Seizure-Induced Cell Death Produced by Repeated Tetanic Stimulation In Vitro: Possible Role of Endoplasmic Reticulum Calcium Stores

1999 ◽  
Vol 81 (6) ◽  
pp. 3054-3064 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marc R. Pelletier ◽  
Jehangir S. Wadia ◽  
Linda R. Mills ◽  
Peter L. Carlen

Seizure-induced cell death produced by repeated tetanic stimulation in vitro: possible role of endoplasmic reticulum calcium stores. Seizures may cause brain damage due to mechanisms initiated by excessive excitatory synaptic transmission. One such mechanism is the activation of death-promoting intracellular cascades by the influx and the perturbed homeostasis of Ca2+. The neuroprotective effects of preventing the entry of Ca2+ from voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels, NMDA receptors, and non-NMDA receptors, is well known. Less clear is the contribution to excitotoxicity of Ca2+ released from endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stores. We produced epileptiform discharges in combined entorhinal cortex/hippocampus slices using repeated tetanic stimulation of the Schaffer collaterals and assessed cell death after 1, 3, or 12–14 h with gel electrophoresis of genomic DNA and immunohistologically using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated deoxyuridine 5′-triphosphate (dUTP) nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining. We manipulated ER Ca2+ stores using two conventional drugs, dantrolene, which blocks the Ca2+ release channel, and thapsigargin, which blocks sarco-endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPases resulting in depletion of ER Ca2+stores. To monitor epileptogenesis, and to assess effects attributable to dantrolene and thapsigargin on normal synaptic transmission, extracellular potentials were recorded in stratum pyramidale of the CA1 region. Repeated tetanic stimulation reliably produced primary afterdischarge and spontaneous epileptiform discharges, which persisted for 14 h, the longest time recorded. We did not observe indications of cell death attributable to seizures with either method when assessed after 1 or 3 h; however, qualitatively more degraded DNA always was observed in tetanized slices from the 12- to 14-h group compared with time-matched controls. Consistent with these data was a significant, fourfold, increase in the percentage of TUNEL-positive cells in CA3, CA1, and entorhinal cortex in tetanized slices from the 12- to 14-h group (16.5 ± 4.4, 33.7 ± 7.1, 11.6 ± 2.1, respectively; means ± SE; n = 7) compared with the appropriate time-matched control (4.1 ± 2.2, 7.3 ± 2.0, 2.8 ± 0.9, respectively; n = 6). Dantrolene (30 μM; n = 5) and thapsigargin (1 μM; n = 4) did not affect significantly normal synaptic transmission, assessed by the amplitude of the population spike after 30 min of exposure. Dantrolene and thapsigargin also were without effect on the induction or the persistence of epileptiform discharges, but both drugs prevented seizure-induced cell death when assessed with gel electrophoresis. We suggest that Ca2+entering a cell from the outside, in addition to the Ca2+contributed from ryanodine-sensitive stores (i.e., Ca2+-induced Ca2+ release), may be necessary for seizure-induced cell death.

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lan Jin ◽  
Yunhe Chen ◽  
Dan Cheng ◽  
Zhikai He ◽  
Xinyi Shi ◽  
...  

AbstractColorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most aggressive and lethal cancers. The role of autophagy in the pathobiology of CRC is intricate, with opposing functions manifested in different cellular contexts. The Yes-associated protein (YAP), a transcriptional coactivator inactivated by the Hippo tumor-suppressor pathway, functions as an oncoprotein in a variety of cancers. In this study, we found that YAP could negatively regulate autophagy in CRC cells, and consequently, promote tumor progression of CRC in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, YAP interacts with TEAD forming a complex to upregulate the transcription of the apoptosis-inhibitory protein Bcl-2, which may subsequently facilitate cell survival by suppressing autophagy-related cell death; silencing Bcl-2 expression could alleviate YAP-induced autophagy inhibition without affecting YAP expression. Collectively, our data provide evidence for YAP/Bcl-2 as a potential therapeutic target for drug exploration against CRC.


