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How Often Do Proteins Degrade And Get Replaced By New Ones From Diet?

Posted on Wed, 10 Dec 2014

Question: Hi. I have a question regarding a past steroid treatment i had, which apparently can change the shape of the gnrh Neurons and make them appear more 'spiney' . My question:

Does this spiney comtain substances that degrade ie are they made of protein? If yes, how often do proteins degrade and replaced by new ones from our diet?

Thanks and hope you can help ease my worry

Answered by Dr. Dr. Erion Spaho (4 hours later)

Brief Answer:
GnRH neurons contain proteinic substances.

Detailed Answer:
Hi and thanks for using HCM. I read carefully your query and your queries before. Substances contained in GnRH neurons are proteins composed from about 20 amino acids. After they are released into bloodstream, they last only few minutes before being degraded from proteases. Neurons secreting GnRH are located in hypothalamus and GnRH release in bloodstream is pulsatile. They are replaced continuously and in short periods of time, using amino acids taken with diet or reuse previous ones from protein degradation. Hope this helps. If you have further questions feel free to ask.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Erion Spaho (8 hours later)

Dear Dr. Spaho,

Thank you for your time and reply.

I understand that the proteins released into bloodstream degrade...but what about proteins within the neuron cell itself? How often do the cell components such as sodium and potassium degrade and replaced by new sodium/potassium?

Hope you can help

Thanks and Best Regards

Answered by Dr. Dr. Erion Spaho (2 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Sodium and potassium are micro elements.

Detailed Answer:
Hi and thanks for asking again.

Cells are composed by proteins, lipids, sugars, water and a number of micro elements and micro organs. Sodium and potassium are micro elements that are dispersed among all cells and blood stream, are essential for all cells functions and are in a continuous recycling. If cell proteins are degraded or damaged from different causes, then the cell itself is damaged and doesn't function correctly or dies. Same happens with hypothalamic neuron cells, affecting its functions. Hope this helps.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Ashwin Bhandari

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Erion Spaho (1 hour later)

Thats wonderful, thanks Dr Spaho.

What would be the rate of recycling for these micro elements - can we say every few hours?

Also, its been suggested, the number of 'spiny' dendrites of Gnrh neurons increases with the onset of puberty. But what about prior to this, for example, in a 7 year old, do spiny dendrite exist in his Gnrh neurons?

Hope you can help

Wishing you all the best
Regards
XXXX

Answered by Dr. Dr. Erion Spaho (10 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Dynamic recycling.

Detailed Answer:
Hi again. Microelements are in a continuous recycling process, it means regulating mechanisms continuously eliminate excessive amounts or absorb more from food intake when needed in order to maintain a constant concentration in blood and inside cells. GnRH neurons are present but sleepy ( almost nonfunctional) in childhood. They are activated during puberty. Hope this helps. Best regards.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Erion Spaho (8 hours later)

Thanks Dr. Spaho,

Suppose the steroid i took matured my gnrh neurons, and therefore changed its structure ie more 'spiny' dendrites began forming.

Does this mean a permanent effect from the steroids i took?

Or do gnrh dendrite materially renew themselves (since theyre made from proteins and proteins degrade quickly) ??

Wishing you all the best
XXXX

Answered by Dr. Dr. Erion Spaho (9 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Neural cells don't renew.

Detailed Answer:
Hi again XXXX. Neural cells don't renew. Its function is maintained by cell body. Only axons ( main enlogation of neural cell) renew and this happens in the peripheral nerves, not in brain. If a neural cell is damaged, the damage is definitive. Hope this helps. Best regards.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Ashwin Bhandari

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Erion Spaho (2 hours later)

Hello Dr. Spaho, thanks again for valued reply.

As i mentioned before, i took steroids aged 14 during teen when i was in beginning of puberty. i read somewhere that the steroid has a 'maturing' effect on the hypothalamus Gnrh neurons. As per the study, this means restructering and more 'spiny' Gnrh neuron dendrites.

I presume these new 'spiny dendrites stay forever and never change. Does this mean the brief steroid i took because of the critical time, has left a permanent effect on my hypothalamus by way of having restructered it? OR is the restructering irrelevant as proteins and other micro elements that COMPLETELY make up the dendrite constantly recycled?

Please help

Thanks and best Regards

Answered by Dr. Dr. Erion Spaho (9 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Dendrites don't recycle.

Detailed Answer:
Hi again XXXX Dendrites conduct information from one neural cell to the cell they belong. In our case GnRH is produced in the body ( cytoplasm) of neural cell and released on the blood stream by axons. Dendrites are part of neural cell and if the cell is damaged dendrites are damaged too. If steroids influenced on GnRH, they influenced in the overall GnRH neuron cell, not only dendrites. During puberty GnRH neurons start to produce normally. Maybe steroids influence the GnRH production, however at that age GnRH has started being produced. Hope this helps. Best regards.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Erion Spaho (3 hours later)

Thanks Dr Spaho for the valued advice,

You mentioned at that age steroids possibly influenced Gnrh neuron cell. Since neuron cell doesnt renew , does this mean steroids i took at 14 had a permanent influence on my Gnrh neurons till today?

Thanks and Best Regards
XXXX

Answered by Dr. Dr. Erion Spaho (12 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Steroids affect release of GnRH.

Detailed Answer:
Hi again XXXX. Steroids ( especially Estradiol) affect GnRH release, by way of changing the "firing" rate of GnRH neurons, and this is done by changing or modulating of potassium currents. Again, steroids affect temporarily production and release amount of GnRH, but there is no evidence that they cause permanent damage to those neurons. Hope this helps. Best regards.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Erion Spaho (19 hours later)

Thanks Dr Spaho.

Regarding androgens binding to cells. Does this cause any damage to the DNA?

I'm concerned the steroid treatment i took have left lasting damage to my DNA. What would your advice be about this?

Thanks and Wishing you all the best
XXXX

Answered by Dr. Dr. Erion Spaho (6 hours later)

Brief Answer:
A genetic study may be needed.

Detailed Answer:
Hi again XXXXX. About your concern, expression of gene that regulates GnRH production is under both androgens and estrogens control. But DNA itself may be damaged by genetic causes (Kallmann syndrome) linked with GnRH regulating gene located of cromosome X. So both androgens and estrogens control if the gene will express or not, but if the gene is damaged (mutant) , the more possible option is that there is inheritance mutation. Hope this helps. Best regards.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T