scholarly journals Mitochondrial calcium signalling and neurodegenerative diseases

2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Elena Britti ◽  
Fabien Delaspre ◽  
Jordi Tamarit ◽  
Joaquim Ros

Calcium is utilised by cells in signalling and in regulating ATP production; it also contributes to cell survival and, when concentrations are unbalanced, triggers pathways for cell death. Mitochondria contribute to calcium buffering, meaning that mitochondrial calcium uptake and release is intimately related to cytosolic calcium concentrations. This review focuses on the proteins contributing to mitochondrial calcium homoeostasis, the roles of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP) and mitochondrial calcium-activated proteins, and their relevance in neurodegenerative pathologies. It also covers alterations to calcium homoeostasis in Friedreich ataxia (FA).

2019 ◽  
Vol 171 (2) ◽  
pp. 473-484 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shaunrick Stoll ◽  
Jing Xi ◽  
Ben Ma ◽  
Christiana Leimena ◽  
Erik J Behringer ◽  
...  

Abstract Stress-induced mitochondrial calcium (Ca2+) overload is a key cellular toxic effectors and a trigger of cardiomyocyte death during cardiac ischemic injury through the opening of mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP). We previously found that the valosin-containing protein (VCP), an ATPase-associated protein, protects cardiomyocytes against stress-induced death and also inhibits mPTP opening in vitro. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms are not fully understood. Here, we tested our hypothesis that VCP acts as a novel regulator of mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake proteins and resists cardiac mitochondrial Ca2+ overload by modulating mitochondrial Ca2+ homeostasis. By using a cardiac-specific transgenic (TG) mouse model in which VCP is overexpressed by 3.5 folds in the heart compared to the wild type (WT) mouse, we found that, under the pathological extra-mitochondrial Ca2+ overload, Ca2+ entry into cardiac mitochondria was reduced in VCP TG mice compared to their little-matched WT mice, subsequently preventing mPTP opening and ATP depletion under the Ca2+ challenge. Mechanistically, overexpression of VCP in the heart resulted in post-translational protein degradation of the mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake protein 1, an activator of the mitochondria Ca2+ uniporter that is responsible for mitochondrial calcium uptake. Together, our results reveal a new regulatory role of VCP in cardiac mitochondrial Ca2+ homeostasis and unlock the potential mechanism by which VCP confers its cardioprotection.


2007 ◽  
Vol 81 (21) ◽  
pp. 12061-12065 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie L. McClain ◽  
Amy J. Clippinger ◽  
Rebecca Lizzano ◽  
Michael J. Bouchard

ABSTRACT The nonstructural hepatitis B virus (HBV) protein HBx has an important role in HBV replication and in HBV-associated liver disease. Many activities have been linked to HBx expression; however, the molecular mechanisms underlying many of these activities are unknown. One proposed HBx function is the regulation of cytosolic calcium. We analyzed calcium levels in HepG2 cells that expressed HBx or replicating HBV, and we demonstrated that HBx, expressed in the absence of other HBV proteins or in the context of HBV replication, elevates cytosolic calcium. We linked this elevation of cytosolic calcium to the association of HBx with the mitochondrial permeability transition pore.


2020 ◽  
Vol 127 (Suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Georgios Amanakis ◽  
Junhui Sun ◽  
Maria Fergusson ◽  
Chengyu Liu ◽  
Jeff D Molkentin ◽  
...  

Cyclophilin-D (CypD) is a well-known regulator of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (PTP), the main effector of cardiac ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury characterized by oxidative stress and calcium overload. However, the mechanism by which CypD activates PTP is poorly understood. Cysteine 202 of CypD (C202) is highly conserved across species and can undergo redox-sensitive post-translational modifications, such as S-nitrosylation and oxidation. To study the importance of C202, we developed a knock-in mouse model using CRISPR where CypD-C202 was mutated to a serine (C202S). Hearts from these mice are protected against I/R injury. We found C202 to be abundantly S-palmitoylated under baseline conditions while C202 was de-palmitoylated during ischemia in WT hearts. To further investigate the mechanism of de-palmitoylation during ischemia, we considered the increase of matrix calcium, oxidative stress and uncoupling of ATP synthesis from the electron transport chain. We tested the effects of these conditions on the palmitoylation of CypD in isolated cardiac mitochondria. The palmitoylation of CypD was assessed using a resin-assisted capture (Acyl-RAC). We report that oxidative stress (phenylarsenide) and uncoupling (CCCP) had no effect on CypD palmitoylation (p>0.05, n=3 and n=7 respectively). However, calcium overload led to de-palmitoylation of CypD to the level observed at the end ischemia (1±0.10 vs 0.63±0.09, p=0.012, n=9). To further test the hypothesis that calcium regulates S-palmitoylation of CypD we measured S-palmitoylation of CypD in non-perfused heart lysates from global germline mitochondrial calcium uniporter knock-out mice (MCU-KO), which have reduced mitochondrial calcium and we found an increase in S-palmitoylation of CypD (WT 1±0.04 vs MCU-KO 1.603±0.11, p<0.001, n=6). The data are consistent with the hypothesis that C202 is important for the CypD mediated activation of PTP. Ischemia leads to increased matrix calcium which in turn promotes the de-palmitoylation of CypD on C202. The now free C202 can further be oxidized during reperfusion leading to the activation of PTP. Thus, S-palmitoylation and oxidation of CypD-C202 possibly target CypD to the PTP, making them potent regulators of cardiac I/R injury.


