560 565 570 575 580 00 505 515 525 535 m/z 545 555 565 575 140 160 180 200 220 240 260 280 300 320 340 360 380 400 420 440 460 150 200 250 300m/z 350 400 450

m/z m/z

Cholesterol M-Py-CO E EY_190728_Mast_WT-3_#75_striatum2_20p... 29/07/2019 03:13:55 BEY_190728_Mast_WT-3_#75_striatum2_20p... 29/07/2019 03:13:55 MS3: 521.4b437.4b 100 20.91 NL: 1.49E8 EY_190728_Mast_WT-3_#75_striatum2_20pcMeOH-load_+2x_highB_39min_15 #4023 RT: 20.12 AV: 1 NL: 7.00E4 100 m/z= 523.4367-523.4471 F: FTMS + p F: ITMS + c ESI Full ms3 [email protected] [email protected] [120.00-530.00] 80 20.12 min 409 RIC: 523.4419 ± 10ppm ESI Full ms [400.00-610.00] MS 100100 60 EY_190728_Mast_WT- 2 3_#75_striatum2_20pcMeOH-load_+ 90 Desmosterol %RA40 Cholesterol = 367 ng/mm 2x_highB_39min_15 80 20 *b3-28 70 M-Py-CONH 00 *b1-12 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 60 Time (min)x80 163 RIC: 521.4262 ± 10ppm %RA50 ‘*f x80 100100 20.14 Desmosterol NL: 1.49E8 40 151 *b2 Desmosterol = 2.7 ng/mm2 m/z= 521.4210-521.4314 F: FTMS + p 394 8-DHC ESI Full ms [400.00-610.00] MS 30 353 50 2 20.66 EY_190728_Mast_WT- %RA 8-DHC = 0.5 ng/mm 3_#75_striatum2_20pcMeOH-load_+ 20 2x_highB_39min_15 365 10 177 00 0 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 0 140 160 180 200 220 240 260 280 300 320 340 360 380 400 420 440 460 Time (min) 3 RIC: 539.4368 ± 10ppm x200 MS : 521.4b437.4b m/z x200 M-Py-CONH EY_190728_Mast_WT-3_#75_striatum2_20pcMeOH-load_+2x_highB_39min_15+ #4143 RT: 20.64 AV: 1 NL: 1.89E4 100 17.03 24S-HC NL: 1.49E8 100 F: ITMS + c20.64 ESI Full ms3 [email protected] [email protected] [120.00-530.00][M] 2 m/z= 539.4314-539.4422 F: FTMS + p M-Py-CO 24S-HC = 1.8 ng/mm ESI Full ms [400.00-610.00] MS 50 EY_190728_Mast_WT- 100 8-DHC 394 %RA 3_#75_striatum2_20pcMeOH-load_+ 100 2x_highB_39min_15 90 409 00 80 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 70 Time (min) RIC: 537.4211 ± 10ppm x5000 60 x5000 100100 NL: 1.49E8 %RA50 17.39 24S,25-EC m/z= 537.4158-537.4266 F: FTMS + p *e’ 24S,25-EC = 0.1 ng/mm2 ESI Full ms [400.00-610.00] MS 40 *c2+2 %RA50 EY_190728_Mast_WT- 30 3_#75_striatum2_20pcMeOH-load_+ 2x_highB_39min_15 20 231 325 365 00 10 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 0 0510 15 Time20 (min) 25 30 35 0 140 160 180 200 220 240 260 280 300 320 340 360 380 400 420 440 460 150 250 300m/z 350 450 min 200 400 m/z

24S-HC M-Py-H2O CEY_190728_Mast_WT-3_#75_striatum2_20p... 29/07/2019 03:13:55 EY_190728_Mast_WT-3_#75_striatum2_20p... 29/07/2019 03:13:55 24S-HC: 539.4368 ± 10ppm F MS3: 539.4b455.4b RT: 13.00 -WT 19.00 17.03 EY_190728_Mast_WT-3_#75_striatum2_20pcMeOH-load_+2x_highB_39min_15 #3336 RT: 17.03 AV: 1 NL: 6.71E4 100100 NL: 7.17E5 F: ITMS + c ESI17.03 Full ms3 [email protected] min [email protected] [125.00-550.00] 437 2 m/z= 539.4341-539.4395 F: FTMS 100100 90 24S-HC = 1.8 ng/mm + p ESI Full ms [400.00-610.00] MS 90 24S-HC 80 EY_190728_Mast_WT- 3_#75_striatum2_20pcMeOH- 80 load_+2x_highB_39min_15 70 70 M-Py-CO 60 60 *b -28 %RA 3 M-Py-CO-H2O 50 50 *b1-12 %RA *b2 ‘*f 40 40 30 30 163 427 20 151 353 20 177 409 10 394 10 325 00 00 140 3 160 180 200 220 240 260 280 300 320 340 360 380 400 420 440 460 NL: 7.17E5 MS : 537.4b453.3b M-Py-CO 100100 m/z m/z= 539.4341-539.4395 F: FTMS + 90 24S-HC: 539.4368 ± 10ppm + p ESI Full ms [400.00-610.00] EY_190728_Mast_WT-3_#75_striatum2_20pcMeOH-load_+2x_highB_39min_1517.37 min [M] #3410 RT: 17.37 AV: 1 NL: 1.26E3 MS F: ITMS + c ESI Full ms3 [email protected] [email protected] [120.00-540.00] 425 80 Cyp46a1-/- ey_190806_mast_ko- 100100 3_#67_striatum3_20pcmeoh- 24S,25-EC 90 70 24S-HC = ND load_highb_39min_17 80 60 70 *b3-28 50 %RA 60 M-Py-H2O 40 50 %RA *b1-12 30 ‘*e 40 ‘*f 20 30 163 435 10 20 151 410 10 325 392 00 353 13.0 13.5 14.0 14.5 15.0 15.5 16.0 16.5 17.0 17.5 18.0 18.5 19.0 0 13 14 15 Time16 (min) 17 18 0 140 160 180 200 220 240 260 280 300 320 340 360 380 400 420 440 460 150 200 250 300m/z 350 400 450 min m/z

