共查询到20条相似文献,搜索用时 15 毫秒
1.
Nedvetsky PI Konev SV Rakovich AA Petrenko SV Mongin AA 《Biochemistry. Biokhimii?a》2000,65(9):1027-1035
Nitric oxide (NO) modulates processes of synaptic transmission at pre- and postsynaptic levels. In the present work we studied the mechanisms of action of NO on [gamma-14C]amino-n-butyric acid ([14C]GABA) release in rat cortical synaptosomes. NO donors--S-nitroso-L-cysteine and hydroxylamine (but not sodium nitroprusside)--inhibited the neurotransmitter efflux in a concentration range from 10 microM to 1 mM. Nitrosocysteine completely and selectively suppressed the Ca2+-dependent (vesicular) [14C]GABA release, while not affecting the Ca2+-independent component of the [14C]GABA transport. The influence of NO donors was not related to activation of guanylyl cyclase, since the membrane-permeable cGMP analog dibutyryl-cGMP did not mimic and the guanylyl cyclase inhibitor methylene blue did not change the NO effects. In contrast, the membrane-permeable SH-reagent N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) resembled the effects of NO donors on the Ca2+-dependent [14C]GABA release. The degree of inhibition of the release by nitrosocysteine, hydroxylamine, and NEM correlated with their ability to oxidize intra-synaptosomal SH-groups. These data suggest that synaptosomal sulfhydryl groups are the target for NO action at the presynaptic level. The NO-induced oxidation of thiols may be involved in physiological and, especially, pathological effects of nitric oxide in the central nervous system. 相似文献
2.
The [14C]GABA uptake by slices (0.3 mm thick) of Wistar rat brain cortex was studied for its dependence on the GABA concentration in the medium, time of incubation and the presence of Ca2+. This process is characterized by the absence of saturation; the uptake by slices increases sharply when the concentration of exogenous [14C]GABA reaches 200 microM. Bicucullin (10(-4) M), an antagonist of GABA, inhibits the accumulation of GABA in the concentration of 0.2 microM by 60%, that evidences for a considerable contribution of the receptor binding to this process. The [14C]GABA uptake when Ca2+ is absent in the incubation medium and when its concentration is 10(-3) M is practically the same and comparatively low concentrations of Ca2+ (10(-6)-10(-4] decrease the GABA uptake. 相似文献
3.
Luigi Sforna Fabio Franciolini Luigi Catacuzzeno 《Journal of cellular physiology》2019,234(7):10977-10989
Besides the nerve endings, the soma of trigeminal neurons also respond to membrane depolarizations with the release of neurotransmitters and neuromodulators in the extracellular space within the ganglion, a process potentially important for the cross-communication between neighboring sensory neurons. In this study, we addressed the dependence of somatic release on Ca2+ influx in trigeminal neurons and the involvement of the different types of voltage-gated Ca2+ (Cav) channels in the process. Similar to the closely related dorsal root ganglion neurons, we found two kinetically distinct components of somatic release, a faster component stimulated by voltage but independent of the Ca2+ influx, and a slower component triggered by Ca2+ influx. The Ca2+-dependent component was inhibited 80% by ω-conotoxin-MVIIC, an inhibitor of both N- and P/Q-type Cav channels, and 55% by the P/Q-type selective inhibitor ω-agatoxin-IVA. The selective L-type Ca2+ channel inhibitor nimodipine was instead without effect. These results suggest a major involvement of N- and P/Q-, but not L-type Cav channels in the somatic release of trigeminal neurons. Thus antinociceptive Cav channel antagonists acting on the N- and P/Q-type channels may exert their function by also modulating the somatic release and cross-communication between sensory neurons. 相似文献
4.
Synaptosomes from the rat brain were used to study the influence of protein kinase inhibitors on the plasma membrane calcium
permeability and calcium-dependent α-latrotoxin (LTX)-induced [14C] GABA release. It was shown that stimulated by depolarization with 4-aminopyridine (4-AP) calcium permeability was inhibited
by sphingosine. Calcium permeability evoked by LTX was insensitive to either of following agents; sphingosine, staurosporine,
and W-7. Unlike pronounced inhibitory effects of sphingosine, staurosporine, or W-7 on 4-AP-evoked [15C] GABA release, a calcium-dependent secretagogue effect of LTX was not changed by these agents. The mechanism of clacium-dependent
LTX-evoked secretagogue effect is discussed. 相似文献
5.
