Physiological cytosolic Ca2+ transients evoke concurrent mitochondrial depolarizations

Serotonin type-3 receptor antagonists selectively kill melanoma cells through classical apoptosis, microtubule depolymerisation, ERK activation, and NF-κB downregulation

Malignant melanoma is a highly metastatic tumour, resistant to treatment. Serotonin type-3 (5-HT3) receptor antagonists, such as tropisetron and ondansetron, are well-tolerated antiemetic drugs commonly used to prevent nausea caused by chemotherapy or radiotherapy. We investigated the anticancer effects of these drugs on melanoma cancer cell lines WM-266-4 and B16F10 with or without paclitaxel. We constructed IC50 curves and performed Chou-Talalay analysis, using data obtained with the MTT assay. Flow cytometry and fluorescent microscopy were used to examine characteristics of the cell cycle, cell death and cytoskeleton changes. Protein levels and activation were analysed by western blotting and molecular docking studies carried out. Data were analysed by one way ANOVA and post hoc testing. Ondansetron and tropisetron showed selective concentration-dependent cytotoxicity in melanoma cell lines WM-266-4 and B16F10. The effect in combination with paclitaxel was synergistic. The drugs did not cause cell cycle arrest but did promote characteristics of classical apoptosis, including accumulation of subG1 DNA, cleaved caspase-3, mitochondrial membrane permeability and phosphatidylserine exposure. As well, the cytosolic calcium level in the melanoma cells was enhanced, phosphorylated ERK1/2 induced and NF-κB inhibited. Finally, the formation of microtubules was shown to be impaired in melanoma cells treated with ondansetron or tropisetron. Docking studies were used to predict that these drugs could bind to the colchicine binding site on the tubulin molecule. Antiemetic drugs, already given in combination with chemotherapy, may enhance the cytotoxic effect of chemotherapy, following successful delivery to the tumour site.

Unraveling the mechanisms of inhibition of silver-doped bioactive glass-ceramic particles

Infections are a major concern in orthopedics. Antibacterial agents such as silver ions are of great interest as broad-spectrum biocides and have been incorporated into bioactive glass-ceramic particles to control the release of ions within a therapeutic concentration and provide tissue regenerative properties. In this work, the antibacterial capabilities of silver-doped bioactive glass (Ag-BG) microparticles were explored to reveal the unedited mechanisms of inhibition against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The antibacterial properties were not limited to the delivery of silver ions but rather a combination of antibacterial degradation by-products. For example, nano-sized debris punctured holes in bacteria membranes, osmotic effects, and reactive oxygen species causing oxidative stress and almost 40% of the inhibition. Upon successive Ag-BG treatments, MRSA underwent phenotypic and genomic mutations which were not only insufficient to develop resistance but instead, the clones became more sensitive as the treatment was re-delivered. Additionally, the unprecedented restorative functionality of Ag-BG allowed the effective use of antibiotics that MRSA resists. The synergy mechanism was mainly identified for combinations targeting cell-wall activity and their action was proven in biofilm-like and virulent conditions. Unraveling these mechanisms may offer new insights into how to tailor healthcare materials to prevent or debilitate infections and join the fight against antibiotic resistance in clinical cases.

A Tunable Palette of Molecular Rotors Allows Multicolor, Ratiometric Fluorescence Imaging and Direct Mapping of Mitochondrial Heterogeneity

Environment-sensitive molecular probes offer the potential for a comprehensive mapping of the complex cellular milieu. We present here a radically new strategy of multiplexing highly sensitive, spectrally tuned fluorescent dyes for sensing cellular microenvironment. To achieve this multicolor, ratiometric cellular imaging, we first developed a series of highly sensitive, tunable molecular rotors for mitochondrial imaging, with emission wavelengths spanning the visible spectrum. These fluorogenic merocyanine dyes are all sensitive to solvent viscosity despite distinctive photophysical features. Our results show that merocyanine dyes can show a rotor-like behavior despite significant changes to the conventional donor-acceptor or push-pull scaffolds, thereby revealing conserved features of rotor dye chemistry. Developing closely related but spectrally separated dyes that have distinct response functions allows us to do ″two-color, two-dye″ imaging of the mitochondrial microenvironment. Our results with multidye, combinatorial imaging provide a direct visualization of the intrinsic heterogeneity of the mitochondrial microenvironment. The overall mitochondrial microenvironment (including contributions from local membrane order) as reported through two-color fluorescence ″ratio″ changes of multiplexed rotor dyes shows dynamic heterogeneity with distinct spatiotemporal signatures that evolve over time and respond to chemical perturbations. Our results offer a powerful illustration of how multiplexed dye imaging allows the quantitative imaging of mitochondrial membrane order and cellular microenvironment.

Dynamics of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore: Transient and permanent opening events

A gentle optical examination of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP) opening events was carried out in isolated quiescent ventricular myocytes by tracking the inner membrane potential (ΔΨM) using TMRM (tetramethylrhodamine methyl ester). Zeiss Airyscan 880 ″super-resolution" or "high-resolution" imaging was done with very low levels of illumination (0.009% laser power). In cellular areas imaged every 9 s (ROI or regions of interest), transient depolarizations of variable amplitudes occurred at increasing rates for the first 30 min. The time to first depolarization events was 8.4 min (±1.1 SEM n = 21 cells). At longer times, essentially permanent and irreversible depolarizations occurred at an increasing fraction of all events. In other cellular areas surrounding the ROI, mitochondria were rarely illuminated (once per 5 min) and virtually no permanent depolarization events occurred for over 1 h of imaging. These findings suggest that photon stress due to the imaging itself plays an important role in the generation of both the transient mPTP opening events as well as the permanent mPTP opening events. Consistent with the evidence that photon "stress" in mitochondria loaded with virtually any photon absorbing substance, generates reactive oxygen species (ROS) [1-5], we show that cyclosporine-A (CsA, 10 μM) and the antioxidant n-acetyl cysteine (NAC, 10 mM), reduced the number of events by 80% and 93% respectively. Furthermore, CsA and NAC treatment led to the virtual disappearance of permanent depolarization events. Nevertheless, all transient depolarization events in any condition (control, CsA and NAC) appeared to repolarize with a similar half-time of 30 ± 6 s (n = 478) at 37 °C. Further experiments showed quantitatively similar results in cerebral vascular smooth muscle cells, using a different confocal system, and different photon absorbing reagent (TMRE; tetramethylrhodamine ethyl ester). In these experiments, using modest power (1% laser power) transient depolarization events were seen in only 8 out of 23 cells while with higher power (8%), all cells showed transient events, which align with the level of photon stress being the driver of the effect. Together, our findings suggest that photon-induced ROS is sufficient to cause depolarization events of individual mitochondria in quiescent cells; without electrical or mechanical activity to stimulates mitochondrial metabolism, and without raising the mitochondrial matrix Ca2+. In a broad context, these findings neither support nor deny the relevance or occurrence of ΔΨM depolarization events in specific putatively physiologic mitochondrial behaviors such as MitoFlashes [6,7] or MitoWinks [8]. Instead, our findings raise a caution with regards to the physiological and pathophysiological functions attributed to singular ΔΨM depolarization events when those functions are investigated using photon absorbing substances. Nevertheless, using photon stress as a tool ("Optical Stress-Probe"), we can extract information on the activation, reversibility, permanency and kinetics of mitochondrial depolarization. These data may provide new information on mPTP, help identify the mPTP protein complex, and establish the physiological function of the mPTP protein complex and their links to MitoFlashes and MitoWinks.

Nitric oxide-releasing nanoparticles improve doxorubicin anticancer activity

Purpose

Anticancer drug delivery systems are often limited by hurdles, such as off-target distribution, slow cellular internalization, limited lysosomal escape, and drug resistance. To overcome these limitations, we have developed a stable nitric oxide (NO)-releasing nanoparticle (polystyrene-maleic acid [SMA]-tert-dodecane S-nitrosothiol [tDodSNO]) with the aim of enhancing the anticancer properties of doxorubicin (Dox) and a Dox-loaded nanoparticle (SMA-Dox) carrier.

