Brain damage after insult and cognitive decline are related to excitotoxicity and strongly influenced by aging, yet mechanisms of aging‐dependent susceptibility to excitotoxicity are poorly known. Several non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may prevent excitotoxicity and cognitive decline in the elderly by an unknown mechanism. Interestingly, after several weeks in vitro, hippocampal neurons display important hallmarks of neuronal aging in vivo. Accordingly, rat hippocampal neurons cultured for several weeks were used to investigate mechanisms of aging‐related susceptibility to excitotoxicity and neuroprotection by NSAIDs. We found that NMDA increased cytosolic Ca2+ concentration in young, mature and aged neurons but only promoted apoptosis in aged neurons. Resting Ca2+ levels and responses to NMDA increased with time in culture which correlated with changes in expression of NMDA receptor subunits. In addition, NMDA promoted mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake only in aged cultures. Consistently, specific inhibition of mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake decreased apoptosis. Finally, we found that a series of NSAIDs depolarized mitochondria and inhibited mitochondrial Ca2+ overload, thus preventing NMDA‐induced apoptosis in aged cultures. We conclude that mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake is critical for age‐related susceptibility to excitotoxicity and neuroprotection by NSAIDs.
The excitotoxicity of glutamate is believed to be mediated by sustained increase in the cytosolic Ca2+ concentration. Mitochondria play a vital role in buffering the cytosolic calcium overload in stimulated neurons. Here we have studied the glutamate induced Ca2+ signals in cortical brain slices under physiological conditions and the conditions that modify the mitochondrial functions. Exposure of slices to glutamate caused a rapid increase in [Ca2+]i followed by a slow and persistently rising phase. The rapid increase in [Ca2+]i was mainly due to influx of Ca2+ through the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor channels. Glutamate stimulation in the absence of Ca2+ in the extracellular medium elicited a small transient rise in [Ca2+]i which can be attributed to the mobilization of Ca2+ from IP3 sensitive endoplasmic reticulum pools consequent to activation of metabotropic glutamate receptors. The glutamate induced Ca2+ influx was accompanied by depolarization of the mitochondrial membrane, which was inhibited by ruthenium red, the blocker of mitochondrial Ca2+ uniporter. These results imply that mitochondria sequester the Ca2+ loaded into the cytosol by glutamate stimulation. Persistent depolarization of mitochondrial membrane observed in presence of extracellular Ca2+ caused permeability transition and released the sequestered Ca2+ which is manifested as slow rise in [Ca2+]i. Protonophore carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenyl-hydrazone (CCCP) depolarized the mitochondrial membrane and enhanced the glutamate induced [Ca2+]i response. Contrary to this, treatment of slices with mitochondrial inhibitor oligomycin or ruthenium red markedly reduced the [Ca2+]i response. Combined treatment with oligomycin and rotenone further diminished the [Ca2+]i response and also abolished the CCCP mediated rise in [Ca2+]i. However, rotenone alone had no effect on glutamate induced [Ca2+]i response. These changes in glutamate-induced [Ca2+]i response could not be explained on the basis of deficient mitochondrial Ca2+ sequestration or ATP dependent Ca2+ buffering. The mitochondrial inhibitors reduced the cellular ATP/ADP ratio, however, this would have restrained the ATP dependent Ca2+ buffering processes leading to elevation of [Ca2+]i. In contrast our results showed repression of Ca2+ signal except in case of CCCP which drastically reduced the ATP/ADP ratio. It was inferred that, under the conditions that hamper the Ca2+ sequestering ability of mitochondria, the glutamate induced Ca2+ influx could be impeded. To validate this, influx of Mn2+ through ionotropic glutamate receptor channel was monitored by measuring the quenching of Fura-2 fluorescence. Treatment of slices with oligomycin and rotenone prior to glutamate exposure conspicuously reduced the rate of glutamate induced fluorescence quenching as compared to untreated slices. Thus our data establish that the functional status of mitochondria can modify the activity of ionotropic glutamate receptor and suggest that blockade of mitochondrial Ca2+ sequestration may desensitize the NMDA receptor operated channel. 相似文献
Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses (NCLs) are a group of genetic childhood-onset progressive brain diseases characterized by a decline in mental and motor capacities, epilepsy, visual loss and premature death. Using patch clamp, fluorescence imaging and caged Ca2+ photolysis, we evaluated the mechanisms of neuronal Ca2+ clearance in Cln8mnd mice, a model of the human NCL caused by mutations in the CLN8 gene. In Cln8mnd hippocampal slices, Ca2+ clearance efficiency in interneurons and, to some extent, principal neurons declined with age. In cultured Cln8mnd hippocampal neurons, clearance of large Ca2+ loads was inefficient due to impaired mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake. In contrast, neither Ca2+ uptake by sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ ATPase, nor Ca2+ extrusion through plasma membrane was affected by the Cln8 mutation. Excitotoxic glutamate challenge caused Ca2+ deregulation more readily in Cln8mnd than in wt neurons. We propose that neurodegeneration in human CLN8 disorders is primarily caused by reduced mitochondrial Ca2+ buffering capacity. 相似文献
Mitochondrial Ca2+ plays a critical physiological role in cellular energy metabolism and signaling, and its overload contributes to various pathological conditions including neuronal apoptotic death in neurological diseases. Live cell mitochondrial Ca2+ imaging is an important approach to understand mitochondrial Ca2+ dynamics. Recently developed GCaMP genetically-encoded Ca2+ indicators provide unique opportunity for high sensitivity/resolution and cell type-specific mitochondrial Ca2+ imaging. In the current study, we implemented cell-specific mitochondrial targeting of GCaMP5G/6s (mito-GCaMP5G/6s) and used two-photon microscopy to image astrocytic and neuronal mitochondrial Ca2+ dynamics in culture, revealing Ca2+ uptake mechanism by these organelles in response to cell stimulation. Using these mitochondrial Ca2+ indicators, our results show that mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake in individual mitochondria in cultured astrocytes and neurons can be seen after stimulations by ATP and glutamate, respectively. We further studied the dependence of mitochondrial Ca2+ dynamics on cytosolic Ca2+ changes following ATP stimulation in cultured astrocytes by simultaneously imaging mitochondrial and cytosolic Ca2+ increase using mito-GCaMP5G and a synthetic organic Ca2+ indicator, x-Rhod-1, respectively. Combined with molecular intervention in Ca2+ signaling pathway, our results demonstrated that the mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake is tightly coupled with inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor-mediated Ca2+ release from the endoplasmic reticulum and the activation of G protein-coupled receptors. The current study provides a novel approach to image mitochondrial Ca2+ dynamics as well as Ca2+ interplay between the endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria, which is relevant for neuronal and astrocytic functions in health and disease. 相似文献
We here present a novel method, based on the targeting of the photoprotein aequorin, for measuring the concentration of Ca2+ ions in defined cellular compartments of intact cells. In this contribution we will discuss the application to mitochondria. A chimaeric cDNA was constructed by fusing in frame the aequorin cDNA with that for a mitochondrial protein. The cDNA encoded a “mitochondrially-targeted” aequorin, composed of a typical mitochondrial targeting signal at the N-terminus and the photoprotein at the C-terminus. The cDNA, inserted in the expression vector pMT2, was co-transfected into bovine endothelial and HeLa cells together with the selectable plasmid pSV2-neo and stable transfectants, selected for high aequorin production, were analyzed. In subcellular fractionations, aequorin was shown to be localized in mitochondria; in intact cells, the first direct measurement of mitochondrial free Ca2+, [Ca2+]m, were obtained, which showed that [Ca2+]m is low at rest (<0.5 μM), but rapidly increases to the micromolar range upon cell stimulation [1]. These data indicate that mitochondria “sense” very accurately the cytosolic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i), and after cell stimulation [Ca2+]m rises to values capable of activating the Ca2+-sensitive mitochondrial dehydrogenases. 相似文献