Biomedicines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 376
Author(s):  
Chantal B. Lucini ◽  
Ralf J. Braun

In the last decade, pieces of evidence for TDP-43-mediated mitochondrial dysfunction in neurodegenerative diseases have accumulated. In patient samples, in vitro and in vivo models have shown mitochondrial accumulation of TDP-43, concomitantly with hallmarks of mitochondrial destabilization, such as increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), reduced level of oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS), and mitochondrial membrane permeabilization. Incidences of TDP-43-dependent cell death, which depends on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) content, is increased upon ageing. However, the molecular pathways behind mitochondrion-dependent cell death in TDP-43 proteinopathies remained unclear. In this review, we discuss the role of TDP-43 in mitochondria, as well as in mitochondrion-dependent cell death. This review includes the recent discovery of the TDP-43-dependent activation of the innate immunity cyclic GMP-AMP synthase/stimulator of interferon genes (cGAS/STING) pathway. Unravelling cell death mechanisms upon TDP-43 accumulation in mitochondria may open up new opportunities in TDP-43 proteinopathy research.


2008 ◽  
Vol 233 (10) ◽  
pp. 1289-1300 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peng Zhao ◽  
Xiaoyan Xiao ◽  
Agnes S. Kim ◽  
M. Fatima Leite ◽  
Jinxia Xu ◽  
...  

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is exquisitely sensitive to changes in its internal environment. Various conditions, collectively termed “ER stress”, can perturb ER function, leading to the activation of a complex response known as the unfolded protein response (UPR). Although c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) activation is nearly always associated with cell death by various stimuli, the functional role of JNK in ER stress-induced cell death remains unclear. JNK regulates gene expression through the phosphorylation and activation of transcription factors, such as c-Jun. Here, we investigated the role of c-Jun in the regulation of ER stress-related genes. c-Jun expression levels determined the response of mouse fibroblasts to ER stress induced by thapsigargin (TG, an inhibitor of sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ ATPase). c-jun−/− mouse fibroblast cells were more sensitive to TG-induced cell death compared to wild-type mouse fibroblasts, while reconstitution of c-Jun expression in c-jun−/− cells (c-Jun Re) enhanced resistance to TG-induced cell death. The expression levels of ER chaperones Grp78 and Gadd153 induced by TG were lower in c-Jun Re than in c-jun−/− cells. Moreover, TG treatment significantly increased calcineurin activity in c-jun−/− cells, but not in c-Jun Re cells. In c-Jun Re cells, TG induced the expression of Adapt78, also known as the Down syndrome critical region 1 (DSCR1), which is known to block calcineurin activity. Taken together, our findings suggest that c-Jun, a transcription factor downstream of the JNK signaling pathway, up-regulates Adapt78 expression in response to TG-induced ER stress and contributes to protection against TG-induced cell death.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Purva Karia ◽  
Keiko Yoshioka ◽  
Wolfgang Moeder

ABSTRACTThe role of mitochondria in programmed cell death (PCD) during animal growth and development is well documented, but much less is known for plants. We previously showed that the Arabidopsis thaliana triphosphate tunnel metalloenzyme (TTM) proteins TTM1 and TTM2 are tail-anchored proteins that localize in the mitochondrial outer membrane and participate in PCD during senescence and immunity, respectively. Here, we show that TTM1 is specifically involved in senescence induced by abscisic acid (ABA). Moreover, phosphorylation of TTM1 by multiple mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) regulates its function and turnover. A combination of proteomics and in vitro kinase assays revealed three major phosphorylation sites of TTM1 (S10, S437, and S490), which are phosphorylated upon perception of senescence cues such as ABA and prolonged darkness. S437 is phosphorylated by the MAP kinases MPK3 and MPK4, and S437 phosphorylation is essential for TTM1 function in senescence. These MPKs, together with three additional MAP kinases (MPK1, MPK7, and MPK6), phosphorylate S10 and S490, marking TTM1 for protein turnover, which likely prevents uncontrolled cell death. Taken together, our results show that multiple MPKs regulate the function and turnover of the mitochondrial protein TTM1 during senescence-related PCD, revealing a novel link between mitochondria and PCD.SummaryEmail addresses: [email protected]


eLife ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ginto George ◽  
Satoshi Ninagawa ◽  
Hirokazu Yagi ◽  
Taiki Saito ◽  
Tokiro Ishikawa ◽  
...  