Fig. 2. μLESA-LC-MS(MSn) analysis following EADSA treatment of mouse brain. (A, Upper) Combined mass spectra recorded over the entire chromatogram, from striatum of WT mouse brain. (A, Lower) Mass spectrum recorded at 17.03 min from the same brain region. The peaks at m/z 523.4398, 539.4354, and 2 + 546.4793 correspond to endogenous cholesterol, 24S-HC and [ H7]24S-HC internal standard, respectively. (B)RICsforthe[M] ion of endogenous cholesterol (m/z 523.4419 ± 10 ppm, Upper), dehydrocholesterols (521.4262 ± 10 ppm, second panel), 24S-HC (539.4368 ± 10 ppm, third panel) and 24S,25-EC (537.4211 ± 10 ppm, + Lower) from striatum of WT mouse brain. Peak intensities are relative to cholesterol but magnified as indicated. (C) RIC for the [M] ion of endogenous 24S-HC − − (m/z 539.4368 ± 10 ppm) from striatum of WT brain (Upper)andofCyp46a1 / mouse brain (Lower). Peak intensities are normalized to the 24S-HC peak from WT mouse brain. ND, not detected. Note, 24S-HC appears as a doublet in chromatograms in B and C, this is a consequence of syn and anti conformers of the GP + + derivative. (D)MS3 ([M] → [M-Py] →) spectra recorded at 20.89 min and 20.88 min corresponding to endogenous cholesterol from two consecutive spots in the striatum. (E)MS3 ([M]+ → [M-Py]+→) spectra recorded at 20.12 min corresponding to endogenous desmosterol (Upper) and 20.64 min corresponding to 8-DHC (Lower)fromstriatumofWTmouse.(F)MS3 ([M]+ → [M-Py]+→) spectra recorded at 17.03 min corresponding to endogenous 24S-HC (Upper)and17.37min corresponding to 24S,25-EC (Lower) from striatum of WT mouse. Note in the EADSA process 24S,25-EC isomerizes to 24-oxocholesterol.

5752 | www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.1917421117 Yutuc et al. Downloaded by guest on September 25, 2021 AD Cholesterol 24S-HC

2 160 ng/mm 700 0.08 ng/mm2 2.6 BE Desmosterol 24S,25-EC BIOCHEMISTRY

0.01 ng/mm2 0.25 0.4 ng/mm2 4.4 CF 8-DHC

Allen Brain Atlas Cyp46a1

0.1 ng/mm2 1.1 G

Hippocampus

Striatum Cerebellum Thalamus

Pons

Medulla

Fig. 3. Sagittal section of a WT mouse brain analyzed by μLESA-LC-MS following EADSA treatment. A photograph of a tissue slice showing spots analyzed with areal density, determined by μLESA-LC-MS, of (A) cholesterol, (B) desmosterol, (C) 8-DHC, (D) 24S-HC, and (E) 24S,25-EC. Areal density is color coded on a blue-to-red scale as indicated. (F) Expression of Cyp46a1 (55). Image courtesy of © 2006 Allen Institute for Brain Science. Mouse Brain. Available from: https:// mouse.brain-map.org/experiment/show/532667.(G) Annotation of the different regions of mouse brain (55). Image courtesy of © 2006 Allen Institute for Brain Science. Mouse Brain. Available from: http://mouse.brain-map.org/experiment/thumbnails/100042147?image_type=atlas.

areal density of 8-DHC was consistently lower than that of (Figs. 3 and 4). These data indicate that the distributions of desmosterol in all brain regions measured, but its distribution cholesterol and its immediate precursors are correlated together pattern is quite similar to that of desmosterol and cholesterol in brain (SI Appendix, Fig. S7A).

Yutuc et al. PNAS | March 17, 2020 | vol. 117 | no. 11 | 5753 Downloaded by guest on September 25, 2021 5A *** Cholesterol (WT) *** Rescaled Distance Cluster Combine A * * B Cholesterol *** 0 5 10 15 20 25 Cholesterol **** *** ** Hippocampus ****** ** *** ** *** *** ** *** Cerebellum (grey) ****** ****** ****** Isocortex ****** *** *** *** ** *** Striatum 1000110001000 ** 800 880000 Midbrain 2 2 600660000

400 ng/mm 0 Thalamus ng/mm 440000

200220000 Medulla 0 0 8 10 5 5 10 5 5 10 5 5 10 5 5 10 5 4 10 5 5 10 5 5 10 5 5 10 5 8105 5105 5105 5105 5105 4105 5105 5105 5105) x m s s s in n s s a a y) ) ) e m usus u n lla y) te) t x tu um pu s ra ain o s ey hitei ee) r e a t m mu u r on lllla grer h t Pons ortexorttex tu a a m raai P Pon du ( rrey)e w i c c ria l l m mp idbdb eddu (g wh o o o t iaiatum a ala mmp i PPon Medulle ((g (w c StriStr ca M iddb M m m ( ( Is Iso Th a cca M MMe u m s SStr Th poca MMidbrain lluml m lu u Isoc ThThalamus p po e lu l l m i ipppo ell luum H p be be el Hi reb eb e beellum (whit HHippocampus r r eb Cerebellum (white) e re re C Ce r CeCerebellumCe Ce Ce Desmosterol (WT) *** Rescaled Distance Cluster Combine 5C *** C *** D 0 5 10 15 20 25 ****** DesmosterolDesmosterol *** *** *** Thalamus ** *** ** *** *** *** Medulla *** *** *** * *** *** * Hippocampus *** *** * *** * *** *** *** Isocortex *** *** 8 *** 8 6 Midbrain 2 6 2 4 4 Cerebellum (grey) ng/mm

ng/mm 2 2 Striatum 0 8105 5 10 5 5 10 5 5 10 5 5 10 5 4105 5105 5105 5105 0 8 10 x 5 5 10 5 5 10 s 5 5 10 s 5 5 10 n 5 4 10 s 5 5 10 a 5 5 10 )5 5 10 ) 5 ex m us us n s lla y) te) rte tum u u rai on ll rey ite ortx tmu m rnaaiain Pon dula y)rrey)e hi Cerebellum (white) c te ria lam mp db eddu (ge wh o t tuiaiatum allama us pusmmp i onsPPons e (g (wwhite oorc ar ca braiiddbdbr P M mgr ( so St lama us m M MMedulla m Isocortexsc SSt Th ccacampus idM lumm(g (w hite) oI a poca Medul l u lum s Stri ThTha pppo M ell l uum I Th ip blum ( ell Hi e bleellumum HHippo reelb e ippo be r elb Pons H r be Ce e r CeCerebellu Cer Cere CeCere Ce 8(9)-Dehydrocholesterol (WT) Rescaled Distance Cluster Combine 5E *** E 8(9)-Dehydrocholesterol *** *** F 0 5 10 15 20 25 8(9)-Dehydrocholesterol *** *** Midbrain ****** *** *** *** *** Cerebellum (grey) *** *** *** *** *** * *** * Hippocampus ** *** ** *** * *** Striatum * *** 2.02.0 *** 2.0 *** *** Thalamus

2 1.51.5

2 1.5

1.01.01.0 Isocortex ng/mm ng/mm 0.50.50.5 Medulla 0.00.00.0 8 8105 10 5 5 5105 10 5 5 5105 10 5 5 5105 10 5 5 5105 10 5 44105 10 5 55105 10 5 5 5105 10 5 5 5105 10 5 x s s n s a ) ) e m u su s all y) e)te) ext x u s s inain s ll a ey t i e t r e umt m mu u r non llall ey)r i h te)t Pons o t u pu ra ai oPon udu r re h i c r atiat lam mp rainr P de (g wh orteo tria amusa m idb PonsP e ddu (g w ( oc tri r al campusmmp idbdbd Me (grey)((g ( w s St alaamus ca Mi M m m (wh( socorI o S hTh cca M MeduM um m m I s StriatumS T po MiM ll u Isoc ThalTh pop llu lumu u ll m p i ppo e el ll elumluum Hip belle l Hi eb eb be Cerebellum (white) HippocaH r r ebeebelb re re CeCe r CerCe CerebCe Ce 24S-HC (WT) 5G * * Rescaled Distance Cluster Combine G 24S-Hydroxycholesterol ****** H 0 5 10 15 20 25 24S-Hydroxycholesterol *** ** *** Pons * * ** *** *** *** Medulla *** *** * * *** Cerebellum (grey) *** 4 *** *** 4 *** Cerebellum (white) 3 2 3