Phenylarsine oxide inhibits alpha-latrotoxin-stimulated [3H]GABA release from rat brain synaptosomes
Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-biphosphate has been implicated in a variety of membrane-trafficking processes, including exocytosis of neurotransmitters. However, there are contradictory findings concerned ability of phenylarsine oxide (PAO), an inhibitor of phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase, to affect exocytotic release of different types of neurotransmitters. We bent our efforts to a detailed analysis of action of PAO on Ca(2+)-dependent and Ca(2+)-independent [3H]GABA release produced by exposure of rat brain synaptosomes to different concentrations of alpha-latrotoxin. We also compared PAO action on alpha-latrotoxin- and 4-aminopyridine (4-AP)-evoked [3H]GABA release. The experiments have shown that release of [3H]GABA evoked by the depolarization with 4-AP was decreased by 80% as a result of action of 3 microM PAO and the complete inhibition of release was observed with 10 microM PAO. When alpha-latrotoxin as a stimulant was applied, release of [3H]GABA was increased as toxin concentration used was elevated from 0.5 to 3.0 nM, however, concomitantly, the response of the toxin-induced [3H]GABA release to PAO became attenuated: 10 microM PAO led to almost complete inhibition of the effect of 0.5 nM alpha-latrotoxin and only partly decreased (by 40%) the response to 3.0 nM alpha-latrotoxin. To test whether the efficacy of PAO depended on the toxin-induced outflow of cytosolic [3H]GABA, synaptosomes with depleted cytosolic [3H]GABA pool were also exploited. Depletion was performed by means of heteroexchange of cytosolic [3H]GABA with nipecotic acid. The experiments have shown that treatment of loaded synaptosomes with nipecotic acid resulted in some increase of [3H]GABA release evoked by 0.5 nM alpha-latrotoxin, but in the two-fold decrease of the response to 3.0 nM alpha-latrotoxin. PAO essentially inhibited [3H]GABA release from depleted synaptosomes irrespective of alpha-latrotoxin concentration used. Therefore, the amount of [3H]GABA released from cytosolic pool determined, in considerable degree, the insensitivity of alpha-latrotoxin action to PAO. Thus, our data show that subnanomolar concentrations of alpha-latrotoxin may be used for stimulation of exocytotic release of [3H]GABA. Exposure of synaptosomes with nanomolar toxin concentrations leads not only to stimulation of exocytosis, but also to leakage of [3H]GABA from cytosolic pool. PAO potently inhibits exocytotic release of [3H]GABA and its inhibitory effectiveness is diminished as far as the outflow of [3H]GABA is elevated. 相似文献
6.
We studied the release of [3H]d-aspartate evoked by glutamate receptor agonists from monolayer cultures of chick retina cells, and found that activation
of the glutamate receptors can evoke both Ca2+-dependent and Ca2+-independent release of [3H]d-aspartate. In Ca2+-free (no added Ca2+) Na+ medium, the agonists of the glutamate receptors induced the release of [3H]d-aspartate with the following rank order of potency: kainate>α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA)∼N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA). In media containing 1 mM CaCl2 the release of [3H]d-aspartate evoked by NMDA, kainate and AMPA was increased by about 112%, 20% and 39%, respectively, as compared to the release
evoked by the same agonists in Ca2+-free medium. NMDA was the most potent agonist in stimulating the Ca2+-dependent release of [3H]d-aspartate, possibly by exocytosis, and AMPA was as potent as kainate. The Ca2+-dependent release of [3H]d-aspartate evoked by kainate was dependent on the influx of Ca2+ through the receptor associated channel, as well as through the N- (ω-Conotoxin GVIA-sensitive) and L- (nitrendipine-sensitive)type
voltage-sensitive Ca2+ channels (VSCC). The exocytotic release of [3H]d-aspartate evoked by AMPA relied exclusively on Ca2+ entry through the L-type VSCC, whereas the effect of NMDA was partially mediated by the influx of Ca2+ through the receptor-associated channel, but not through L- or N-type VSCC. Thus, activation of these different glutamate
receptors under physiological conditions is expected to cause the release of cytosolic and vesicular glutamate, and the routes
of Ca2+ entry modulating vesicular release may be selectively recruited. 相似文献
7.