Materials and methods

Effects of SMA-tDodSNO and/or in combination with Dox or SMA-Dox on cell viability, apoptosis, mitochondrial membrane potential, lysosomal membrane permeability, tumor tissue, and tumor growth were studied using in vitro and in vivo model of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). In addition, the concentrations of SMA-Dox and Dox in combination with SMA-tDodSNO were measured in cells and tumor tissues.

Results

Combination of SMA-tDodSNO and Dox synergistically decreased cell viability and induced apoptosis in 4T1 (TNBC cells). Incubation of 4T1 cells with SMA-tDodSNO (40 µM) significantly enhanced the cellular uptake of SMA-Dox and increased Dox concentration in the cells resulting in a twofold increase (P<0.001). Lysosomal membrane integrity, evaluated by acridine orange (AO) staining, was impaired by 40 µM SMA-tDodSNO (P<0.05 vs control) and when combined with SMA-Dox, this effect was significantly potentiated (P<0.001 vs SMA-Dox). Subcutaneous administration of SMA-tDodSNO (1 mg/kg) to xenografted mice bearing 4T1 cells showed that SMA-tDodSNO alone caused a twofold decrease in the tumor size compared to the control group. SMA-tDodSNO in combination with SMA-Dox resulted in a statistically significant 4.7-fold reduction in the tumor volume (P<0.001 vs control), without causing significant toxicity as monitored through body weight loss.

Conclusion

Taken together, these results suggest that SMA-tDodSNO can be used as a successful strategy to increase the efficacy of Dox and SMA-Dox in a model of TNBC.

ER-mitochondrial calcium flow underlies vulnerability of mechanosensory hair cells to damage

Mechanosensory hair cells are vulnerable to environmental insult, resulting in hearing and balance disorders. We demonstrate that directional compartmental flow of intracellular Ca(2+) underlies death in zebrafish lateral line hair cells after exposure to aminoglycoside antibiotics, a well characterized hair cell toxin. Ca(2+) is mobilized from the ER and transferred to mitochondria via IP3 channels with little cytoplasmic leakage. Pharmacological agents that shunt ER-derived Ca(2+) directly to cytoplasm mitigate toxicity, indicating that high cytoplasmic Ca(2+) levels alone are not cytotoxic. Inhibition of the mitochondrial transition pore sensitizes hair cells to the toxic effects of aminoglycosides, contrasting with current models of excitotoxicity. Hair cells display efficient ER-mitochondrial Ca(2+) flow, suggesting that tight coupling of these organelles drives mitochondrial activity under physiological conditions at the cost of increased susceptibility to toxins.

Protection after stroke: cellular effectors of neurovascular unit integrity

Neurological disorders are prevalent worldwide. Cerebrovascular diseases (CVDs), which account for 55% of all neurological diseases, are the leading cause of permanent disability, cognitive and motor disorders and dementia. Stroke affects the function and structure of blood-brain barrier, the loss of cerebral blood flow regulation, oxidative stress, inflammation and the loss of neural connections. Currently, no gold standard treatments are available outside the acute therapeutic window to improve outcome in stroke patients. Some promising candidate targets have been identified for the improvement of long-term recovery after stroke, such as Rho GTPases, cell adhesion proteins, kinases, and phosphatases. Previous studies by our lab indicated that Rho GTPases (Rac and RhoA) are involved in both tissue damage and survival, as these proteins are essential for the morphology and movement of neurons, astrocytes and endothelial cells, thus playing a critical role in the balance between cell survival and death. Treatment with a pharmacological inhibitor of RhoA/ROCK blocks the activation of the neurodegeneration cascade. In addition, Rac and synaptic adhesion proteins (p120 catenin and N-catenin) play critical roles in protection against cerebral infarction and in recovery by supporting the neurovascular unit and cytoskeletal remodeling activity to maintain the integrity of the brain parenchyma. Interestingly, neuroprotective agents, such as atorvastatin, and CDK5 silencing after cerebral ischemia and in a glutamate-induced excitotoxicity model may act on the same cellular effectors to recover neurovascular unit integrity. Therefore, future efforts must focus on individually targeting the structural and functional roles of each effector of neurovascular unit and the interactions in neural and non-neural cells in the post-ischemic brain and address how to promote the recovery or prevent the loss of homeostasis in the short, medium and long term.

Evaluation of the cytotoxicity of organic dust components on THP1 monocytes-derived macrophages using high content analysis

Organic dust contains pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) which can induce significant airway diseases following chronic exposure. Mononuclear phagocytes are key protecting cells of the respiratory tract. Several studies have investigated the effects of PAMPs and mainly endotoxins, on cytokine production. However the sublethal cytotoxicity of organic dust components on macrophages has not been tested yet. The novel technology of high content analysis (HCA) is already used to assess subclinical drug-induced toxicity. It combines the capabilities of flow cytometry, intracellular fluorescence probes, and image analysis and enables rapid multiple analyses in large numbers of samples. In this study, HCA was used to investigate the cytotoxicity of the three major PAMPs contained in organic dust, i.e., endotoxin (LPS), peptidoglycan (PGN) and β-glucans (zymosan) on THP-1 monocyte-derived macrophages. LPS was used at concentrations of 0.005, 0.01, 0.02, 0.05, 0.1, and 1 μg/mL; PGN and zymosan were used at concentrations of 1, 5, 10, 50, 100, and 500 μg/mL. Cells were exposed to PAMPs for 24 h. In addition, the oxidative burst and the phagocytic capabilities of the cells were tested. An overlap between PGN intrinsic fluorescence and red/far-red fluorescent dyes occurred, rendering the evaluation of some parameters impossible for PGN. LPS induced sublethal cytotoxicity at the lowest dose (from 50 ng/mL). However, the greatest cytotoxic changes occurred with zymosan. In addition, zymosan, but not LPS, induced phagosome maturation and oxidative burst. Given the fact that β-glucans can be up to 100-fold more concentrated in organic dust than LPS, these results suggest that β-glucans could play a major role in macrophage impairment following heavy dust exposure and will merit further investigation in the near future.

Interleukin-6 directly impairs the erythroid development of human TF-1 erythroleukemic cells

Anemia of inflammation or chronic disease is a highly prevalent form of anemia. The inflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6) negatively correlates with hemoglobin concentration in many disease states. The IL-6-hepcidin antimicrobial peptide axis promotes iron-restricted anemia; however the full role of IL-6 in anemia of inflammation is not well-defined. We previously reported that chronic inflammation had a negative impact on maturation of erythroid progenitors in a mouse model. We hypothesized that IL-6 may be responsible for impaired erythropoiesis, independent of iron restriction. To test the hypothesis we utilized the human erythroleukemia TF-1 cell line to model erythroid maturation and exposed them to varying doses of IL-6 over six days. At 10 ng/ml, IL-6 significantly repressed erythropoietin-dependent TF-1 erythroid maturation. While IL-6 did not decrease the expression of genes associated with hemoglobin synthesis, we observed impaired hemoglobin synthesis as demonstrated by decreased benzidine staining. We also observed that IL-6 down regulated expression of the gene SLC4a1 which is expressed late in erythropoiesis. Those findings suggested that IL-6-dependent inhibition of hemoglobin synthesis might occur. We investigated the impact of IL-6 on mitochondria. IL-6 decreased the mitochondrial membrane potential at all treatment doses, and significantly decreased mitochondrial mass at the highest dose. Our studies indicate that IL-6 may impair mitochondrial function in maturing erythroid cells resulting in impaired hemoglobin production and erythroid maturation. Our findings may indicate a novel pathway of action for IL-6 in the anemia of inflammation, and draw attention to the potential for new therapeutic targets that affect late erythroid development.