2 Midbrain 2

ng/mm 2 Isocortex

ng/mm 1 1 0 13 30 16 10 30 10 10 30 10 9 30 10 10 30 10 10 30 10 10 30 10 23 40 13 9 23 8 Hippocampus x in s la e) m n l t 0 a u ey) i rte mus r h 13o 30 16 10 30 10 10 30 10 93010 10br 30 10 Po10 30 10 10d 30 10 g23 40 13 9238 x la s s n s e a ( ) w ) x triatu m s s id n s a y) ( e) oc te m a u u ai M ll m ey)y te rteex S tu u u M raaiain on ll re m iit Striatum Is or t Th m ocampus r Pon du lu r h co ia la mp PPon eddu l (g w c triia l ipp mmp idb e e (g (white)w o tr a ca iddbdbr M m ellu ( Isoocort SStriatum H cca M MMedulleba m(gm b m Is Th MiM r lu um ThThalamu pop e lll lu ip C e lll ip bellue Cere e Thalamus HHippocampu eb b rebe reebellum Ce r Ce Ce

Fig. 4. Sagittal section of WT mouse brain analyzed by μLESA-LC-MS following EADSA treatment. Areal density (ng/mm2) of sterols in nine brain regions from three WT mice and dendrograms from hierarchal cluster analysis for the brain regions averaged over the biological replicates (see Statistics section). Areal density of (A) cholesterol, (C) desmosterol, (E) 8-DHC, and (G) 24S-HC. Significance levels from ANOVA using Tukey’s multiple comparison test are indicated for those brain regions showing significant differences. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001. Values for individual mice are given by separate histogram bars. The number of dots within each bar indicates the number of brain slices analyzed for each mouse. The dots within the bars correspond to region average for each brain slice. The height of each bar represents the mean of the region average of each brain slice. The number at the bottom of each bar indicates the total number of spots analyzed per mouse. The error bars indicate the SD of all of the spots per mouse. Dendrograms for (B) cholesterol, (D) desmosterol, (F) 8-DHC, and (H) 24S-HC. A greater horizontal axis distance from zero indicates greater dissimilarity between different brain regions, whereas a lower distance from zero indicates greater similarity between different brain regions.