Sequential mannose trimming of N-glycan (Man9GlcNAc2 -> Man8GlcNAc2 -> Man7GlcNAc2) facilitates endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation of misfolded glycoproteins (gpERAD). Our gene knockout experiments in human HCT116 cells have revealed that EDEM2 is required for the first step. However, it was previously shown that purified EDEM2 exhibited no α1,2-mannosidase activity toward Man9GlcNAc2 in vitro. Here, we found that EDEM2 was stably disulfide-bonded to TXNDC11, an endoplasmic reticulum protein containing five thioredoxin (Trx)-like domains. C558 present outside of the mannosidase homology domain of EDEM2 was linked to C692 in Trx5, which solely contains the CXXC motif in TXNDC11. This covalent bonding was essential for mannose trimming and subsequent gpERAD in HCT116 cells. Furthermore, EDEM2-TXNDC11 complex purified from transfected HCT116 cells converted Man9GlcNAc2 to Man8GlcNAc2(isomerB) in vitro. Our results establish the role of EDEM2 as an initiator of gpERAD, and represent the first clear demonstration of in vitro mannosidase activity of EDEM family proteins.


Blood ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 136 (Supplement 1) ◽  
pp. 14-15
Author(s):  
Sara El Hoss ◽  
Sylvie Cochet ◽  
Auria Godard ◽  
Hongxia Yan ◽  
Michaël Dussiot ◽  
...  

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an autosomal hereditary recessive disorder caused by a point mutation in the β globin gene resulting in a Glu-to-Val substitution at the 6th position of the β globin protein. The resulting abnormal hemoglobin (HbS) polymerizes under hypoxic conditions driving red blood cell (RBC) sickling (Pauling et al., 1949). While pathobiology of circulating RBCs has been extensively analyzed in SCD, erythropoiesis is surprisingly poorly documented. In β-thalassemia, ineffective erythropoiesis is characterized by high levels of apoptotic erythroblasts during the late stages of terminal differentiation, due to an accumulation of free β-globin chains (Arlet et al., 2016). Ineffective erythropoiesis is the major cause of anemia in β-thalassemia patients. In contrast, a marked decrease in life span of circulating red cells, a feature of sickle red cells, is considered to be the major determinant of chronic anemia in SCD. It is generally surmised that ineffective erythropoiesis contributes little to anemia. The bone marrow environment has been well documented to be hypoxic (0.1 to 6% O2) (Mantel et al., 2015). As hypoxia induces HbS polymerization, we hypothesized that cell death may occur in vivo because of HbS polymer formation in the late stages of differentiation characterized by high intracellular hemoglobin concentration. In the present study, using both in vitro and in vivo derived human erythroblasts we assessed the extent of ineffective erythropoiesis in SCD. We explored the mechanistic basis of the ineffective erythropoiesis in SCD using biochemical, cellular and imaging techniques. In vitro erythroid differentiation using CD34+ cells isolated from SCD patients and from healthy donors was performed. A 2-phase erythroid differentiation protocol was used and cultures were performed at two different oxygen conditions, i.e. normoxia and partial hypoxia (5% O2). We found that hypoxia induces cell death of sickle erythroblasts starting at the polychromatic stage, positively selecting cells with high levels of fetal hemoglobin (HbF). This inference was supported by flow cytometry data showing higher percentages of dead cells within the non-F-cell population as compared to the F-cell population for SCD cells. Moreover, SCD dead cells showed higher levels of chaperon protein HSP70 in the cytoplasm than live cells, while no difference was detected between both subpopulations for control cells, suggesting that cell death of SCD erythroblasts was probably due to HSP70 cytoplasmic sequestration. This was supported by western-blot experiments showing less HSP70 in the nucleus of SCD erythroblasts under hypoxia, associated with decreased levels of GATA-1. At the molecular level, HSP70 was co-immunoprecipitated with HbS under hypoxia indicating that both proteins were in the same complex and suggesting interaction between HSP70 and HbS polymers in the cyotplasm. Importantly, we confirm these results in vivo by showing that in bone marrow of SCD patients (n = 5) cell loss occurs during terminal erythroid differentiation, with a significant drop in the cell count between the polychromatic and the orthochromatic stages (Figure 1). In order to specifically address the role of HbF in cell survival, we used a CRISPR-Cas9 approach to mimic the effect of hereditary persistence of fetal hemoglobin (HPFH). CD34+ cells were transfected either with a gRNA targeting the LRF binding site (-197) or a gRNA targeting an unrelated locus (AAVS1) (Weber, Frati, et al. 2020). As expected, the disruption of the LRF binding site resulted in HbF induction as shown by higher %F-cells compared to AAVS1 control. These higher levels of F-cells resulted in decreased apoptosis, under both normoxic and hypoxic conditions, clearly demonstrating the positive and selective effect of HbF on SCD cell survival (Figure 2). In summary, our study shows that HbF has a dual beneficial effect in SCD by conferring a preferential survival of F-cells in the circulation and by decreasing ineffective erythropoiesis. These findings thus bring new insights into the role of HbF in modulating clinical severity of anemia in SCD by both regulating red cell production and red cell destruction. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