Tumor cell death mediated by peptides that recognize branched intermediates of DNA replication and repair

Effective treatments for cancer are still needed, both for cancers that do not respond well to current therapeutics and for cancers that become resistant to available treatments. Herein we investigated the effect of a structure-selective d-amino acid peptide wrwycr that binds replication fork mimics and Holliday Junction (HJs) intermediates of homologous recombination (HR) in vitro, and inhibits their resolution by HJ-processing enzymes. We predicted that treating cells with HJ-binding compounds would lead to accumulation of DNA damage. As cells repair endogenous or exogenous DNA damage, collapsed replication forks and HJ intermediates will accumulate and serve as targets for the HJ-binding peptides. Inhibiting junction resolution will lead to further accumulation of DNA breaks, eventually resulting in amplification of the damage and causing cell death. Both peptide wrwycr and the related wrwyrggrywrw entered cancer cells and reduced cell survival in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Early markers for DNA damage, γH2AX foci and 53BP1 foci, increased with dose and/or time exposure to the peptides. DNA breaks persisted at least 48 h, and both checkpoint proteins Chk1 and Chk2 were activated. The passage of the cells from S to G2/M was blocked even after 72 h. Apoptosis, however, was not induced in either HeLa or PC3 cells. Based on colony-forming assays, about 35% peptide-induced cytotoxicity was irreversible. Finally, sublethal doses of peptide wrwycr (50–100 µM) in conjunction with sublethal doses of several DNA damaging agents (etoposide, doxorubicin, and HU) reduced cell survival at least additively and sometimes synergistically. Taken together, the results suggest that the peptides merit further investigation as proof-of-principle molecules for a new class of anti-cancer therapeutics, in particular in combination with other DNA damaging therapies.

Oxidative Stress in the Hypothalamus: the Importance of Calcium Signaling and Mitochondrial ROS in Body Weight Regulation

A considerable amount of evidence shows that reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the mammalian brain are directly responsible for cell and tissue function and dysfunction. Excessive reactive oxygen species contribute to various conditions including inflammation, diabetes mellitus, neurodegenerative diseases, tumor formation, and mental disorders such as depression. Increased intracellular calcium levels have toxic roles leading to cell death. However, the exact connection between reactive oxygen production and high calcium stress is not yet fully understood. In this review, we focus on the role of reactive oxygen species and calcium stress in hypothalamic arcuate neurons controlling feeding. We revisit the role of NPY and POMC neurons in the regulation of appetite and energy homeostasis, and consider how ROS and intracellular calcium levels affect these neurons. These novel insights give a new direction to research on hypothalamic mechanisms regulating energy homeostasis and may offer novel treatment strategies for obesity and type-2 diabetes.

Role of calcium and mitochondria in MeHg-mediated cytotoxicity

Methylmercury (MeHg) mediated cytotoxicity is associated with loss of intracellular calcium (Ca²⁺) homeostasis. The imbalance in Ca²⁺ physiology is believed to be associated with dysregulation of Ca²⁺ intracellular stores and/or increased permeability of the biomembranes to this ion. In this paper we summarize the contribution of glutamate dyshomeostasis in intracellular Ca²⁺ overload and highlight the mitochondrial dysfunctions induced by MeHg via Ca²⁺ overload. Mitochondrial disturbances elicited by Ca²⁺ may involve several molecular events (i.e., alterations in the activity of the mitochondrial electron transport chain complexes, mitochondrial proton gradient dissipation, mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP) opening, thiol depletion, failure of energy metabolism, reactive oxygen species overproduction) that could culminate in cell death. Here we will focus on the role of oxidative stress in these phenomena. Additionally, possible antioxidant therapies that could be effective in the treatment of MeHg intoxication are briefly discussed.

Regulation of the mitochondrial proton gradient by cytosolic Ca²⁺ signals

Mitochondria convert the energy stored in carbohydrate and fat into ATP molecules that power enzymatic reactions within cells, and this process influences cellular calcium signals in several ways. By providing ATP to calcium pumps at the plasma and intracellular membranes, mitochondria power the calcium gradients that drive the release of Ca²⁺ from stores and the entry of Ca²⁺ across plasma membrane channels. By taking up and subsequently releasing calcium ions, mitochondria determine the spatiotemporal profile of cellular Ca²⁺ signals and the activity of Ca²⁺-regulated proteins, including Ca²⁺ entry channels that are themselves part of the Ca²⁺ circuitry. Ca²⁺ elevations in the mitochondrial matrix, in turn, activate Ca²⁺-dependent enzymes that boost the respiratory chain, increasing the ability of mitochondria to buffer calcium ions. Mitochondria are able to encode and decode Ca²⁺ signals because the respiratory chain generates an electrochemical gradient for protons across the inner mitochondrial membrane. This proton motive force (Δp) drives the activity of the ATP synthase and has both an electrical component, the mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨ(m)), and a chemical component, the mitochondrial proton gradient (ΔpH(m)). ΔΨ(m) contributes about 190 mV to Δp and drives the entry of Ca²⁺ across a recently identified Ca²⁺-selective channel known as the mitochondrial Ca²⁺ uniporter. ΔpH(m) contributes ~30 mV to Δp and is usually ignored or considered a minor component of mitochondria respiratory state. However, the mitochondrial proton gradient is an essential component of the chemiosmotic theory formulated by Peter Mitchell in 1961 as ΔpH(m) sustains the entry of substrates and metabolites required for the activity of the respiratory chain and drives the activity of electroneutral ion exchangers that allow mitochondria to maintain their osmolarity and volume. In this review, we summarize the mechanisms that regulate the mitochondrial proton gradient and discuss how thermodynamic concepts derived from measurements in purified mitochondria can be reconciled with our recent findings that mitochondria have high proton permeability in situ and that ΔpH(m) decreases during mitochondrial Ca²⁺ elevations.

Cardiac mitochondrial network excitability: insights from computational analysis

In the heart, mitochondria form a regular lattice and function as a coordinated, nonlinear network to continuously produce ATP to meet the high-energy demand of the cardiomyocytes. Cardiac mitochondria also exhibit properties of an excitable system: electrical or chemical signals can spread within or among cells in the syncytium. The detailed mechanisms by which signals pass among individual elements (mitochondria) across the network are still not completely understood, although emerging studies suggest that network excitability might be mediated by the local diffusion and autocatalytic release of messenger molecules such as reactive oxygen species and/or Ca(2+). In this short review, we have attempted to described recent advances in the field of cardiac mitochondrial network excitability. Specifically, we have focused on how mitochondria communicate with each other through the diffusion and regeneration of messenger molecules to initiate and propagate waves or oscillations, as revealed by computational models of mitochondrial network.

Hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction

It has been known for more than 60 years, and suspected for over 100, that alveolar hypoxia causes pulmonary vasoconstriction by means of mechanisms local to the lung. For the last 20 years, it has been clear that the essential sensor, transduction, and effector mechanisms responsible for hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction (HPV) reside in the pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cell. The main focus of this review is the cellular and molecular work performed to clarify these intrinsic mechanisms and to determine how they are facilitated and inhibited by the extrinsic influences of other cells. Because the interaction of intrinsic and extrinsic mechanisms is likely to shape expression of HPV in vivo, we relate results obtained in cells to HPV in more intact preparations, such as intact and isolated lungs and isolated pulmonary vessels. Finally, we evaluate evidence regarding the contribution of HPV to the physiological and pathophysiological processes involved in the transition from fetal to neonatal life, pulmonary gas exchange, high-altitude pulmonary edema, and pulmonary hypertension. Although understanding of HPV has advanced significantly, major areas of ignorance and uncertainty await resolution.