5754 | www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.1917421117 Yutuc et al. Downloaded by guest on September 25, 2021 The major cholesterol metabolite in brain is 24S-HC, ac- (36). We find it to be distributed ubiquitously across the brain at counting for around 50% of cholesterol turnover in the brain. low levels (0.002 ± 0.002 to 0.004 ± 0.006 ng/mm2, see SI Ap- However, the distribution of 24S-HC is significantly different pendix, Fig. S8). across different brain structures (Figs. 3D and 4G), ranging in Taken together, using EADSA-μLESA-LC-MS data we clearly areal density from 0.161 ± 0.024 ng/mm2 in the gray matter of demonstrate that different brain regions have distinct sterol the cerebellum to 1.637 ± 0.159 ng/mm2 in the thalamus and patterns. 1.805 ± 0.158 ng/mm2 in the striatum. Remarkably, the distri- −/− bution of 24S-HC across the different brain regions does not Locating Biologically Active Oxysterols in Cyp46a1 Mouse Brain. correlate significantly with levels of cholesterol or its precursors Earlier studies have shown that although converting cholesterol (SI Appendix, Fig. S7A). Interestingly, while the level of 24S-HC to 24S-HC by CYP46A1 is responsible for the majority of cho- varies by a factor of about 10 across the different regions, the lesterol turnover in brain, the cholesterol content of whole brain corresponding variations of cholesterol and desmosterol are only does not differ significantly between wild-type (WT) and − − factors of about 2 and 4, respectively. The oxysterol 24S-HC is Cyp46a1 / animals (52, 53, 59). This was explained by a re- formed from cholesterol by the enzyme CYP46A1 expressed in duction of cholesterol synthesis compensating for reduced me- − − neurons localized to multiple subregions of brain (6). In- tabolism in the Cyp46a1 / animals. As 24S,25-EC levels in brain terrogation of the Allen Mouse Brain Atlas reveals that Cyp46a1 may reflect the combined activities of de novo cholesterol syn- is highly expressed in striatum and thalamus but at lower levels in thesis and CYP46A1, we hypothesized that the levels of 24S,25- − − the cerebellum (Fig. 3F) (55). Our results suggest that the pat- EC are reduced in Cyp46a1 / mice. Indeed, we found that the tern of 24S-HC in brain reflects local Cyp46a1 expression. level of 24S,25-EC decreased in all brain regions analyzed. In Another oxysterol identified in brain is 24S,25-EC (Fig. 2 B particular, the areal densities of 24S,25-EC in the thalamus and − − and F) (15). This oxysterol is not a metabolite of cholesterol, but striatum of Cyp46a1 / animals were reduced by about 80 to formed in parallel to cholesterol via a shunt pathway using the 90% compared to WT brain (Fig. 5 A and C and SI Appendix, exact same enzymes, but with the exclusion of DHCR24 (SI Table S1), while there was only about a 50% reduction in me- Appendix, Fig. S1) (14). In cellular systems, the level of 24S,25- dulla and cerebellum, demonstrating that a lack of CYP46A1 EC reflects the activity of the cholesterol biosynthesis pathway. reduced 24S,25-EC in brain and that the thalamus and striatum Recent studies also suggests that 24S,25-EC can be formed are the most affected areas. Notably, the dendrograms from hi- in vitro from desmosterol via a CYP46A1 catalyzed reaction erarchal cluster analysis are different in the two genotypes (Fig. 5 (16). We found 24S,25-EC to be present in all brain region but to B and D). be particularly abundant in thalamus at an areal density of In the WT mouse, the high areal density of 24S-HC (0.161 ± BIOCHEMISTRY 0.158 ± 0.026 ng/mm2 (Figs. 3E and 5A). Factor analysis reveals 0.024 to 1.805 ± 0.158 ng/mm2) compared to other oxysterols that 24S,25-EC correlates most closely with 24S-HC (SI Appen- makes the identification of minor (≤0.01 ng/mm2) and closely dix, Fig. S7A), although being about 10 times less abundant. The eluting monohydroxycholesterols difficult. To overcome this distribution of 24S,25-EC in brain likely reflects the varying ac- problem, we have taken advantage of brain tissue from the − − tivities of de novo cholesterol biosynthesis and of CYP46A1 in Cyp46a1 / mouse which is reported to be almost completely the different brain regions. devoid of 24S-HC (52, 53, 59). Analysis of the same brain regions While, cholesterol, desmosterol, 8-DHC, 24S-HC, and 24S,25- as for WT mouse confirmed an almost complete absence (≤0.001 − − EC can all be analyzed by EADSA-μLESA-LC-MS at conven- ng/mm2) of 24S-HC in the Cyp46a1 / animal (Fig. 2C and see tional flow rates, low-abundance oxysterols require the more also SI Appendix, Table S1) but revealed minor amounts of 25- sensitive EADSA-μLESA-nano-LC-MS format. The nano-LC- HC (0.005 ± 0.002 to 0.023 ± 0.034 ng/mm2) and 24R-HC MS format provides a lower limit of quantification (LOQ) of (0.004 ± 0.002 to 0.023 ± 0.001 ng/mm2, SI Appendix, Fig. S9). 0.01 ng/mm2 based on a CV of <25% at the LOQ and a limit of Although there was some variation in absolute concentrations in detection (LOD) of 0.001 ng/mm2 (SI Appendix, Fig. S5). different mice, 24R-HC was at the highest concentration in the Previous studies have suggested that 26-HC is imported into cerebellum of each mouse (Fig. 5E and see also SI Appendix, brain and converted in brain by a combination of enzymes, Table S1) and 25-HC was more ubiquitously dispersed (SI Ap- CYP27A1, and CYP7B1 to 3β,7α-diHCA and further by pendix, Fig. S8 and Table S1). Both of these oxysterols were hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (HSD) 3B7 to 7αH,3O-CA (SI detected at low levels in an earlier study of homogenized − − Appendix, Fig. S1) (21, 23, 24, 56). The acid 3β,7α-diHCA is a Cyp46a1 / mouse brain, as was an unknown hydroxycholesterol ligand to the LXRs and is neuroprotective, while 7αH,3O-CA eluting later than the peaks of 24R-HC (52). Here we again lacks these activities (21). Using EADSA-μLESA-nano-LC-MS, observe low levels of this oxysterol (0.007 ± 0.005 to 0.012 ± 3β,7α-diHCA and 7αH,3O-CA are detected in brain. However, 0.006 ng/mm2) which we have previously assigned, based on re- using the EADSA method, 3β,7α-diHCA can be measured in tention time and MS3 spectra, but in the absence of an authentic combination with 7αH,3O-CA, and at low levels the combined standard, to be 12α-hydroxycholesterol (12α-HC, SI Appendix, areal densities of these two acids are measured more accurately Fig. S9 A and E) (25). than either of the individual acids alone. The combination of Careful interrogation of the MS3 spectra recorded prior to the 3β,7α-diHCA plus 7αH,3O-CA was evident at areal densities elution of 25-HC indicate the presence of not only trace quan- ranging from close to the LOD, i.e., 0.002 ± 0.002 ng/mm2 up to tities of 24S-HC (at about the limit of detection, SI Appendix, 0.018 ± 0.009 ng/mm2 across the different regions of interest in Fig. S9 A and C), but also of the elusive 20S-HC (SI Appendix, mouse brain (SI Appendix, Table S1). The combined acids were Fig. S9B) (60). The oxysterol 20S-HC gives a unique MS3 spec- found to be most abundant in the gray matter of the cerebellum, trum where the fragment ion m/z 327.2 is abundant (SI Appendix, although not statistically different from the white matter of the Fig. S9 B and F). By generating a multiple reaction monitoring cerebellum or isocortex (Fig. 5G and see also SI Appendix, (MRM) chromatogram for the transition m/z 539.4 → 455.4 → Table S1). 327.2, this oxysterol is highlighted (SI Appendix,Fig.S9A). The oxysterol 7-OC can be formed from 7-DHC in a CYP7A1 When the authentic standard of GP-derivatized 20S-HC was catalyzed reaction (57), or alternatively, from cholesterol via free spotted on mouse brain tissue, it eluted with an identical re- radical-mediated reactions (58). As CYP7A1 is not expressed in tention time to the GP-derivatized endogenous molecule, and brain, free radical formation or import across the BBB are the the MS3 spectra of the standard and endogenous molecule are likely origins of this oxysterol in brain. The oxysterol 7-OC has almost identical. There are some small differences as a conse- previously been detected in brain using Girard derivatization quence of partial coelution of isomeric oxysterols from tissue.

Yutuc et al. PNAS | March 17, 2020 | vol. 117 | no. 11 | 5755 Downloaded by guest on September 25, 2021 However, an intense fragment ion at m/z 327.2 is unique to 20S- only one prior publication, where it was found to be present in HC. The oxysterol 20S-HC is a ligand of SMO and can activate rat brain and human placenta (61). Here we define its pres- the Hh signaling pathway and has previously been reported in ence in mouse brain. Our data demonstrate that 20S-HC is

6A 24S,25-EC (WT) Rescaled Distance Cluster Combine A *** B 24S,25-Epoxycholesterol *** 0 5 10 15 20 25 24S,25-Epoxycholesterol ** WT *** ** WT *** Isocortex * * *** Pons *** *** *** *** *** *** Midbrain * ** *** *** * ** Striatum 0.3 ***

2 00.3.3 0.2 Hippocampus 2

ng/mm 00.2.2 0.1 Medulla ng/mm 0.000.1.1 13 25 16 10 25 10 10 25 10 9 25 10 10 25 10 10 25 10 10 25 10 23 37 13 9 21 8 ) s n s y) e Cerebellum (grey) ex e 0.00.0 t on r or mpus P dulla c 13 25 16 iatum10 25 10 10 25 10 9 25 10 10 25 10 10 25 10e 10 25 10(g23 37 13 9 21 8 ) (w hit ) o x s ca s n s M a m s e Str m u u Midbrai ll y) m e) I t x um Thalamu s s ain s a u ey ite r e t mu u r on ll ll r lu h t ort ttuu a raai Pon du e re l i Cerebellum (white) c ria l mmusippo mp db eddudullb (g wh o o t ia ala H mmp i P e ((g be (w s c Str a ca Middb M m e ( I o SStria Th ccacampus M ere um m Isocortexs po MMidbr C lluum lum ThThala ipppo ell Cer luum p be ellluml (white Hi eb be Thalamus HHip re rebbe r re Ce Ce CeCerebellum (greCey)re -/- 6C *** 24S,25-EC(Cyp46a1 (Cyp46a1-/-)) *** *** C 24S,25-Epoxycholesterol *** D Rescaled Distance Cluster Combine 24S,25-Epoxycholesterol *** Cyp46a1-/- *** *** 0 5 10 15 20 25 Cyp46a1-/- *** *** Thalamus *** *** *** *** *** *** Cerebellum (white) *** *** * *** * *** *** *** Hippocampus *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** Cerebellum (grey) *** 0.06