Phalloidin tightly binds to actin and converts soluble actin into depolymerization-resistant actin filaments. Phalloidin promotes the potassium-dependent, calcium-independent efflux of γ-amino butyric acid and nore-pinephrine from synaptosomes but inhibits the potassium-facilitated, calcium-dependent release of these neurotransmitters. This suggests that an actomyosin system is involved in synaptic transmission. 相似文献
8.
C. M. Carvalho C. Bandeira-Duarte I. L. Ferreira A. P. Carvalho 《Neurochemical research》1991,16(7):763-772
In this study we investigated the role of external monovalent cations, and of intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) in polarized and depolarized rat cerebral cortex synaptosomes on the release of [3H]--aminobutyric acid (3H-GABA). We found that potassium-depolarization, in the absence of Ca2+, of synaptosomes loaded with3H-GABA releases 7.4±2.1% of the accumulated neurotransmitter, provided that the external medium contains Na+, and an additional 19.0±2.5% is released upon adding 1.0 mM CaCl2 to the exterior. The Ca2+-independent release component does not occur in a choline medium and it is only 3.4±0.8% of the3H-GABA accumulated in a Li+ medium, but both ions support the Ca2+-dependent release of3H-GABA (13.4±0.6% in choline and 15.4±1.5% in Li+), which suggests that the exocytotic release is independent of the external monovalent cation present, whereas the carrier-mediated release specifically requires Na+ outside. Furthermore, previous release of the cytosolic3H-GABA due to predepolarization in the absence of Ca2+ does not influence the amount of3H-GABA subsequently released by exocytosis due to Ca2+ addition (19.1±2.5% or 19.1±1.1%, respectively). In choline or Li+ medium, the value of the [Ca2+]i is raised by Na+/Ca2+ exchange to 663±75 nM or 782±54 nM, respectively, within three minutes after adding 1.0 mM Ca2+, in the absence of depolarization, and parallel release experiments show no release of3H-GABA in the choline medium, but a substantial release (7.1±2.1%) of3H-GABA occurs in the Li+ medium without depolarization. Subsequent K+-depolarization shows normal Ca2+-dependent release of3H-GABA in the choline medium (14.1±2.0%) but only 8.6±1.1% release in the Li+ medium, which suggests that raising the [Ca2+]i by Na+/Ca2+ exchange, without depolarization, supports some exocytotic release in Li+, but not in choline media. The role of [Ca2+]i and of membrane depolarization in the release process is discussed on the basis of the results obtained and other relevant observations which suggest that both Ca2+ and depolarization are essential for optimal exocytotic release of GABA.Special issue dedicated to Dr. Santiago Grisolia. 相似文献
9.
Ca2+-dependent and Ca2+-independent pathways for release of arachidonic acid from phosphatidylinositol in endothelial cells 总被引:6,自引:0,他引:6
The pathways for degradation of phosphatidylinositol (PI) were investigated in sonicated suspensions prepared from confluent cultures of bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cells. The time courses of formation of 3H-labeled and 14C-labeled metabolites of phosphatidyl-[3H]inositol ([3H]Ins-PI) and 1-stearoyl-2-[14C] arachidonoyl-PI were determined at 37 degrees C and pH 7.5 in the presence of 2 mM EDTA with or without a 2 mM excess of Ca2+. The rates of formation of lysophosphatidyl-[3H]inositol ([3H]Ins-lyso-PI) and 1-lyso-2-[14C] arachidonoyl-PI were similar in the presence and absence of Ca2+, and the absolute amounts of the two radiolabeled lyso-PI products formed were nearly identical. This indicated that lyso-PI was formed by phospholipase A1, and phospholipase A2 was not measurable. In the presence of EDTA, [14C]arachidonic acid release from 1-stearoyl-2-[14C]arachidonoyl-PI paralleled release of glycerophospho-[3H]inositol ([3H]GPI) from [3H]Ins-PI. Formation of [3H]GPI was inhibited by treatment with the specific sulfhydryl reagent, 2,2'-dithiodipyridine, and this was accompanied by an increase in [3H]Ins-lyso-PI. In the presence of Ca2+, [14C] arachidonic acid release from 1-stearoyl-2-[14C]arachidonoyl-PI was increased 2-fold and was associated with Ca2+-dependent phospholipase C activity. Under these conditions, [3H]inositol monophosphate production exceeded formation of [14C]arachidonic acid-labeled phospholipase C products, diacylglycerol plus monoacylglycerol, by an amount that was equal to the amount of [14C]arachidonic acid formed in excess of [3H]GPI. Low concentrations of phenylmethanesulfonyl fluoride (15-125 microM) inhibited Ca2+-dependent [14C]arachidonic acid release, and the decrease in [14C] arachidonic acid formed was matched by an equivalent increase in 14C label in diacylglycerol plus monoacyclglycerol. These data supported the existence of two pathways for arachidonic acid release from PI in endothelial cells; a phospholipase A1-lysophospholipase pathway that was Ca2+-independent and a phospholipase C-diacylglycerol lipase pathway that was Ca2+-dependent. The mean percentage of arachidonic acid released from PI via the phospholipase C-diacylglycerol lipase pathway in the presence of Ca2+ was 65 +/- 8%. The mean percentage of nonpolar phospholipase C products of PI metabolized via the diacylglycerol lipase pathway to free arachidonic acid was 28 +/- 3%. 相似文献
10.