Mitochondrial Ca(2+) as a key regulator of mitochondrial activities

Mitochondria play a central role in cell biology, not only as producers of ATP but also as regulators of the Ca(2+) signal. The translocation by respiratory chain protein complexes of H(+) across the ion-impermeable inner membrane generates a very large H(+) electrochemical gradient that can be employed not only by the H(+) ATPase to run the endoergonic reaction of ADP phosphorylation, but also to accumulate cations into the matrix. Mitochondria can rapidly take up Ca(2+) through an electrogenic pathway, the uniporter, that acts to equilibrate Ca(2+) with its electrochemical gradient, and thus accumulates the cation into the matrix, and they can release it through two exchangers (with H(+) and Na(+), mostly expressed in non-excitable and excitable cells, respectively), that utilize the electrochemical gradient of the monovalent cations to prevent the attainment of electrical equilibrium.The uniporter, due to its low Ca(2+) affinity, demands high local Ca(2+) concentrations to work. In different cell systems these high Ca(2+) concentration microdomains are generated, upon cell stimulation, in proximity of the plasma membrane and the sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+) channels.Recent work has revealed the central role of mitochondria in signal transduction pathways: evidence is accumulating that, by taking up Ca(2+), they not only modulate mitochondrial activities but also tune the cytosolic Ca(2+) signals and their related functions. This review analyses recent developments in the area of mitochondrial Ca(2+) signalling and attempts to summarize cell physiology aspects of the mitochondrial Ca(2+) transport machinery.

Hypoxia induces an increase in intracellular magnesium via transient receptor potential melastatin 7 (TRPM7) channels in rat hippocampal neurons in vitro

TRPM7, a divalent cation channel, plays an important role in neurons damaged from cerebral ischemia due to permitting intracellular calcium overload. This study aimed to explore whether magnesium was transported via a TRPM7 channel into the intracellular space of rat hippocampal neurons after 1 h of oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) and acute chemical ischemia (CI) by using methods of the Mg(2+) fluorescent probe Mag-Fura-2 to detect intracellular magnesium concentration ([Mg(2+)](i)) and flame atomic absorption spectrometry to measure extracellular magnesium concentration ([Mg(2+)](o)). The results showed that the neuronal [Mg(2+)](i) was 1.51-fold higher after 1 h of OGD at a basal level, and the increase of neuronal [Mg(2+)](i) reached a peak after 1 h of OGD and was kept for 60 min with re-oxygenation. Meanwhile, the [Mg(2+)](o) decreased after 1 h of OGD and recovered to the pre-ischemic level within 15 min after re-oxygenation. In the case of CI, the [Mg(2+)](i) peak immediately appeared in hippocampal neurons. This increase of [Mg(2+)](i) declined by removing extracellular magnesium in OGD or CI. Furthermore, by using Gd(3+) or 2-aminoethoxydiphenyl borate to inhibit TRPM7 channels, the [Mg(2+)](i) increase, which was induced by OGD or CI, was attenuated without altering the basal level of [Mg(2+)](i). By silencing TRPM7 with shRNA in hippocampal neurons, it was found that not only was the increase of [Mg(2+)](i) induced by OGD or CI but also the basal levels of [Mg(2+)](i) were attenuated. In contrast, overexpression of TRPM7 in HEK293 cells exaggerated both the basal levels and increased [Mg(2+)](i) after 1 h of OGD/CI. These results suggest that anoxia induced the increase of [Mg(2+)](i) via TRPM7 channels in rat hippocampal neurons.

Fluorescence-based detection and quantification of features of cellular senescence

Cellular senescence is a spontaneous organismal defense mechanism against tumor progression which is raised upon the activation of oncoproteins or other cellular environmental stresses that must be circumvented for tumorigenesis to occur. It involves growth-arrest state of normal cells after a number of active divisions. There are multiple experimental routes that can drive cells into a state of senescence. Normal somatic cells and cancer cells enter a state of senescence upon overexpression of oncogenic Ras or Raf protein or by imposing certain kinds of stress such as cellular tumor suppressor function. Both flow cytometry and confocal imaging analysis techniques are very useful in quantitative analysis of cellular senescence phenomenon. They allow quantitative estimates of multiple different phenotypes expressed in multiple cell populations simultaneously. Here we review the various types of fluorescence methodologies including confocal imaging and flow cytometry that are frequently utilized to study a variety of senescence. First, we discuss key cell biological changes occurring during senescence and review the current understanding on the mechanisms of these changes with the goal of improving existing protocols and further developing new ones. Next, we list specific senescence phenotypes associated with each cellular trait along with the principles of their assay methods and the significance of the assay outcomes. We conclude by selecting appropriate references that demonstrate a typical example of each method.

The low conductance mitochondrial permeability transition pore confers excitability and CICR wave propagation in a computational model

Mitochondria have long been known to sequester cytosolic Ca(2+) and even to shape intracellular patterns of endoplasmic reticulum-based Ca(2+) signaling. Evidence suggests that the mitochondrial network is an excitable medium which can demonstrate independent Ca(2+) induced Ca(2+) release via the mitochondrial permeability transition. The role of this excitability remains unclear, but mitochondrial Ca(2+) handling appears to be a crucial element in diverse diseases as diabetes, neurodegeneration and cardiac dysfunction that also have bioenergetic components. In this paper, we extend the modular Magnus-Keizer computational model for respiration-driven Ca(2+) handling to include a permeability transition based on a channel-like pore mechanism. We demonstrate both excitability and Ca(2+) wave propagation accompanied by depolarizations qualitatively similar to those reported in cell and isolated mitochondria preparations. These waves depend on the energy state of the mitochondria, as well as other elements of mitochondrial physiology. Our results support the concept that mitochondria can transmit state dependent signals about their function across the mitochondrial network. Our model provides the tools for predictions about the internal physiology that leads to this qualitatively different Ca(2+) excitability seen in mitochondria.

Iron potentiates acetaminophen-induced oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction in cultured mouse hepatocytes

Liver disease is responsible for more than 42,000 deaths yearly. Elevated hepatic iron levels have been shown to play a role in chronic liver diseases including hereditary hemochromatosis, thalassemia, and chronic hepatitis C, whereas acetaminophen (APAP) is the leading cause of acute liver failure. The goal of this study was to determine whether increased hepatic iron affects APAP-induced cytotoxicity, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and/or mitochondrial dysfunction in primary mouse hepatocytes (PMHs) that are differentiated and have gap junctional intracellular integrity, properties associated with hepatocytes in vivo and important for conducting toxicant studies. Treatment of PMHs with the iron donor 3,5,5-trimethyl-hexanoyl ferrocene (TMHF) caused an elevation in ferritin, reduction in transferrin receptor 1, and accumulation of hemosiderin, but TMHF treatment alone did not induce ROS or cause mitochondrial dysfunction. The threshold APAP dose that induced PMH cell death after TMHF treatment of PMHs was lower than in the absence of TMHF. In addition, treatment with the iron chelator deferoxamine (DFO) protected from APAP and resulted in a higher threshold dose being needed to induce cell death. We also showed that after TMHF treatment, APAP induced ROS and mitochondrial dysfunction at earlier time points than treatment with APAP alone; treatment with DFO increased the length of time required for APAP to induce ROS and mitochondrial dysfunction; and treatment with DFO, subsequent to TMHF, partially protected against TMHF-potentiated APAP injury. We conclude that iron potentiates the effects of APAP on cytotoxicity, ROS production, and mitochondrial dysfunction in PMHs.

Glucose sensing in the pancreatic beta cell: a computational systems analysis

Background

Pancreatic beta-cells respond to rising blood glucose by increasing oxidative metabolism, leading to an increased ATP/ADP ratio in the cytoplasm. This leads to a closure of K_ATP channels, depolarization of the plasma membrane, influx of calcium and the eventual secretion of insulin. Such mechanism suggests that beta-cell metabolism should have a functional regulation specific to secretion, as opposed to coupling to contraction. The goal of this work is to uncover contributions of the cytoplasmic and mitochondrial processes in this secretory coupling mechanism using mathematical modeling in a systems biology approach.

Methods

We describe a mathematical model of beta-cell sensitivity to glucose. The cytoplasmic part of the model includes equations describing glucokinase, glycolysis, pyruvate reduction, NADH and ATP production and consumption. The mitochondrial part begins with production of NADH, which is regulated by pyruvate dehydrogenase. NADH is used in the electron transport chain to establish a proton motive force, driving the F₁F₀ ATPase. Redox shuttles and mitochondrial Ca²⁺ handling were also modeled.