2 0.0600..006 Isocortex

2 0.04 0.0400..004 ng/mm 0.02 Striatum

ng/mm 0.0200..002 0.00 5 15 5 5 15 5 5 14 3 5 15 5 5 14 3 5 15 5 5 15 5 6 13 4 3 10 2 ) Pons in s la y) e 0.00 m us n l t 0.000.00 tex u i r mus p ra re 5 15 5 atu5 15 5 5 14 3 5 15 5 b5 14 3 Po5 15 5 d5 15 5 g6 13) 4 3 10) 2 x a s m s n s a ( e m u u d ll y) (w h te) t x um al s s ain s Me a m ey i e soco r e Stri t h mu u Mi r on ll r m h te)t I o t u T oca aai P du lu e i r iat lam p mp r ono e (gr lu whih Medulla corteo r idb P dulladdu el l ( o t ia ala ip mmp Me ((g e w s c Striatumtr alamusa ca Midbrainddb ( I o S Th H cca MeM lum m Isocs po MiM luum reb lum Th pppo eluml (greye luum i Cereb b l ellumll Hip e e C be HippocampusH r belb eb Midbrain rere re Ce Cer Ce CerebeCe 6E ** 24R-HC ((Cyp46a1-/-)Cyp46a1-/-) ** E 24R-Hydroxycholesterol *** F Rescaled Distance Cluster Combine *** *** 0 5 10 15 20 25 Cyp46a1-/-24R-Hydroxycholesterol * *** **** Midbrain Cyp46a1-/- * *** * *** ** *** *** Medulla * ** *** * *** ** Thalamus * *** *** ** * *** *** ** Pons *** *** * ** *** *** * 0.08 *** *** ** Striatum

2 0.0800..08 *** 0.06 ** *** *** **

2 *** 0.0600..06 ** 0.04 *** Hippocampus ng/mm 0.020.0400..04 ng/mm 0.0200..02 Isocortex 0.00 5 15 5 5 15 5 5 143 5 15 5 5 14 3 5 15 5 5 15 5 6 13 4 3 10 2 ) x n la y) 00.000..00 us um ai ul 5rte15 5 5t 15 5 m5 14 3 5 15 5 5 14 3 5 15 5 5 15 5 re6 13 4 hite3 10 2 o x s s n Pons s a ) ) e m la ed ll (g y e t x tria u us us idbr ain s a e ) (w it ) Cerebellum (grey) r e t m a u campusuus r on M ll m r y te o tte S u m M ai P du e m hi Isoc c r iat Th lam mp r on e lu (gr wh o tria a aamus po mmp idb P ddudulla lu ( oc S r l ca ddb Me m((g (w Iso t a Mi MMe bel u m s SStriatum Th Hip pocca MMidbrain e l mm(g bel u Isocor ThTha p r lu ll m i ppo e ell re ellumu (white) Hpppoca C be e l Cerebellum (white) i ebbe C be HHi re reb Cer re CeCere Ce CeCereb 3β,7α-diHCA + 7αH,3O-CA (WT) 6G 3β,7α-diHCA + 6H Rescaled Distance Cluster Combine G 3β,7α-diHCA + H 0 5 10 15 20 25 7αH,3O-CA ** * Midbrain WT7αH,3O-CA ** * WT ** * * * 0.08 ** Pons * * * 00.080..08 0.06 Thalamus 2 00.060..06 0.04 Medulla 2 ng/mm

0.0200.040..04 Striatum ng/mm

0.0000.020..02 Hippocampus 5 20 11 5 20 5 5 20 5 4 20 5 5 20 5 5 20 5 5 20 5 18 29 8 4 13 3 ) m s in us ns lla ite u o u d P (grey) cortex e (w h 00.000..00o triat M Isocortex s S Midbra I 5 20 11 5 20 5Thalam5 20 5 4 20 5 5 20 5 5 20 5 5 20 5lum18 29 8 4 13 3 x s s n s a ) lum ) ex m us us s lla y) te) t um ippocam pu ain bel ey el i ee) r e t mu H u r on ll r h t ort iatu a mp rrainaai Pon du e reey) i co r l m db PPons eddudulla (g reb (wh o t ia ala mmp i e ((g e w s c Sttriatumr ca Middb M Cer m ( o Tha cca MMe um C m Cerebellum (white) Isocortexs S po MMi lluum lum ThThalamu ippocampusppo ell luum (whit p be ell Hi eb be HipH re rebbel r re Ce Ce Cerebellum (grey) CeCerebellum (gCeCere

− − Fig. 5. Sagittal section of WT and Cyp46a1 / mouse brain analyzed by μLESA-LC-MS following EADSA treatment. Areal density (ng/mm2) of sterols in nine brain regions from three mice of each genotype and dendrograms from hierarchal cluster analysis for the brain regions averaged over the biological rep- − − − − licates. Areal density of (A) 24S,25-EC, WT mouse; (C) 24S,25-EC, Cyp46a1 / mouse; (E) 24R-HC, Cyp46a1 / mouse; and (G) combined 3β,7α-diHCA and 7αH,3O-CA, in WT mouse. Statistical analysis and labeling is as described in Fig. 4. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001. Dendrograms for (B) 24S,25-EC, WT mouse; (D) 24S,25-EC, Cyp46a1−/− mouse; (F) 24R-HC, Cyp46a1−/− mouse; and (H) combined 3β,7α-diHCA and 7αH,3O-CA, in WT mouse.