11.
朱丹 《现代生物医学进展》2008,8(3):548-550
Ca2 是促发囊泡胞吐的关键调节因子.最近的研究表明,分泌囊泡和通道之间的空间距离调节囊泡分泌的过程和性质.Ca2 通道开口附近形成的Ca2 微区和Ca2 钠区和囊泡快速递质释放有非常紧密的联系.SNARE蛋白和钙离子传感器synaptotagmins等在触发分泌中起调控作用.同时另有一类不依赖于Ca2 的囊泡分泌存在.Latrotoxin和mastoparan等可以激活这一类不依赖于Ca2 的信号通路,从而触发囊泡释放.本文主要从ca2 对囊泡胞吐的调控作用着手,综述了Ca2 依赖和Ca2 不依赖的囊泡分泌过程和可能的调控机制. 相似文献
12.
Summary Superfusion of synaptosomes prepared from rat olfactory bulb revealed constant basal release of endogenous taurine (Tau), aspartate (Asp), glutamate (Glu) and-aminobutyrate (GABA): their release rates were 110.4 ± 13.0, 30.3 ± 6.7, 93.7 ± 13.1, and 53.3 ± 8.8 pmol/min/mg protein, respectively. The depolarizing-stimulation with 30mM KCl evoked 1.17-, 2.18-, 2.55- and 1.53-fold increases, respectively. Tau release was calcium-independent. However, the perfusion of synaptosomes with Tau (10µM) inhibited the evoked increase in GABA release by 63% without changing basal release, although it did not affect release of Asp and Glu. Phaclofen (10µM, a GABAB receptor antagonist), but not bicuculline (10µM, a GABAA receptor antagonist), counteracted the Tau-induced reduction in GABA release. These data suggest that Tau may be abundantly released from nerve endings of rat olfactory bulb and that it may regulate GABA release through the activation of presynaptic GABAB autoreceptors. 相似文献
13.
The mechanisms of oxygen sensing in vascular smooth muscle have been studied extensively in a variety of tissue types and the results of these studies indicate that the mechanism of hypoxia-induced vasodilation probably involves several mechanisms that combined to assure the appropriate response. After a short discussion of the regulatory mechanisms for smooth muscle contractility, we present the evidence indicating that hypoxic vasorelaxation involves both Ca2+-dependent and Ca2+-independent mechanisms. More recent experiments using proteomic approaches in organ cultures of porcine coronary artery reveal important changes evoked by hypoxia in both Ca2+-dependent and Ca2+-independent pathways. 相似文献
14.
The activation of the Ca2+-independent (basal) ATPase from rat skeletal muscle microsomes is demonstrated in the presence of enough Ca2+ to provide the simultaneous activation of the (Ca2+ + Mg2+)-ATPase. It was achieved taking advantage of the delayed inorganic phosphate (Pi) release due to the formation of a phosphoenzyme complex during the Ca2+-dependent enzymatic cycle, which is evidenced in fast experiments. The microsomes were immobilized on a filter and perfused at constant flow with an incubation medium which was briefly interrupted with a pulse of appropriate reactants to activate the ATPases, at 2 degrees C. Successive samples were collected after passing through the filter, at approx. 0.1 s intervals. The Pi effluent profile coincides with the pattern of the pulse when it activates only the Ca2+-independent ATPase, it appears delayed when the pulse activates only extra Pi production by the (Ca2+ + Mg2+)-ATPase, and it includes a rapid and a delayed component when both Ca2+-independent and Ca2+-dependent ATPases are activated simultaneously by the pulse. 相似文献
15.
Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) was found to release Ca2+ from presynaptic nerve endings (synaptosomes) made permeable with saponin. ATP-dependent Ca2+ uptake was carried out until equilibrium was reached. Addition of IP3 produced a rapid release of Ca2+, which was complete within 60 sec, followed by Ca2+ reaccumulation to the original level in 5–7 min. Cholinergic receptor stimulation with muscarine also produced a similar Ca2+ release from synaptic endoplasmic reticulum. Ca2+ release by IP3 was not detectable in the absence of the mitochondrial inhibitors oligomycin or sodium azide. Reaccumulation of Ca2+ was prevented by the presence of vanadate, a potent inhibitor of Ca2+/Mg2+ ATPase. Half maximal and near complete release of Ca2+ took place at 0.4 M and 3 M IP3 concentrations, respectively. These studies demonstrate for the first time IP3 mobilization of Ca2+ from endoplasmic reticulum within synaptic plasma membranes. 相似文献
16.
The aim of the present study was to determine whether exogenous radioactive GABA and glutamate previously taken up by rat brain synaptosomes are released preferentially with respect to the endogenous unlabeled amino acids. Preferential release was monitored by comparing the specific radioactivity of the amino acids released to that present in synaptosomes at the beginning and at the end of the release period. The GABA released spontaneously or by depolarizing the synaptosomes with high K+ in the presence of Ca2+ had the same specific radio-activity as that present in synaptosomes before or after superfusion. Depolarization with veratridine or superfusion with OH-GABA caused a moderate increase (15–20%) in the specific radioactivity of the GABA released and a corresponding slight decrease in that of superfused synaptosomes. In conditions causing a supraadditive release of exogenous and endogenous GABA (see ref. 13), the specific radioactivity of the GABA released was increased 20–30%. The GABA with higher-than-average specific radioactivity is probably representative of the cytoplasmic pool of this amino acid. The glutamate released spontaneously had a specific radioactivity lower than that present in synaptosomes at the start of superfusion, and also the specific radioactivity in superfused synaptosomes was lower than at the start of superfusion. The glutamate released by aspartate (by heteroexchange), by veratridine, or by high K+ had a specific radioactivity higher than that of the amino acid released spontaneously, similar to that present in synaptosomes at the start of superfusion, and higher than that found in superfused synaptosomes. These findings suggest that exogenous radioactive glutamate is released preferentially with respect to the endogenous amino acid and to the glutamate synthesized from glucose during the superfusion period. 相似文献
17.
Rat brain synaptosomes were used to investigate the effect of okadaic acid, an inhibitor of protein phosphatase 1 and 2A, and cyclosporin A, an inhibitor of protein phosphatase 2B (calcineurin), on [(3)H]GABA release. Release of [(3)H]GABA was evoked by 4-aminopyridine in the presence of calcium and by alpha-latrotoxin in the presence and absence of calcium. Pretreatment of synaptosomes with 1 microM okadaic acid reduced [(3)H]GABA release evoked by 4-aminopyridine by about 40%. The effect of alpha-latrotoxin on [(3)H]GABA release was stimulated by okadaic acid. This stimulation was equal in both media. The stimulating effect of 4-aminopyridine and alpha-latrotoxin on [(3)H]GABA release was activated when synaptosomes were pretreated with cyclosporin A. Activation of 4-aminopyridine-evoked [(3)H]GABA release was observed at 1 microM cyclosporin A, but the toxin effect was enhanced only when concentration of cyclosporin A was increased to 10 microM. The level of cyclosporin A activation depended on alpha-latrotoxin concentrations used - a higher stimulating effect of cyclosporin A was observed with lower toxin concentration. These results suggest that in calcium medium 4-aminopyridine- and alpha-latrotoxin-evoked [(3)H]GABA release was realized by different mechanisms. 相似文献
18.