Results

The model correctly predicts changes in the ATP/ADP ratio, Ca²⁺ and other metabolic parameters in response to changes in substrate delivery at steady-state and during cytoplasmic Ca²⁺ oscillations. Our analysis of the model simulations suggests that the mitochondrial membrane potential should be relatively lower in beta cells compared with other cell types to permit precise mitochondrial regulation of the cytoplasmic ATP/ADP ratio. This key difference may follow from a relative reduction in respiratory activity. The model demonstrates how activity of lactate dehydrogenase, uncoupling proteins and the redox shuttles can regulate beta-cell function in concert; that independent oscillations of cytoplasmic Ca²⁺ can lead to slow coupled metabolic oscillations; and that the relatively low production rate of reactive oxygen species in beta-cells under physiological conditions is a consequence of the relatively decreased mitochondrial membrane potential.

Conclusion

This comprehensive model predicts a special role for mitochondrial control mechanisms in insulin secretion and ROS generation in the beta cell. The model can be used for testing and generating control hypotheses and will help to provide a more complete understanding of beta-cell glucose-sensing central to the physiology and pathology of pancreatic β-cells.

Simultaneous optical mapping of intracellular free calcium and action potentials from Langendorff perfused hearts

The cardiac action potential (AP) controls the rise and fall of intracellular free Ca2+ (Ca(i)), and thus the amplitude and kinetics of force generation. Besides excitation-contraction coupling, the reverse process where Ca(i) influences the AP through Ca(i)-dependent ionic currents has been implicated as the mechanism underlying QT alternans and cardiac arrhythmias in heart failure, ischemia/reperfusion, cardiac myopathy, myocardial infarction, congenital and drug-induced long QT syndrome, and ventricular fibrillation. The development of dual optical mapping at high spatial and temporal resolution provides a powerful tool to investigate the role of Ca(i) anomalies in eliciting cardiac arrhythmias. This unit describes experimental protocols to map APs and Ca(i) transients from perfused hearts by labeling the heart with two fluorescent dyes, one to measure transmembrane potential (Vm), the other Ca(i) transients. High spatial and temporal resolution is achieved by selecting Vm and Ca(i) probes with the same excitation but different emission wavelengths, to avoid cross-talk and mechanical components.

Imaging nervous system activity

Optical imaging methods rely upon visualization of three types of signals: (1) intrinsic optical signals, including light scattering and reflectance, birefringence, and spectroscopic changes of intrinsic molecules, such as NADH or oxyhemoglobin; (2) changes in fluorescence or absorbance of voltage-sensitive membrane dyes; and (3) changes in fluorescence or absorbance of calcium-sensitive indicator dyes. Of these, the most widely used approach is fluorescent microscopy of calcium-sensitive dyes. This unit describes protocols for the use of calcium-sensitive dyes and voltage-dependent dyes for studies of neuronal activity in culture, tissue slices, and en-bloc preparations of the central nervous system.

Non-invasive in vivo imaging of calcium signaling in mice

Rapid and transient elevations of Ca(2+) within cellular microdomains play a critical role in the regulation of many signal transduction pathways. Described here is a genetic approach for non-invasive detection of localized Ca(2+) concentration ([Ca(2+)]) rises in live animals using bioluminescence imaging (BLI). Transgenic mice conditionally expressing the Ca(2+)-sensitive bioluminescent reporter GFP-aequorin targeted to the mitochondrial matrix were studied in several experimental paradigms. Rapid [Ca(2+)] rises inside the mitochondrial matrix could be readily detected during single-twitch muscle contractions. Whole body patterns of [Ca(2+)] were monitored in freely moving mice and during epileptic seizures. Furthermore, variations in mitochondrial [Ca(2+)] correlated to behavioral components of the sleep/wake cycle were observed during prolonged whole body recordings of newborn mice. This non-invasive imaging technique opens new avenues for the analysis of Ca(2+) signaling whenever whole body information in freely moving animals is desired, in particular during behavioral and developmental studies.

Adriamycin-induced interference with cardiac mitochondrial calcium homeostasis

Adriamycin (doxorubicin) is a potent and broad-spectrum antineoplastic agent, the clinical utility of which is limited by the development of a cumulative and irreversible cardiomyopathy. Although the drug affects numerous structures in different cell types, the mitochondrion appears to a principal subcellular target for the development of cardiomyopathy. This review describes evidence demonstrating that adriamycin redox cycles on complex I of the mitochondrial electron transport chain to liberate highly reactive free radical species of molecular oxygen. The primary effect of adriamycin on mitochondrial performance is the interference with oxidative phosphorylation and inhibition of ATP synthesis. Free radicals liberated from adriamycin redox cycling are thought to be responsible for many of the secondary effects of adriamycin, including lipid peroxidation, the oxidation of both proteins and DNA, and the depletion of glutathione and pyridine nucleotide reducing equivalents in the cell. It is this altered redox status that is believed to cause assorted changes in intracellular regulation, including the induction of the mitochondrial permeability transition and complete loss of mitochondrial integrity and function. Associated with this is the interference with mitochondrial-mediated cell calcium signaling, which is implicated as essential to the capacity of mitochondria to participate in bioenergetic regulation in response to external signals reflecting changes in metabolic demand. If taken to an extreme, this loss of mitochondrial plasticity may manifest in the liberation of signals mediating either oncotic or necrotic cell death, further perpetuating the cardiac failure associated with adriamycin-induced mitochondrial cardiomyopathy.

Subcellular organization of calcium signalling in hepatocytes and the intact liver

Hepatocytes respond to inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (InsP3)-linked agonists with frequency-modulated oscillations in the intracellular free calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i), that occur as waves propagating from a specific origin within each cell. The subcellular distribution and functional organization of InsP3-sensitive Ca2+ pools has been investigated, in both intact and permeabilized cells, by fluorescence imaging of dyes which can be used to monitor luminal Ca2+ content and InsP3-activated ion permeability in a spatially resolved manner. The Ca2+ stores behave as a luminally continuous system distributed throughout the cytoplasm. The structure of the stores, an important determinant of their function, is controlled by the cytoskeleton and can be modulated in a guanine nucleotide-dependent manner. The nuclear matrix is devoid of Ca2+ stores, but Ca2+ waves in the intact cell propagate through this compartment. The organization of [Ca2+]i signals has also been investigated in the perfused liver. Frequency-modulated [Ca2+]i oscillations are still observed at the single cell level, with similar properties to those in the isolated hepatocyte. The [Ca2+]i oscillations propagate between cells in the intact liver, leading to the synchronization of [Ca2+]i signals across part or all of each hepatic lobule.

Mitochondrial signaling and fertilization

The magnitude of the potential difference (polarity) across the inner mitochondrial membrane (DeltaPsim) determines levels of several mitochondrial activities, including ATP generation, focal regulate calcium homeostasis and organelle volume homeostasis. We investigated whether a domain of mitochondria in the mouse oocyte, characterized by high DeltaPsim and a unique location in the subplasmalemmal cytoplasm, is involved in the earliest events of fertilization: sperm attachment, penetration and cortical granule exocytosis. Experimental manipulations of the magnitude of DeltaPsim and the distribution of mitochondria in zona-free MII oocytes, followed by insemination and culture, indicate that high-polarized mitochondria (HPM) are required for penetration and cortical granule exocytosis, but not for persistent attachment to the oolemma. The capacity of subplasmalemmal mitochondria to undergo transient reductions (dissipations) of DeltaPsim appears necessary for penetration and cortical granule exocytosis. We suggest that the HPM normally establish a continuous circumferential circuit of 'reactive' organelles capable of responding to and propagating, triggering or activating signals across the subplasmalemmal cytoplasm, such as those initiated by the fertilizing sperm at the site of penetration. The HPM in the oocyte and early embryo may have functions similar to those of their somatic cell counterparts and promote the focal regulation of developmental activities that are themselves spatially localized. The establishment of high DeltaPsim in the subplasmalemmal cytoplasm may be among the first steps in the preovulatory maturation of the oocyte and defects in this domain may result in fertilization failure or abnormality.