5756 | www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.1917421117 Yutuc et al. Downloaded by guest on September 25, 2021 ubiquitously distributed in brain regions at an areal density of to hierarchal cluster analysis (Fig. 4B). Desmosterol, the immediate − − about 0.004 ± 0.003 to 0.007 ± 0.003 ng/mm2 in Cyp46a1 / mice precursor of cholesterol in the Bloch pathway is most abundant in (SI Appendix, Fig. S8 and Table S1). pons, as is 8-DHC, the isomer of 7-DHC the immediate precursor As discussed above, the combined areal densities of 3β,7α- of cholesterol in the Kandutsch–Russell pathway (Figs. 3 B and C diHCA and 7αH,3O-CA (SI Appendix, Fig. S8) can be measured and 4 C and E). Factor analysis by sterol to sterol correlates more accurately than either of the individual acids alone. In cholesterol, desmosterol, and 8-DHC most strongly (SI Appendix, agreement with the data for WT mice, the combined acids were Fig. S7A). On the other hand, 24S-HC correlates most strongly consistently most abundant in the gray matter of the cerebellum with 24S,25-EC. It is noteworthy that CYP46A1 generates 24S- − − of the Cyp46a1 / mice (0.013 ± 0.014 ng/mm2, SI Appendix, Fig. HC from cholesterol and 24S,25-EC from desmosterol, providing S8), although there was some mouse-to-mouse variation in one of the two pathways to biosynthesis of 24S,25-EC. Factor areal density. analysis clusters pons and white matter of the cerebellum together, Cholest-4-en-3-one has been found to be present in brain of reflecting their high abundance of cholesterol and its precursors (SI Alzheimer’s disease sufferers and at lower levels in control brain Appendix,Fig.S7B). Similarly, thalamus and striatum cluster together, samples (62). Here we detect cholest-4-en-3-one in all regions of reflecting the abundance of 24S-HC and 24S,25-EC. mouse brain at areal densities in the region of 0.156 to 0.318 It is interesting to compare the distribution of sterols and the − − ng/mm2 in both WT and Cyp46a1 / animals (SI Appendix,Fig.S8). more abundant oxysterols with the expression of genes coding for their biosynthetic enzymes, as detailed in the Allen Mouse Brain Application of MALDI-MSI for Cholesterol Analysis. As an alternative Atlas (55). The Allen Mouse Brain Atlas (55) shows high expression to μLESA-LC-MS for the MS analysis of cholesterol, we have in pons of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA synthase 1 (Hmgcs1), explored the possibility of exploiting MALDI-MSI. Using on-tissue stearol-C-5 desaturase (Sc5d), Dhcr24, and dehydrocholesterol re- EADSA in a similar manner to that employed with μLESA, it was ductase 7 (Dhcr7), coding a key enzyme in the early part of the + possible to image the [M] ion of GP-derivatized cholesterol (SI cholesterol biosynthesis pathway and three of the final enzymes in Appendix,Fig.S10). There is good visual agreement between SI the pathway, respectively. There is also comparatively weak ex- Appendix,Fig.S10and Fig. 4A. pression of Cyp46a1, coding cholesterol 24S-hydroxylase, in pons (55), which in combination can explain the elevated abundance of Discussion cholesterolinthisregion.AccordingtotheAllenMouseBrainAtlas In the current work we have defined a methodology to locate the expression of Cyp27a1, the gene coding the enzyme required to sterols, including cholesterol, its immediate precursors, and differ- introduce a hydroxy and then a carboxylate group at C-26 of cho- ent oxysterols in mouse brain using EADSA and μLESA-LC-MS. lesterol, is of highest expression in the cerebellum (55), which is in BIOCHEMISTRY This method compliments MALDI-MSI methods, also based on agreement with data generated here, finding cholestenoic acids to be EADSA, being concurrently developed for cholesterol imaging in most abundant in cerebellum (Fig. 5G). the W.J.G. and Y.W. laboratory in Swansea. The μLESA-LC-MS A point of consideration is whether residual blood in the ex- method has a major advantage in that isomeric sterols and oxy- cised brain tissue may undermine MS studies. For mouse brain it sterols can be separated by LC, even at the stereochemical level, is estimated that the residual blood content can be of the order something that has not been possible by any other separation de- of 1% (mL/g) of the wet weight of brain (64). Taking data from vices linked to MS. μLESA-LC-MS technology can be operated at ref. 25, the concentration of nonesterified 24S-HC in mouse conventional LC flow rates for rapid analysis or on a nano-LC-MS plasma is about 5 ng/mL and in homogenized brain about 25 μg/g, format to achieve high sensitivity for less abundant, but biologically so a small amount of residual blood should have little or no important oxysterols. Note, that although an oxysterol may be mi- effect on MS data. This should also be true for cholesterol where nor in concentration, the metabolic pathway of which it is an in- the respective concentrations for the nonesterified molecule are termediate may be significant. The major oxysterol in brain is 24S- 200 μg/mL and 20 mg/g, and also for 24S,25-EC (1 ng/mL cf 1 μg/g) HC (7, 63). Here we find 24S-HC to be most abundant in the (25). Further evidence against residual blood impacting on the data striatum and thalamus and least abundant in the cerebellum. Un- presented here, is that neither nonesterified 26-HC, abundant in surprisingly in the WT mouse, hierarchal cluster analysis for 24S- mouse plasma (10 ng/mL), or 3β-hydroxycholest-5-en-(25R)26-oic acid −− HC reveals that striatum and thalamus cluster together, as do gray (4 ng/mL) (25) were detected in either WT or Cyp46a1 / mouse brain and white matter of the cerebellum with pons and medulla (Fig. by MS. However, in cases where the sterol concentrations in plasma 4H). The oxysterol 24S-HC is formed from cholesterol by the en- are much higher than those determined in brain, as may be the case zyme CYP46A1 expressed in neurons localized to multiple subre- with plant stanols and sterols, data must be interpreted with caution. gions of brain (6). Cyp46a1, is highly expressed in striatum and The oxysterol 24S-HC is by far the most abundant oxysterol in thalamus but at lower levels in the cerebellum (Fig. 3F) (55), which mouse brain (25, 52, 53). This makes analysis of closely eluting reflects the abundance patterns of 24S-HC, and partially of 24S,25- low-abundance isomers challenging. However, deletion of EC, determined here by EADSA-μLESA-LC-MS. The agreement Cyp46a1 removes the biosynthesis of 24S-HC almost completely between gene expression and enzyme product data evident here also and, with implementation of nano-LC-MS, allows measurement indicates that 24S-HC does not rapidly move into other brain re- of other isomers and oxysterols (52). In the current study we gions following its formation. In most studies, 24S-HC is analyzed in were able to image 24R-HC, the epimer of 24S-HC, which is whole brain homogenates being found at concentrations of 20 to 60 found to be of most abundance in cerebellum (Fig. 5E) and to ng/mg (wet weight). Our values of 0.161 to 1.805 ng/mm (SI detect other isomers, including 12α-HC, 25-HC, and the elusive Appendix,TableS1) translate to 16 to 176 ng/mg, assuming 20S-HC (SI Appendix, Fig. S8). The 22R-HC was also found in efficient extraction from the 10-μm thick tissue sections and some analysis but at the limit of detection. The enzymes required minimal desiccation during tissue storage. to biosynthesize 24R-HC and 20S-HC from cholesterol are un- Cholesterol is the most abundant sterol in brain, being two to known. The enhanced abundance of 24R-HC in cerebellum of − − three orders of magnitude more abundant that 24S-HC. In the the Cyp46a1 / mouse does suggest CYP27A1 to be the relevant + absence of derivatization, or chelation with Ag , cholesterol can cholesterol hydroxylase, but 24R-HC is present in brain of the − − be difficult to detect in MSI experiments (29). However, following Cyp27a1 / mouse arguing against this (25). CYP3A11 is a sterol EADSA, cholesterol provides the most intense signal in MS 24R-hydroxylase and could perhaps convert cholesterol to 24R-HC analysis of brain tissue (Fig. 2A). Cholesterol is found to be most in brain. Cyp3a11 is, however, predominantly expressed in cortex abundant in the pons and white matter of the cerebellum (Figs. 3A (55). CYP11A1 is the cholesterol 22R-hydroxylase required for and 4A); unsurprisingly, these two regions group together according neurosteroid biosynthesis and has been shown to be expressed in