2018 ◽  
Vol 96 (10) ◽  
pp. 1061-1079 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlos Pascual-Caro ◽  
Maria Berrocal ◽  
Aida M. Lopez-Guerrero ◽  
Alberto Alvarez-Barrientos ◽  
Eulalia Pozo-Guisado ◽  
...  

Abstract STIM1 is an endoplasmic reticulum protein with a role in Ca2+ mobilization and signaling. As a sensor of intraluminal Ca2+ levels, STIM1 modulates plasma membrane Ca2+ channels to regulate Ca2+ entry. In neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells and in familial Alzheimer’s disease patient skin fibroblasts, STIM1 is cleaved at the transmembrane domain by the presenilin-1-associated γ-secretase, leading to dysregulation of Ca2+ homeostasis. In this report, we investigated expression levels of STIM1 in brain tissues (medium frontal gyrus) of pathologically confirmed Alzheimer’s disease patients, and observed that STIM1 protein expression level decreased with the progression of neurodegeneration. To study the role of STIM1 in neurodegeneration, a strategy was designed to knock-out the expression of STIM1 gene in the SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cell line by CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing, as an in vitro model to examine the phenotype of STIM1-deficient neuronal cells. It was proved that, while STIM1 is not required for the differentiation of SH-SY5Y cells, it is absolutely essential for cell survival in differentiating cells. Differentiated STIM1-KO cells showed a significant decrease of mitochondrial respiratory chain complex I activity, mitochondrial inner membrane depolarization, reduced mitochondrial free Ca2+ concentration, and higher levels of senescence as compared with wild-type cells. In parallel, STIM1-KO cells showed a potentiated Ca2+ entry in response to depolarization, which was sensitive to nifedipine, pointing to L-type voltage-operated Ca2+ channels as mediators of the upregulated Ca2+ entry. The stable knocking-down of CACNA1C transcripts restored mitochondrial function, increased mitochondrial Ca2+ levels, and dropped senescence to basal levels, demonstrating the essential role of the upregulation of voltage-operated Ca2+ entry through Cav1.2 channels in STIM1-deficient SH-SY5Y cell death. Key messages STIM1 protein expression decreases with the progression of neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s disease. STIM1 is essential for cell viability in differentiated SH-SY5Y cells. STIM1 deficiency triggers voltage-regulated Ca2+ entry-dependent cell death. Mitochondrial dysfunction and senescence are features of STIM1-deficient differentiated cells.


2018 ◽  
Vol 360 ◽  
pp. 88-98 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liang Guo ◽  
Sandy Eldridge ◽  
Michael Furniss ◽  
Jodie Mussio ◽  
Myrtle Davis

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