Serum-withdrawal-dependent apoptosis of hippocampal neuroblasts involves Ca++ release by endoplasmic reticulum and caspase-12 activation

Apoptotic death caused by diseases or toxic insults is preceded and determined by endoplasmic reticulum dysfunction and altered intraluminar calcium homeostasis in many different cell types. With the present study we have explored the possibility that the ER stress could be involved also in apoptotic death induced by serum deprivation in neuronal cells. We have chosen as a model of study the cell line HN9.10e, constituted by immortalized hippocampal neuroblasts. The Ca(++) concentration in the lumen of the ER has been evaluated by using the low affinity Ca(++) probe Mag-fluo-4. We show that serum deprivation lowers the ER Ca(++) concentration with a time course closely related to the increase of apoptosis incidence. Serum deprivation also enhances the expression of a well-known marker of ER stress, the glucose-regulated protein-78 (GRP-78), a member of the heat shock/stress response protein family. Moreover, in serum-deprived neuroblasts, following GRP-78 up-regulation, the ER-associated procaspase-12 is cleaved with a time course which parallels the ER calcium loss while activation of caspase-3 is a later event. Depletion of ER Ca(++) by thapsigargin, a specific inhibitor of the ER-associated Ca(++) ATPase, also produces caspase-12 processing and apoptotic cell death, whereas agents capable of reducing the ER calcium loss protect the cells from serum-deprivation-induced apoptosis. These findings indicate that, in hippocampal neuroblasts, Ca(++) mobilization from ER and caspase-12 activation are components of the molecular pathway that leads to apoptosis triggered by serum deprivation and may constitute an amplifying loop of the mitochondrial pathway.

Stimulation of prostaglandin E2-EP3 receptors exacerbates stroke and excitotoxic injury

The effect of PGE(2) EP3 receptors on injury size was investigated following cerebral ischemia and induced excitotoxicity in mice. Treatment with the selective EP3 agonist ONO-AE-248 significantly and dose-dependently increased infarct size in the middle cerebral artery occlusion model. In a separate experiment, pretreatment with ONO-AE-248 exacerbated the lesion caused by N-methyl-d-aspartic acid-induced acute excitotoxicity. Conversely, genetic deletion of EP3 provided protection against N-methyl-d-aspartic acid-induced toxicity. The results suggest that PGE(2), by stimulating EP3 receptors, can contribute to the toxicity associated with cyclooxygenase and that antagonizing this receptor could be used therapeutically to protect against stroke- and excitotoxicity-induced brain damage.

Stimulation-induced changes in NADH fluorescence and mitochondrial membrane potential in lizard motor nerve terminals

To investigate mitochondrial responses to repetitive stimulation, we measured changes in NADH fluorescence and mitochondrial membrane potential (Psi(m)) produced by trains of action potentials (50 Hz for 10-50 s) delivered to motor nerve terminals innervating external intercostal muscles. Stimulation produced a rapid decrease in NADH fluorescence and partial depolarization of Psi(m). These changes were blocked when Ca2+ was removed from the bath or when N-type Ca2+ channels were inhibited with omega-conotoxin GVIA, but were not blocked when bath Ca2+ was replaced by Sr2+, or when vesicular release was inhibited with botulinum toxin A. When stimulation stopped, NADH fluorescence and Psi(m) returned to baseline values much faster than mitochondrial [Ca2+]. In contrast to findings in other tissues, there was usually little or no poststimulation overshoot of NADH fluorescence. These findings suggest that the major change in motor terminal mitochondrial function brought about by repetitive stimulation is a rapid acceleration of electron transport chain (ETC) activity due to the Psi(m) depolarization produced by mitochondrial Ca2+ (or Sr2+) influx. After partial inhibition of complex I of the ETC with amytal, stimulation produced greater Psi(m) depolarization and a greater elevation of cytosolic [Ca2+]. These results suggest that the ability to accelerate ETC activity is important for normal mitochondrial sequestration of stimulation-induced Ca2+ loads.

Regulatory roles for mitochondria in the peri-implantation mouse blastocyst: possible origins and developmental significance of differential DeltaPsim

Studies of mitochondria in mouse and human oocytes and preimplantation stage embryos have focused primarily on their metabolic capacity to generate ATP. However, it is becoming increasingly apparent that mitochondria are also regulatory agents in other processes involved in the establishment of developmental competence, including calcium homeostasis and apoptosis. The magnitude of the inner mitochondrial membrane potential, or its polarity (DeltaPsim), is a physiochemical property of mitochondria related to levels of organelle activity, and differences in the magnitude and spatial distribution of high- and low-polarized mitochondria have been suggested to influence oocyte and early embryo competence. Here, we investigated mitochondrial polarity in normal and diapausing peri-implantation-stage mouse blastocysts, and their corresponding outgrowths, for indications of cell-type-specific regulatory functions or activities in which these organelles may be engaged. The results demonstrate that cell-type- and location-specific domains of differential DeltaPsim exist in the peri-implantation blastocyst and remain unchanged during blastocyst outgrowth and during delayed implantation, which for the latter, is accompanied by the suppression of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation. Our findings demonstrate that cell-type-specific DeltaPsim in the peri-implantation blastocyst is not an intrinsic property of the corresponding mitochondria but one that can be mediated by the dynamics of intercellular contact. Cells with high- or low-polarized mitochondria are differentially affected by photosensitization, with developmental consequences related to embryo behavior and outgrowth performance. Differences in polarity are discussed with respect to the participation of mitochondria in regulatory and morphogenetic processes in the normal peri-implantation embryo. The persistence of high DeltaPsim in the diapausing embryo is suggested to be associated with the regulation of levels of cytoplasmic free calcium and the ability of the embryo to reactivate development when delayed implantation terminates.

Mitochondria and neuronal activity

Mitochondria are central for various cellular processes that include ATP production, intracellular Ca(2+) signaling, and generation of reactive oxygen species. Neurons critically depend on mitochondrial function to establish membrane excitability and to execute the complex processes of neurotransmission and plasticity. While much information about mitochondrial properties is available from studies on isolated mitochondria and dissociated cell cultures, less is known about mitochondrial function in intact neurons in brain tissue. However, a detailed description of the interactions between mitochondrial function, energy metabolism, and neuronal activity is crucial for the understanding of the complex physiological behavior of neurons, as well as the pathophysiology of various neurological diseases. The combination of new fluorescence imaging techniques, electrophysiology, and brain slice preparations provides a powerful tool to study mitochondrial function during neuronal activity, with high spatiotemporal resolution. This review summarizes recent findings on mitochondrial Ca(2+) transport, mitochondrial membrane potential (DeltaPsi(m)), and energy metabolism during neuronal activity. We will first discuss interactions of these parameters for experimental stimulation conditions that can be related to the physiological range. We will then describe how mitochondrial and metabolic dysfunction develops during pathological neuronal activity, focusing on temporal lobe epilepsy and its experimental models. The aim is to illustrate that 1) the structure of the mitochondrial compartment is highly dynamic in neurons, 2) there is a fine-tuned coupling between neuronal activity and mitochondrial function, and 3) mitochondria are of central importance for the complex behavior of neurons.

Multiphoton laser scanning microscopy as a tool for Xenopus oocyte research

Multiphoton laser scanning microscopy (MPLSM) has become an increasingly invaluable tool in fluorescent optical imaging. There are several distinct advantages to implementing MPLSM as a Xenopus oocyte research tool. MPLSM increases signal-to-noise ratio and therefore increases image quality because there is no out-of-focus fluorescence as would be created in conventional or confocal microscopy. All the light that is generated can be collected and used to generate an image because point detection of descanned fluorescence is not required. This is particularly useful when imaging deep into tissue sections, as is necessary for Xenopus oocytes, which are notoriously large (approximately 1-mm diameter). Because multiphoton lasers use pulsed energy in the infrared wavelengths, the energy can also travel further into tissues with much less light scattering. Because there is no out-of-focus excitation, phototoxicity, photodamage, and photobleaching are significantly reduced, which is particularly important for long-term experiments that require the same region to be scanned repeatedly. Finally, multiple fluorophores can be simultaneously excited because of the broader absorption spectra of multiphoton dyes. In this chapter, we describe the advantages and disadvantages of using MPLSM to image Xenopus oocytes as compared to conventional and confocal microscopy. The practical application of imaging oocytes is demonstrated with specific examples.