Yutuc et al. PNAS | March 17, 2020 | vol. 117 | no. 11 | 5757 Downloaded by guest on September 25, 2021 mouse brain (65). It first hydroxylates cholesterol at position C-22R, recent study shows that the expression of Cyp46a1 isdecreasedinthe then at C-20, then cleaves the bond between these two carbons to striatum of a mouse model of Huntington’s disease (HD) and a gene generate pregnenolone. Besides being the enzyme responsible to therapy aproach to induce the expression of CYP46A1 is suggested as a generate 22R-HC from cholesterol, it may also be the catalyst for potential treatment for HD (77). An immediate application of EADSA- formation of 20S-HC from cholesterol, although evidence for this μLESA-LC-MScouldbetoassessthechanges in 24S-HC, 24S,25-EC, suggestion is lacking. There is only one previous report of the iden- desmosterol, and cholesterol in pathological niches in animal models of tification of 20S-HC in rodents or human (61). However, 20S-HC is HD, and human postmortem tissues, and to monitor the production of considerable biological interest being a ligand to the GPCR SMO, and distribution of 24S-HC in brain as a result of adeno-associated virus- an integral receptor protein in the Hh signaling pathway, important mediated delivery of CYP46A1 into mouse striatum. for determining cell fate during development (66–68). The spatial resolution and spot size available with the μLESA Materials and Methods format (400-μm spot diameter), is admittedly inferior to that Experimental Design. The objective of the current study was to develop an available with MALDI-MSI (<50-μm laser spot diameter). How- MS method suitable for the low-level quantitative determination of differ- ever, μLESA can be coupled with LC, offering isomer separation, ent sterols and oxysterols, including cholestenoic acids, in different regions essential for oxysterol analysis of tissue, where resolution of en- of mouse brain. See SI Appendix, Materials and Methods for details of dogenous oxysterols from those generated ex vivo by oxidation in chemical reagents and tissue sectioning. All animal experiments were air is essential. MALDI can be linked with ion-mobility separation approved by Case Western Reserve University’s Institutional Animal Care and MSI, but in experiments performed to date, we have been and Use Committee and conformed to recommendations made by the unable to separate different oxysterol isomers. A disadvantage American Veterinary Association Panel on Euthanasia. with the μLESA-nano-LC-MS format adopted here is the length of chromatographic run time; this is however reduced by in- Deposition of Internal Standard and On-Tissue EADSA. Frozen tissue sections (10 μm) were dried in a vacuum desiccator for 15 min after which an internal creasing LC flow rate and column diameter from a nanoscale to a 2 2 2 standard mixture of [ H7]24R/S-HC (5 ng/μL), [ H7]22S-HC (1 ng/μL), [ H7]22S-HCO more conventional scale (43, 45). However, increased flow rate 2 2 (1 ng/μL), in some experiments [ H7]22R-HCO (1 ng/μL), [ H7]cholesterol (20 ng/μL), 2 does come with the penalty of reduced sensitivity, due to the and [ H6]desmosterol (5 ng/μL), in ethanol, was sprayed from a SunCollect concentration dependency of ESI. This is not an issue for cho- automated pneumatic sprayer (SunChrom supplied by KR Analytical, Ltd) at a lesterol, desmosterol, 8-DHC, 24S-HC, or 24S,25-EC but is for flow rate of 20 μL/min at a linear velocity of 900 mm/min with a 2-mm line less abundant oxysterols, where nano-LC-MS is more appropriate. distance and Z position of 30 mm in a series of 18 layers. The resulting density of 2 2 2 An alternative to μLESA is to use laser capture microdissec- the deuterated standard were 1 ng/mm for [ H7]24R/S-HC; 0.2 ng/mm for each 2 2 2 2 2 tion (LCMD) followed by conventional solvent extraction and of [ H7]22S-HC, [ H7]22S-HCO, and [ H7]22R-HCO; 4 ng/mm for [ H7]cholesterol; 2 2 MS to localize sterols in tissue. Such an approach has been used and 1 ng/mm for [ H6]desmosterol (SI Appendix, Materials and Methods). The to investigate cholesterol localization in the retina using gas sprayer was thoroughly flushed with about 2 mL of methanol after which chromatography-MS following a hydrolysis step (69), and for cholesterol oxidase (0.264 units/mL in 50 mM KH2PO4, pH7) was sprayed for 18 μ μ total lipid analysis by shotgun lipidomics in mouse liver sections layers. The first layer was applied at 10 L/min, the second at 15 L/min, and then all of the subsequent layers at 20 μL/min to give an enzyme density of (70). A similar approach could be used with in-solution EADSA 0.05 m units/mm2. Thereafter, the enzyme-coated slide was placed on a flat dry on captured tissue. However, as in all imaging experiments, the bed above 30 mL of warm water (37 °C) in a closed pipette-tip box (11.9 cm × achievable spatial resolution of LCMD-MSI is dictated by the 8.2 cm × 8.5 cm) and then incubated at 37 °C for 1 h, after which, the slide was 2 sensitivity of the analyzer for the target molecules. To achieve a removed and dried in a vacuum desiccator for 15 min. [ H5]GP (6.3 mg/mL full oxysterol profile, LCMD-MSI is likely to offer comparable bromide salt, in 70% methanol with 5% acetic acid) was sprayed on the dried results to μLESA-MS, but in the absence of robot-assisted slide with the same spray parameters as used for spraying cholesterol oxidase. sample handling will be more labor intensive. The resulting GP density was 1.21 μg/mm2. The slide was then placed on a flat MALDI-MSI has been used to image cholesterol in rodent dry bed above 30 mL of prewarmed (37 °C) 50% methanol, 5% acetic acid in a brain with laser spot sizes of <50 μm but identification in MALDI- covered glass chamber (12 cm × 12 cm × 7.2 cm) and incubated in a water bath + at 37 °C for 1 h. The slide was removed and dried in a vacuum desiccator until MSI is often based on only an [M-H2O+H] ion (71). However, LC-MS analysis. To analyze sterols containing a naturally occurring oxo group, with the additional application of laser-induced postionization, to 2 give so called “MALDI-2,” sensitivity is sufficient to allow spot the cholesterol oxidase spray step was omitted and [ H0]GP (5 mg/mL chloride sizes as small as 5 μm and the recording of confirmatory MS/MS salt, in 70% methanol with 5% acetic acid) was used as the derivatization agent. spectra (72). Superior spatial resolution can be achieved using Further details of tissue handling and of MALDI-MSI experiments can be found in SI Appendix, Materials and Methods. secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) with spot sizes of 2 to μ + + 3 m for the imaging of the [M-H2O H] ion of cholesterol (73). Robotic μLESA. Derivatized oxysterols present in 10-μm thick slices of brain SIMS is often linked with time-of-flight (TOF) analyzers and using tissue were sampled using a TriVersa Nanomate (Advion) with a modified TOF-SIMS, both cholesterol and cholesterol sulfate have been capillary extraction probe (LESAPLUS). The Advion ChipsoftX software was imaged in skin at a resolution of a few micrometers (74, 75). Even used to capture an optical image of the prepared slide on a flatbed scanner higher resolution (<0.1 μm) has been achieved with NanoSIMS to prior to analysis. The same software was also used to define extraction 18 18 map O isotope-labeled cholesterol in cells by monitoring the O points on the tissue prior to analysis. A 330-μm i.d./794-μm o.d. FEP sleeve fragment ion (76). With respect to oxysterol analysis, however, it was attached to a 200-μm i.d./360-μm o.d. fused silica capillary held in the should be noted that oxysterols are of 102 to 103 lower abundance mandrel of the Advion TriVersa Nanomate; this created a seal when in than cholesterol and exist as multiple positional, geometric, and contact with tissue, preventing the dispersion of extraction solvent (50% stereoisomers and have yet to be imaged by TOF-SIMS or by methanol) and limiting the sampling area to the internal diameter of the MALDI with MS/MS. FEP sleeve (SI Appendix, Fig. S3 A and B). In summary, application of EADSA with μLESA-LC-MS allows Three microliters of extraction solvent was aspirated into the capillary from – spatial location of oxysterols and cholestenoic acids in mouse brain. the solvent reservoir (R1 R2 in SI Appendix,Fig.S4), the mandrel moved ro- −− botically to an exact tissue location, and 1 μL of solvent “dispensed” on-tissue Through exploitation of the Cyp46a1 / mouse, where the biosynthesis and held for 30 s before being aspirated back into the capillary. The mandrel of 24S-HC is almost completely eliminated, other minor oxysterols are μ moved once again, and the extract was dispensed into a well of a 384-well revealed. To compliment EADSA- LESA-LC-MS we are developing plate. The process was repeated twice more with extract dispensed into the EADSA in combination with MALDI-MSI. We find this ideal for same well, before the combined extract was injected via the extraction probe imaging cholesterol at high spatial resolution. EADSA-MS, on a into the sample loop of the LC system (see below). The entire procedure was μLESA-LC-MS or MALDI-MSI format, will be a powerful tool to then repeated on a new extraction point. Multiple points were analyzed to study specific areas of healthy and diseased tissue. As a case in point, a localize oxysterols across brain tissue.