Braiman Alex; Zagoory Orna; Priel Zvi 《American journal of physiology. Cell physiology》1998,275(3):C790
The intent of this work was to evaluate the role of cAMP inregulation of ciliary activity in frog mucociliary epithelium and toexamine the possibility of cross talk between the cAMP- andCa2+-dependent pathways in thatregulation. Forskolin and dibutyryl cAMP induced strong transientintracellular Ca2+ concentration([Ca2+]i)elevation and strong ciliary beat frequency enhancement with prolongedstabilization at an elevated plateau. The response was not affected byreduction of extracellular Ca2+concentration. The elevation in[Ca2+]iwas canceled by pretreatment with1,2-bis(2-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid-AM, thapsigargin, and a phospholipase C inhibitor, U-73122. Underthose experimental conditions, forskolin raised the beat frequency to amoderately elevated plateau, whereas the initial strong rise infrequency was completely abolished. All effects were canceled by H-89,a selective protein kinase A (PKA) inhibitor. The results suggest adual role for PKA in ciliary regulation. PKA releasesCa2+ from intracellular stores,strongly activating ciliary beating, and, concurrently, producesmoderate prolonged enhancement of the beat frequency by aCa2+-independent mechanism. 相似文献
19.
High affinity Ca2+-stimulated Mg2+-dependent ATPase in rat brain synaptosomes, synaptic membranes, and microsomes 总被引:3,自引:0,他引:3
E K Michaelis M L Michaelis H H Chang T E Kitos 《The Journal of biological chemistry》1983,258(10):6101-6108
High affinity Ca2+-stimulated Mg2+-dependent ATPase activity of nerve ending particles (synaptosomes) from rat brain tissue appears to be associated primarily with isolated synaptic plasma membranes. The synaptic membrane (Ca2+ + Mg2+)-ATPase activity was found to exhibit strict dependence on Mg2+ for the presence of the activity, a high affinity for Ca2+ (K0.5 = 0.23 microM), and relatively high affinities for both Mg2+ and ATP (K0.5 = 6.0 microM for Mg2+ and KM = 18.9 microM for ATP). These kinetic constants were determined in incubation media that were buffered with the divalent cation chelator trans-cyclohexane-1,2-diamine-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid. The enzyme activity was not inhibited by ouabain or oligomycin but was sensitive to low concentrations of vanadate. The microsomal membrane subfraction was the other brain subcellular fraction with a high affinity (Ca2+ + Mg2+)-ATPase activity which approximated that of the synaptic plasma membranes. The two membrane-related high affinity (Ca2+ + Mg2+)-ATPase activities could be distinguished on the basis of their differential sensitivity to vanadate at concentrations below 10 microM. Only the synaptic plasma membrane (Ca2+ + Mg2+)-ATPase was inhibited by 0.25-10 microM vanadate. The studies described here indicate the possible involvement of both the microsomal and the neuronal plasma membrane (Ca2+ + Mg2+)-ATPase in high affinity Ca2+ transport across membranes of brain neurons. In addition, they suggest a means by which the relative contributions of each transport system might be evaluated based on their differential sensitivity to inhibition by vanadate. 相似文献
20.
Cytochrome c release occurs via Ca2+-dependent and Ca2+-independent mechanisms that are regulated by Bax 总被引:8,自引:0,他引:8
Gogvadze V Robertson JD Zhivotovsky B Orrenius S 《The Journal of biological chemistry》2001,276(22):19066-19071
Release of cytochrome c from mitochondria is a key initiative step in the apoptotic process, although the mechanisms regulating this event remain elusive. In the present study, using isolated liver mitochondria, we demonstrate that cytochrome c release occurs via distinct mechanisms that are either Ca(2+)-dependent or Ca(2+)-independent. An increase in mitochondrial matrix Ca(2+) promotes the opening of the permeability transition (PT) pore and the release of cytochrome c, an effect that is significantly enhanced when these organelles are incubated in a reaction buffer that is based on a physiologically relevant concentration of K(+) (150 mm KCl) versus a buffer composed of mannitol/sucrose/Hepes. Moreover, low concentrations of Ca(2+) are sufficient to induce mitochondrial cytochrome c release without measurable manifestations of PT, though inhibitors of PT effectively prevent this release, indicating that the critical threshold for PT varies among mitochondria within a single population of these organelles. In contrast, Ca(2+)-independent cytochrome c release is induced by oligomeric Bax protein and occurs without mitochondrial swelling or the release of matrix proteins, although our data also indicate that Bax enhances permeability transition-induced cytochrome c release. Taken together, our results suggest that the intramitochondrial Ca(2+) concentration, as well as the reaction buffer composition, are key factors in determining the mode and amount of cytochrome c release. Finally, oligomeric Bax appears to be capable of stimulating cytochrome c release via both Ca(2+)-dependent and Ca(2+)-independent mechanisms. 相似文献