Pharmacological modulation of sarcoplasmic reticulum function in smooth muscle

The sarco/endoplasmic reticulum (SR/ER) is the primary storage and release site of intracellular calcium (Ca2+) in many excitable cells. The SR is a tubular network, which in smooth muscle (SM) cells distributes close to cellular periphery (superficial SR) and in deeper aspects of the cell (deep SR). Recent attention has focused on the regulation of cell function by the superficial SR, which can act as a buffer and also as a regulator of membrane channels and transporters. Ca2+ is released from the SR via two types of ionic channels [ryanodine- and inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate-gated], whereas accumulation from thecytoplasm occurs exclusively by an energy-dependent sarco-endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase pump (SERCA). Within the SR, Ca2+ is bound to various storage proteins. Emerging evidence also suggests that the perinuclear portion of the SR may play an important role in nuclear transcription. In this review, we detail the pharmacology of agents that alter the functions of Ca2+ release channels and of SERCA. We describe their use and selectivity and indicate the concentrations used in investigating various SM preparations. Important aspects of cell regulation and excitation-contractile activity coupling in SM have been uncovered through the use of such activators and inhibitors of processes that determine SR function. Likewise, they were instrumental in the recent finding of an interaction of the SR with other cellular organelles such as mitochondria. Thus, an appreciation of the pharmacology and selectivity of agents that interfere with SR function in SM has greatly assisted in unveiling the multifaceted nature of the SR.

Repetitive transient depolarizations of the inner mitochondrial membrane induced by proton pumping

Single mitochondria show the spontaneous fluctuations of DeltaPsim. In this study, to examine the mechanism of the fluctuations, we observed DeltaPsim in single isolated heart mitochondria using time-resolved fluorescence microscopy. Addition of malate, succinate, or ascorbate plus TMPD to mitochondria induced polarization of the inner membrane followed by repeated cycles of rapid depolarizations and immediate repolarizations. ADP significantly decreased the frequency of the rapid depolarizations, but the ADP effect was counteracted by oligomycin. On the other hand, the rapid depolarizations did not occur when mitochondria were polarized by the efflux of K(+) from the matrix. The rapid depolarizations became frequent with the increase in the substrate concentration or pH of the buffer. These results suggest that the rapid depolarizations depend on the net translocation of protons from the matrix. The frequency of the rapid depolarizations was not affected by ROS scavengers, Ca(2+), CsA, or BA. In addition, the obvious increase in the permeability of the inner membrane to calcein (MW 623) that was entrapped in the matrix was not observed upon the transient depolarization. The mechanisms of the spontaneous oscillations of DeltaPsim are discussed in relation to the matrix pH and the permeability transitions.

Mitochondrial function in intact skeletal muscle fibres of creatine kinase deficient mice

Creatine kinase (CK) has a central role in skeletal muscle, acting as a fast energy buffer and shuttle between sites of energy production (mitochondria) and consumption (cross-bridges and ion pumps). Unexpectedly, isolated fast-twitch skeletal muscle cells of mice deficient in both cytosolic and mitochondrial CK (CK-/-) are highly fatigue resistant during stimulation protocols that stress aerobic metabolism. We have now studied different aspects of mitochondrial function in CK-/- skeletal muscle. Intact, single fibres of flexor digitorum brevis (FDB) muscles were fatigued by repeated tetanic stimulation (70 Hz, 350 ms duration, duty cycle 0.14). Under control conditions, CK-/- FDB fibres were more fatigue resistant than wild-type fibres. However, after mitochondrial inhibition with cyanide, force declined markedly faster in CK-/- fibres than in wild-type fibres. The rapid force decline in CK-/- fibres was not due to decreased myoplasmic [Ca2+] during tetani (measured with indo-1), which in these fibres remained virtually constant during fatigue in the presence of cyanide. Intact, single fibres of highly oxidative soleus muscles were fatigued by repeated tetani (50 Hz, 500 ms duration, duty cycle 0.5). All CK-/- soleus fibres tested (n = 9) produced > 40 % force at the end of the fatiguing stimulation period (500 tetani), whereas force fell to < 40 % before 500 tetani in two of three wild-type fibres. Mitochondrial [Ca2+] (measured with rhod-2 and confocal microscopy) increased during repeated tetanic stimulation in CK-/- but not in wild-type FDB fibres. In conclusion, mitochondria and energy shuttling operate effectively in CK-/- fibres and this is associated with an increase in mitochondrial [Ca2+].

Vascular smooth muscle mitochondria at the cross roads of Ca2+ regulation

Mitochondria play an essential role in the regulation of vascular smooth muscle Ca(2+) signaling being simultaneously integrated in the regulation of ion channels and Ca(2+) transporters, oxygen radical production, metabolite recycling and intracellular redox potential. Mitochondria buffer Ca(2+) from cytoplasmic microdomains to alter the spatio-temporal pattern of Ca(2+) gradients following Ca(2+)-influx and Ca(2+)-release, and thus control site-specific, Ca(2+)-dependent ion channel activation and inactivation. The sub-cellular localization of mitochondria in conjunction with tissue-specific channel expression is fundamental to vascular heterogeneity. The mitochondrial electron transport chain recycles metabolic intermediates that modulate cellular redox potential and produces oxygen radicals in proportion to oxygen tension. Perturbation of specific complexes within the transport chain can affects NADH:NAD and ATP:ADP ratios and radical production, which can in turn influence second messenger metabolism, ion channel gating and Ca(2+)-transporter activity. Mitochondria thus provide the common ground for cross-talk between these regulatory systems that are mutually sensitive to one another. This cross-talk between signaling systems provides a means to render the physiological regulation of vascular tone responsive to complex stimulation by paracrine and endocrine factors, blood pressure and flow, tissue oxygenation and metabolic state.

Spontaneous mitochondrial depolarizations are independent of SR Ca2+ release

The mitochondrial membrane potential (DeltaPsi(m)) underlies many mitochondrial functions, including Ca(2+) influx into the mitochondria, which allows them to serve as buffers of intracellular Ca(2+). Spontaneous depolarizations of DeltaPsi(m), flickers, have been observed in isolated mitochondria and intact cells using the fluorescent cationic lipophile tetramethylrhodamine ethyl ester (TMRE), which distributes across the inner mitochondrial membrane in accordance with the Nernst equation. Flickers in cardiomyocytes have been attributed to uptake of Ca(2+) released from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) via ryanodine receptors in focal transients called Ca(2+) sparks. We have shown previously that an increase in global Ca(2+) in smooth muscle cells causes an increase in mitochondrial Ca(2+) and depolarization of DeltaPsi(m). Here we sought to determine whether flickers in smooth muscle cells are caused by uptake of Ca(2+) released focally in Ca(2+) sparks. High-speed three-dimensional imaging was used to monitor DeltaPsi(m) in freshly dissociated myocytes from toad stomach that were simultaneously voltage clamped at 0 mV to ensure the cytosolic TMRE concentration was constant and equal to the low level in the bath (2.5 nM). This approach allows quantitative analysis of flickers as we have previously demonstrated. Depletion of SR Ca(2+) not only failed to eliminate flickers but rather increased their magnitude and frequency somewhat. Flickers were not altered in magnitude or frequency by ryanodine or xestospongin C, inhibitors of intracellular Ca(2+) release, or by cyclosporin A, an inhibitor of the permeability transition pore. Focal Ca(2+) release from the SR does not cause flickers in the cells employed here.