5758 | www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.1917421117 Yutuc et al. Downloaded by guest on September 25, 2021 LC-MS(MSn) at Conventional Flow Rate. LC separations were performed on an Quantification. To achieve reliable quantitative measurements, known amounts 2 2 2 Ultimate 3000 UHPLC system (Dionex, now Thermo Scientific). The μLESA of isotope-labeled internal standards [ H7]24R/S-HC, [ H6]desmosterol, [ H7] 2 extract was delivered from the sample loop onto a trap column (Hypersil cholesterol, and [ H7]22S-HCO were sprayed on-tissue prior to the EADSA

Gold C18 guard column, 3-μm particle size, 10 × 2.1 mm, Thermo Fisher Sci- process. This procedure corrects for variation in derivatization efficiency, entific) using a loading solvent of 20% methanol at a flow rate of 50 μL/min. surface extraction, extraction area, injection volume, and MS response. + The eluent from the trap column containing unreacted GP reagent was Quantification was made from [M] ion signals in appropriate reconstructed delivered to waste (SI Appendix, Fig. S4A). After 10 min, the trap column was ion chromatograms (RICs). Approximate quantification of 20S-HC was per- + + formed by utilizing the MRM [M] → [M-Py] → 327.2 transition and quanti- switched in-line with the analytical column (Hypersil Gold C18 column, 1.9-μm + → + → 2 particle size, 50 × 2.1 mm, Thermo Fisher). At 11 min, 1 min after valve fying against the transition [M] [M-Py] 353.3 for [ H7]24R/S-HC switching, a gradient was delivered by the binary micropump-2 at 200 μL/min. (SI Appendix,Fig.S9F). Mobile phase A consisted of 33.3% methanol, 16.7% acetonitrile, and 0.1% formic acid, and mobile phase B consisted of 63.3% methanol, 31.7% Statistics. For three WT mice, and separately for the three knockout mice, acetonitrile, and 0.1% formic acid. The proportion of B was initially 20% and unreplicated two-way ANOVA was performed with sterol areal density as was raised to 80% B over the next 7 min and maintained at 80% B for 4 min, dependent variable and mouse and brain region as factors. The interaction before being reduced to 20% B in 0.1 min, just after the trap column between mouse and brain region was used as error variance. The residuals switched off-line, and the analytical column was reequilibrated for 3.9 min. representing the interaction deviations were approximately normally dis- ’ After switching off-line at 22 min, the trap column was independently tributed. Tukey s multiple comparisons test was used to identify signifi- washed with 10 μL of propan-2-ol injected from the Nanomate and de- cant differences between brain regions. Hierarchical cluster analysis using between-groups linkage was used to represent differences and similarities livered with mobile phase B at 200 μL/min for 6 min using micropump-1. At of average sterol areal densities between brain regions averaged across the 26 min, the proportion of B washing the analytical column was raised from three biological replicates for each type of mouse, and with the differences 20 to 80% over 3 min and held at 80% for a further 5 min before dropping represented as squared Euclidean distances. The analyses were performed back down to 20% in 0.1 min and equilibrated for 4.9 min, ready for the using IBM SPSS Statistics 22 (IBM Corp) and GraphPad Prism 7.02 software next surface extraction, giving a total run time of 39 min. At 29 min the trap (GraphPad Software Inc). *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001. Whiskers on column was switched back in line with the analytical column and then out of bar graphs represent 1 SD. line at 34 min to check for the presence of any sterols retained by the trap column. The gradients are illustrated in SI Appendix, Fig. S3 C and D. Data Availability. Datasets generated during this study are available in the For ESI-MS analysis the column eluent was directly infused into an Orbitrap Open Science Framework repository under the identifier https://osf.io/vud84/. Elite mass spectrometer (Thermo Scientific) using a H-ESI II probe. To avoid cross-contamination between samples, a blank injection of 6 μL of 50% ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. This work was supported by the UK Biotechnology MeOH was performed with the same 39-min method between injections of and Biological Sciences Research Council (grants BB/I001735/1 and BB/

tissue extracts. N015932/1 to W.J.G., BB/L001942/1 to Y.W.). R.A. holds a Sêr Cymru Fellow- BIOCHEMISTRY For each injection, five scan events were performed: one high-resolution ship supported by the Welsh Government and the European Regional Devel- scan (120,000 full width at half maximum height definition at m/z 400) in the opment Fund. Work in I.P.’s laboratory is supported by the National Institutes Orbitrap analyzer in parallel to four MS3 scan events in the linear ion trap. of Health (grant R01 GM062882). We thank members of the European Net- work for Oxysterol Research (https://www.oxysterols.net/) for informative dis- Quantification was by isotope dilution using isotope-labeled standard cussions; Dr. Ruth Andrew for advice on performing on-tissue derivatization; 3 + → +→ spayed on-tissue. MS scans were for the transitions [M] [M-Py] , where Drs. Hanne Røberg-Larsen and Steven Wilson for information regarding nano- n Py is the pyridine group of the GP derivative. For details of nano-LC-MS(MS ) LC separations; and Dr. Mark Wyatt of the Swansea University Mass Spectrom- see SI Appendix, Materials and Methods. etry Facility for allowing access to MALDI-MS instrumentation.

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