2020 ◽  
Vol 126 (2) ◽  
pp. 280-293 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tyler M. Bauer ◽  
Elizabeth Murphy

Adult cardiomyocytes are postmitotic cells that undergo very limited cell division. Thus, cardiomyocyte death as occurs during myocardial infarction has very detrimental consequences for the heart. Mitochondria have emerged as an important regulator of cardiovascular health and disease. Mitochondria are well established as bioenergetic hubs for generating ATP but have also been shown to regulate cell death pathways. Indeed many of the same signals used to regulate metabolism and ATP production, such as calcium and reactive oxygen species, are also key regulators of mitochondrial cell death pathways. It is widely hypothesized that an increase in calcium and reactive oxygen species activate a large conductance channel in the inner mitochondrial membrane known as the PTP (permeability transition pore) and that opening of this pore leads to necroptosis, a regulated form of necrotic cell death. Strategies to reduce PTP opening either by inhibition of PTP or inhibiting the rise in mitochondrial calcium or reactive oxygen species that activate PTP have been proposed. A major limitation of inhibiting the PTP is the lack of knowledge about the identity of the protein(s) that form the PTP and how they are activated by calcium and reactive oxygen species. This review will critically evaluate the candidates for the pore-forming unit of the PTP and discuss recent data suggesting that assumption that the PTP is formed by a single molecular identity may need to be reconsidered.


Author(s):  
Joanne F Garbincius ◽  
John W. Elrod

The uptake of calcium into and extrusion of calcium from the mitochondrial matrix is a fundamental biological process that has critical effects on cellular metabolism, signaling, and survival. Disruption of mitochondrial calcium (mCa2+) cycling is implicated in numerous acquired diseases such as heart failure, stroke, neurodegeneration, diabetes, and cancer, and is genetically linked to several inherited neuromuscular disorders. Understanding the mechanisms responsible for mCa2+ exchange therefore holds great promise for the treatment of these diseases. The past decade has seen the genetic identification of many of the key proteins that mediate mitochondrial calcium uptake and efflux. Here, we present an overview of the phenomenon of mCa2+ transport, and a comprehensive examination of the molecular machinery that mediates calcium flux across the inner mitochondrial membrane: the mitochondrial uniporter complex (consisting of MCU, EMRE, MICU1, MICU2, MICU3, MCUB, and MCUR1), NCLX, LETM1, the mitochondrial ryanodine receptor, and the mitochondrial permeability transition pore. We then consider the physiological implications of mCa2+ flux and evaluate how alterations in mCa2+ homeostasis contribute to human disease. This review concludes by highlighting opportunities and challenges for therapeutic intervention in pathologies characterized by aberrant mCa2+ handling and by summarizing critical unanswered questions regarding the biology of mCa2+ flux.


2014 ◽  
Vol 42 (5) ◽  
pp. 1286-1290 ◽  
Author(s):  
Plamena R. Angelova ◽  
Andrey Y. Abramov

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by the aggregation of amyloid β-peptide (Aβ) into β-sheet-rich fibrils. Although plaques containing Aβ fibrils have been viewed as the conventional hallmark of AD, recent research implicates small oligomeric species formed during the aggregation of Aβ in the neuronal toxicity and cognitive deficits associated with AD. We have demonstrated that oligomers, but not monomers, of Aβ40 and Aβ42 were found to induce calcium signalling in astrocytes but not in neurons. This cell specificity was dependent on the higher cholesterol level in the membrane of astrocytes compared with neurons. The Aβ-induced calcium signal stimulated NADPH oxidase and induced increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. These events are detectable at physiologically relevant concentrations of Aβ. Excessive ROS production and Ca2+ overload induced mitochondrial depolarization through activation of the DNA repairing enzyme poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) and opening mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP). Aβ significantly reduced the level of GSH in both astrocytes and neurons, an effect which is dependent on external calcium. Thus Aβ induces a [Ca2+]c signal in astrocytes which could regulate the GSH level in co-cultures that in the area of excessive ROS production could be a trigger for neurotoxicity. The pineal hormone melatonin, the glycoprotein clusterin and regulation of the membrane cholesterol can modify Aβ-induced calcium signals, ROS production and mitochondrial depolarization, which eventually lead to neuroprotection.


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