NAD(P)H fluorescence imaging of postsynaptic neuronal activation in murine hippocampal slices

We examined mechanisms contributing to stimulus-evoked changes in NAD(P)H fluorescence as a marker of neuronal activation in area CA1 of murine hippocampal slices. Three types of stimuli (electrical, glutamate iontophoresis, bath-applied kainate) produced biphasic fluorescence changes composed of an initial transient decrease ("initial component," 1-3%), followed by a longer-lasting transient increase ("overshoot," 3-8%). These responses were matched by inverted biphasic flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) fluorescence transients, suggesting that these transients reflect mitochondrial function rather than optical artifacts. Both components of NAD(P)H transients were abolished by ionotropic glutamate receptor block, implicating postsynaptic neuronal activation as the primary event involved in generating the signals, and not presynaptic activity or reuptake of synaptically released glutamate. Spatial analysis of the evoked signals indicated that the peak of each component could arise in different locations in the slice, suggesting that there is not always obligatory coupling between the two components. The initial NAD(P)H response showed a strong temporal correspondence to intracellular Ca+ increases and mitochondrial depolarization. However, despite the fact that removal of extracellular Ca2+ abolished neuronal cytosolic Ca2+ transients to exogenous glutamate or kainate, this procedure did not reduce slice NAD(P)H responses evoked by either of these agonists, implying that mechanisms other than neuronal mitochondrial Ca2+ loading underlie slice NAD(P)H transients. These data show that, in contrast to previous proposals, slice NAD(P)H transients in mature slices do not reflect neuronal Ca2+ dynamics and demonstrate that these signals are sensitive indicators of both the spatial and temporal characteristics of postsynaptic neuronal activation in these preparations.

NAD(P)H fluorescence imaging of postsynaptic neuronal activation in murine hippocampal slices

We examined mechanisms contributing to stimulus-evoked changes in NAD(P)H fluorescence as a marker of neuronal activation in area CA1 of murine hippocampal slices. Three types of stimuli (electrical, glutamate iontophoresis, bath-applied kainate) produced biphasic fluorescence changes composed of an initial transient decrease ("initial component," 1-3%), followed by a longer-lasting transient increase ("overshoot," 3-8%). These responses were matched by inverted biphasic flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) fluorescence transients, suggesting that these transients reflect mitochondrial function rather than optical artifacts. Both components of NAD(P)H transients were abolished by ionotropic glutamate receptor block, implicating postsynaptic neuronal activation as the primary event involved in generating the signals, and not presynaptic activity or reuptake of synaptically released glutamate. Spatial analysis of the evoked signals indicated that the peak of each component could arise in different locations in the slice, suggesting that there is not always obligatory coupling between the two components. The initial NAD(P)H response showed a strong temporal correspondence to intracellular Ca+ increases and mitochondrial depolarization. However, despite the fact that removal of extracellular Ca2+ abolished neuronal cytosolic Ca2+ transients to exogenous glutamate or kainate, this procedure did not reduce slice NAD(P)H responses evoked by either of these agonists, implying that mechanisms other than neuronal mitochondrial Ca2+ loading underlie slice NAD(P)H transients. These data show that, in contrast to previous proposals, slice NAD(P)H transients in mature slices do not reflect neuronal Ca2+ dynamics and demonstrate that these signals are sensitive indicators of both the spatial and temporal characteristics of postsynaptic neuronal activation in these preparations.

Evidence for interactions between intracellular calcium stores during methylmercury-induced intracellular calcium dysregulation in rat cerebellar granule neurons

Acute exposure to methylmercury (MeHg) causes severe disruption of intracellular Ca(2+) ([Ca(2+)](i)) regulation, which apparently contributes to neuronal death. Activation of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MTP) evidently contributes to this effect. We examined in more detail the contribution of mitochondrial Ca(2+) ([Ca(2+)](m)) to elevations of [Ca(2+)](i) caused by acute exposure to a low concentration of MeHg in primary cultures of rat cerebellar granule neurons. In particular, we sought to determine whether interactions occurred between Ca(2+)(i) pools in response to MeHg. Prior depletion of Ca(2+)(m) using carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP) and oligomycin significantly decreased the amplitude of [Ca(2+)](i) release from intracellular stores, and delayed the onset of whole-cell [Ca(2+)](i) elevations, caused by 0.5 microM MeHg. CCCP alone hastened the MeHg-induced release of Ca(2+) within the cell, whereas oligomycin alone delayed the MeHg-induced influx of extracellular Ca(2+). In granule cells loaded with rhod-2 acetoxymethylester to measure changes in [Ca(2+)](m), MeHg exposure caused a biphasic increase in fluorescence. The initial increase in fluorescence occurred in the absence of extracellular Ca(2+) and was abolished by mitochondrial depolarization. The secondary increase was associated with spreading of the dye from punctate staining to whole-cell distribution, and was delayed significantly by the MTP inhibitor cyclosporin A and the smooth endoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+) ATPase inhibitor thapsigargin. We conclude that MeHg causes release of Ca(2+) from the mitochondria through opening of the MTP, which contributes the bulk of the elevated [Ca(2+)](i) observed during MeHg neurotoxicity. Additionally, the Ca(2+) that enters the mitochondria seems to originate in the smooth endoplasmic reticulum, providing a mechanism for the observed mitochondrial Ca(2+) overload.

Development of a high throughput screening assay for mitochondrial membrane potential in living cells

The mitochondrion plays a pivotal role in energy metabolism in eukaryotic cells. The electrochemical potential across the mitochondrial inner membrane is regulated to cope with cellular energy needs and thus reflects the bioenergetic state of the cell. Traditional assays for mitochondrial membrane potential are not amenable to high-throughput drug screening. In this paper, I describe a high-throughput assay that measures the mitochondrial membrane potential of living cells in 96- or 384-well plates. Cells were first treated with test compounds and then with a fluorescent potentiometric probe, the cationic-lipophilic dye tetramethylrhodamine methyl ester (TMRM). The cells were then washed to remove free compounds and probe. The amount of TMRM retained in the mitochondria, which is proportional to the mitochondrial membrane potential, was measured on an LJL Analyst fluorescence reader. Under optimal conditions, the assay measured only the mitochondrial membrane potential. The chemical uncouplers carbonylcyanide m-chlorophenyl hydrazone and dinitrophenol decreased fluorescence intensity, with IC(50) values (concentration at 50% inhibition) similar to those reported in the literature. A Z' factor of greater than 0.5 suggests that this cell-based assay can be adapted for high-throughput screening of chemical libraries. This assay may be used in screens for drugs to treat metabolic disorders such as obesity and diabetes, as well as cancer and neurodegenerative diseases.

Changes in mitochondrial Ca2+ detected with Rhod-2 in single frog and mouse skeletal muscle fibres during and after repeated tetanic contractions

The present study investigated mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake and release in intact living skeletal muscle fibres subjected to bouts of repetitive activity. Confocal microscopy was used in conjunction with the Ca2+-sensitive dye Rhod-2 to monitor changes in mitochondrial Ca2+ in single Xenopus or mouse muscle fibres. A marked increase in the mitochondrial Ca2+ occurred in Xenopus fibres after 10 tetani applied at 4 s intervals. The mitochondrial Ca2+ continued to increase with increasing number of tetani. After the end of tetanic stimulation, mitochondrial Ca2+ declined to 50% of the maximal increase within 10 min and thereafter took up to 60 min to return to its original value. Depolarization of the mitochondria with FCCP greatly attenuated the rise in the mitochondrial Ca2+ evoked by repetitive tetanic stimulation. In addition, FCCP slowed the rate of decay of the tetanic Ca2+ transient which in turn led to an elevation of resting cytosolic Ca2+. Accumulation of Ca2+ in the mitochondria was accompanied by a modest mitochondrial depolarization. In contrast to the situation in Xenopus fibres, mitochondria in mouse toe muscle fibres did not show any change in the mitochondrial Ca2+ during repetitive stimulation and FCCP had no effect on the rate of decay of the tetanic Ca2+ transient. It is concluded that in Xenopus fibres, mitochondria play a role in the regulation of cytosolic Ca2+ and contribute to the relaxation of tetanic Ca2+ transients. In contrast to their important role in Xenopus fibres, mitochondria in mouse fast-twitch skeletal fibres play little role in Ca2+ homeostasis.