scholarly journals Complement 1q-binding protein inhibits the mitochondrial permeability transition pore and protects against oxidative stress-induced death

2010 ◽  
Vol 433 (1) ◽  
pp. 119-125 ◽  
Author(s):  
Allison M. McGee ◽  
Christopher P. Baines

Opening of the MPT (mitochondrial permeability transition) pore is a critical event in mitochondrial-mediated cell death. However, with the exception of CypD (cyclophilin D), the exact molecular composition of the MPT pore remains uncertain. C1qbp (complement 1q-binding protein) has recently been hypothesized to be an essential component of the MPT pore complex. To investigate whether C1qbp indeed plays a critical role in MPT and cell death, we conducted both gain-of-function and loss-of-function experiments in MEFs (mouse embryonic fibroblasts). We first confirmed that C1qbp is a soluble protein that localizes to the mitochondrial matrix in mouse cells and tissues. Similarly, overexpression of C1qbp in MEFs using an adenovirus resulted in its exclusive localization to mitochondria. To our surprise, increased C1qbp protein levels actually suppressed H2O2-induced MPT and cell death. Antithetically, knockdown of endogenous C1qbp with siRNA (small interfering RNA) sensitized the MEFs to H2O2-induced MPT and cell death. Moreover, we found that C1qbp could directly bind to CypD. Therefore C1qbp appears to act as an endogenous inhibitor of the MPT pore, most likely through binding to CypD, and thus protects cells against oxidative stress.

2013 ◽  
Vol 304 (5) ◽  
pp. H649-H659 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiang Zhu ◽  
Mario J. Rebecchi ◽  
Qiang Wang ◽  
Peter S. A. Glass ◽  
Peter R. Brink ◽  
...  

Cardioprotective effects of anesthetic preconditioning and cyclosporine A (CsA) are lost with aging. To extend our previous work and address a possible mechanism underlying age-related differences, we investigated the role of oxidative stress in the aging heart by treating senescent animals with the oxygen free radical scavenger Tempol. Old male Fischer 344 rats (22–24 mo) were randomly assigned to control or Tempol treatment groups for 2 or 4 wk (T×2wk and T×4wk, respectively). Rats received isoflurane 30 min before ischemia-reperfusion injury or CsA just before reperfusion. Myocardial infarction sizes were significantly reduced by isoflurane or CsA in the aged rats treated with Tempol (T×4wk) compared with old control rats. In other experiments, young (4–6 mo) and old rats underwent either chronic Tempol or vehicle treatment, and the levels of myocardial protein oxidative damage, antioxidant enzymes, mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake, cyclophilin D protein, and mitochondrial permeability transition pore opening times were measured. T×4wk significantly increased MnSOD enzyme activity, GSH-to-GSSH ratios, MnSOD protein level, mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake capacity, reduced protein nitrotyrosine levels, and normalized cyclophilin D protein expression in the aged rat heart. T×4wk also significantly prolonged mitochondrial permeability transition pore opening times induced by reactive oxygen species in old cardiomyocytes. Our studies demonstrate that 4 wk of Tempol pretreatment restores anesthetic preconditioning and cardioprotection by CsA in the old rat and that this is associated with decreased oxidative stress and improved mitochondrial function. Our results point to a new protective strategy for the ischemic myocardium in the high-risk older population.


2014 ◽  
Vol 115 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Judith Bernal-Ramírez ◽  
Adriana Riojas-Hernández ◽  
Flor E Morales-Marroquín ◽  
Elvía M Domínguez-Barragán ◽  
David Rodríguez-Mier ◽  
...  

Several mechanisms have been implicated in heart failure (HF) development due to obesity, including altered Ca2+ homeostasis and mitochondrial increased reactive oxygen species (ROS). Besides their metabolic role, mitochondria are important cell death regulators, since their disruption induces apoptosis. The mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP) formation is key in this process. Ca2+ and ROS are known inducers of MPTP, and mitochondria are the main ROS generators. However, it has not been demonstrated that MPTP formation is involved in cardiac cell death due to obesity. Therefore, the aim of this work was to determine whether Ca2+ alterations and/or MPTP opening underlie cardiac dysfunction. We used obese Zucker fa/fa rats (32 weeks old), displaying concentric hypertrophy and cardiac dysfunction. We measured: i) Systolic and diastolic Ca2+ signaling in isolated myocytes, in basal conditions and upon β-adrenergic stimulation (β-AS), and ii) in vitro mitochondrial function: respiration, ROS production and MPTP opening. We found that the main alteration in Ca2+ signaling in fa/fa myocytes was a decrease in SERCA Ca2+ removal capacity, since Ca2+ transient amplitude and spark frequency were unchanged. Furthermore, in fa/fa myocytes, β-AS response was preserved. On the other hand, fa/fa mitochondria respiration, in state 3 decreased, but was unchanged in state 4, when glutamate/malate were used as substrate, resulting in an small decrease in respiratory control. In addition, fa/fa mitochondria were more sensitive to MPTP opening, induced by Ca2+ and carboxyatractiloside (CAT). Moreover, fa/fa mitochondria showed increased H2O2 production, and in exposed thiol groups in the adenine nucleotide translocase, a regulatory MPTP component. Since Ca2+ signaling is relatively normal in fa/fa cells, it does not seem to be the main contributor to the cardiac contractile dysfunction. However, given that fa/fa mitochondria showed decrease respiratory performance, were more susceptible to MPTP opening, and showed enhanced H2O2 production. We conclude that fa/fa mitochondria were more vulnerable to enhanced oxidative stress, causing MPTP opening, which could be exacerbated by SERCA slower Ca2+ removal capacity, leading to myocyte apoptosis.


FEBS Letters ◽  
2001 ◽  
Vol 510 (3) ◽  
pp. 136-140 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elzira E. Saviani ◽  
Cintia H. Orsi ◽  
Jusceley F.P. Oliveira ◽  
Cecı́lia A.F. Pinto-Maglio ◽  
Ione Salgado

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