Inhibitory effects of ruthenium red on inositol 1,4, 5-trisphosphate-induced responses in rat megakaryocytes

MCU-independent Ca2+ uptake mediates mitochondrial Ca2+ overload and necrotic cell death in a mouse model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy

Mitochondrial Ca2+ overload can mediate mitochondria-dependent cell death, a major contributor to several human diseases. Indeed, Duchenne muscular dystrophy (MD) is driven by dysfunctional Ca2+ influx across the sarcolemma that causes mitochondrial Ca2+ overload, organelle rupture, and muscle necrosis. The mitochondrial Ca2+ uniporter (MCU) complex is the primary characterized mechanism for acute mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake. One strategy for preventing mitochondrial Ca2+ overload is deletion of the Mcu gene, the pore forming subunit of the MCU-complex. Conversely, enhanced MCU-complex Ca2+ uptake is achieved by deleting the inhibitory Mcub gene. Here we show that myofiber-specific Mcu deletion was not protective in a mouse model of Duchenne MD. Specifically, Mcu gene deletion did not reduce muscle histopathology, did not improve muscle function, and did not prevent mitochondrial Ca2+ overload. Moreover, myofiber specific Mcub gene deletion did not augment Duchenne MD muscle pathology. Interestingly, we observed MCU-independent Ca2+ uptake in dystrophic mitochondria that was sufficient to drive mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP) activation and skeletal muscle necrosis, and this same type of activity was observed in heart, liver, and brain mitochondria. These results demonstrate that mitochondria possess an uncharacterized MCU-independent Ca2+ uptake mechanism that is sufficient to drive MPTP-dependent necrosis in MD in vivo.

Eugenol-induced contractions of saponin-skinned fibers are inhibited by heparin or by a ryanodine receptor blocker

The effects of eugenol on the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) and contractile apparatus of chemically skinned skeletal muscle fibers of the frog Rana catesbeiana were investigated. In saponin-skinned fibers, eugenol (5 mmol/L) induced muscle contractions, probably by releasing Ca(2+) from the SR. The Ca(2+)-induced Ca(2+) release blocker ruthenium red (10 micromol/L) inhibited both caffeine- and eugenol-induced muscle contractions. Ryanodine (200 micromol/L), a specific ryanodine receptor/Ca(2+) release channel blocker, promoted complete inhibition of the contractions induced by caffeine, but only partially blocked the contractions induced by eugenol. Heparin (2.5 mg/mL), an inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (InsP3) receptor blocker, strongly inhibited the contractions induced by eugenol but had only a small effect on the caffeine-induced contractions. Eugenol neither altered the Ca(2+) sensitivity nor the maximal force in Triton X-100 skinned muscle fibers. These data suggest that muscle contraction induced by eugenol involves at least 2 mechanisms of Ca(2+) release from the SR: one related to the activation of the ryanodine receptors and another through a heparin-sensitive pathway.

Characterization of functional P2X(1) receptors in mouse megakaryocytes

INTRODUCTION

Although accumulating evidence within the past 5 years strongly supports the importance of platelet P2X(1) receptors in hemostasis and thrombosis, P2X(1) receptors of platelet and/or its progenitor cell, megakaryocyte, have not been fully characterized. The aim of this study was to electrophysiologically and pharmacologically characterize the functional P2X(1) receptors on mouse megakaryocytes.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The currents in response to nucleotides were examined using the patch-clamp whole-cell recording.

RESULTS

The agonist profile of megakaryocyte P2X(1) receptors was ATP>alpha,beta-methylene ATP>beta,gamma-methylene ATP. The P2X(1) receptors exhibited substantial monovalent as well as divalent cation permeability and the ratios of Na(+) to Cs(+) and Ca(2+) to Cs(+) permeability were 1 and 2.5, respectively. P2X receptor antagonists except suramin significantly inhibited the P2X(1) responses with an IC(50) values of 0.4 microM for pyridoxal-phosphate-6-azophenyl-2',4'-disulfonate (PPADS), 0.3 microM for 2',3'-O-(2,4,6-trinitophenyl)-adenosine 5'-triphosphate (TNP-ATP), 20 microM for reactive blue 2 (RB2), or 160 microM for 8,8'-(carbonylbis(imino-3,1-phenylene carbonylimino)bis(1,3,5-naphthalenetrisulfonic acid) (NF023), respectively. Suramin had no significant effect on the P2X(1) responses. In rat megakaryocytes, suramin similarly had no significant effect on the P2X(1) responses, but abolished the P2Y receptor-mediated responses, indicating that the suramin was active under present experimental condition.

CONCLUSIONS

These results provide the basic properties of mouse megakaryocyte P2X(1) receptors and would be helpful to examine the P2 receptor signaling in platelets and megakaryocytes.

Molecular biology of insect olfaction: recent progress and conceptual models

Insects have an enormous impact on global public health as disease vectors and as agricultural enablers as well as pests and olfaction is an important sensory input to their behavior. As such it is of great value to understand the interplay of the molecular components of the olfactory system which, in addition to fostering a better understanding of insect neurobiology, may ultimately aid in devising novel intervention strategies to reduce disease transmission or crop damage. Since the first discovery of odorant receptors in vertebrates over a decade ago, much of our view on how the insect olfactory system might work has been derived from observations made in vertebrates and other invertebrates, such as lobsters or nematodes. Together with the advantages of a wide range of genetic tools, the identification of the first insect odorant receptors in Drosophila melanogaster in 1999 paved the way for rapid progress in unraveling the question of how olfactory signal transduction and processing occurs in the fruitfly. This review intends to summarize much of this progress and to point out some areas where advances can be expected in the near future.