The rise in intracellular Ca2+ mediated by AMPA subtype of glutamate receptors has been implicated in the pathogenesis of motor neuron disease, but the exact route of Ca2+ entry into motor neurons is not clearly known. In the present study, we examined the role of voltage gated calcium channels (VGCCs) in AMPA induced Ca2+ influx and subsequent intracellular signaling events responsible for motor neuron degeneration. AMPA stimulation caused sodium influx in spinal neurons that would depolarize the plasma membrane. The AMPA induced [Ca2+]i rise in motor neurons as well as other spinal neurons was drastically reduced when extracellular sodium was replaced with NMDG, suggesting the involvement of voltage gated calcium channels. AMPA mediated rise in [Ca2+]i was significantly inhibited by L-type VGCC blocker nifedipine, whereas ω-agatoxin-IVA and ω-conotoxin-GVIA, specific blockers of P/Q type and N-type VGCC were not effective. 1-Napthyl-acetyl spermine (NAS), an antagonist of Ca2+ permeable AMPA receptors partially inhibited the AMPA induced [Ca2+]i rise but selectively in motor neurons. Measurement of AMPA induced currents in whole cell voltage clamp mode suggests that a moderate amount of Ca2+ influx occurs through Ca2+ permeable AMPA receptors in a subpopulation of motor neurons. The AMPA induced mitochondrial calcium loading [Ca2+]m, mitochondrial depolarization and neurotoxicity were also significantly reduced in presence of nifedipine. Activation of VGCCs by depolarizing concentration of KCl (30 mM) in extracellular medium increased the [Ca2+]i but no change was observed in mitochondrial Ca2+ and membrane potential. Our results demonstrate that a subpopulation of motor neurons express Ca2+ permeable AMPA receptors, however the larger part of Ca2+ influx occurs through L-type VGCCs subsequent to AMPA receptor activation and consequent mitochondrial dysfunction is the trigger for motor neuron degeneration. Nifedipine is an effective protective agent against AMPA induced mitochondrial stress and degeneration of motor neurons. 相似文献
The Ca2+-activated photoprotein aequorin has been incorporated into intact, isolated rat pancreatic acini by a hypotonic swelling method. The isolated acini retained normal secretory responses after loading with aequorin. Increases in cytosolic Ca2+ concentration in response to a physiological secretagogue, carbamylcholine, and to divalent-cation ionophore A23187 have been demonstrated. Simultaneous measurement of the dynamics of enzyme secretion and changes in cytosolic Ca2+ concentration has been achieved using a newly developed apparatus. 相似文献
The central role of Ca2+ signalling in plants is now well established. Much of our recent research has been based on the premise that the direct demonstration of signal-response coupling via Ca2+ requires the imaging or measurement of cytosolic free Ca2+ in living cells. Methods (confocal microscopy, fluorescence ratio imaging and photon counting imaging) which we use for imaging Ca2+ with fluorescent dyes or recombinant aequorin, are described. Approaches for using dyes are now routine for many plant cells. However, the imaging Ca2+ in whole tissues of plants genetically transformed with the aequorin gene is a very new development. We predict that this method, first employed in our laboratory, will bring about a revolution in our understanding of Ca2+ signalling at the multicellular level. 相似文献
In addition to being the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the mammalian brain, glutamate is believed to play a key role in the regulation of neurite outgrowth and snaptogenesis during development. In cultured embryonic hippocampal pyramidal neurons, glutamate inhibits dendrite outgrowth by a mechanism involving elevation of intracellular-free calcium levels ([Ca2+]i). In the present study, secreted forms of the β-amyloid precursor protein (APPss) counteracted the inhibitory effect of glutamate on dendrite outgrowth in cultured embryonic hippocampal neurons. The prolonged elevation of [Ca2+]i normally induced by glutamate was significantly attenuated in neurons that had been pretreated with 2–10 nM of APPs695 or APPs751. Immunocytochemistry with β-amyloid precursor protein antibodies showed that immunoreactivity was concentrated in axons and, particularly, in their growth cones. Because β-amyloid precursor proteins are axonally transported, and APPss can be released from axon terminals/growth cones in response to electrical activity, the present findings suggest that APPss may play a role in developmental and synaptic plasticity by modulating dentritic responses to glutamate. 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 相似文献
The Ca2+-sensitive photoprotein aequorin was injected into single frog skeletal muscle fibers, and the intracellular aequorin light intensity during muscle activation with different maneuvers was mapped with digital imaging microscopy. During 50 Hz electrical activation (tetanus), the aequorin light intensity from different locations in the muscle fiber rose with very similar time course. Caffeine (10 mM) application, on the other hand, caused aequorin light signals to show significantly different time courses, with an earlier increase in Ca2+ concentration near the surface of the fiber than near the core. The non-uniform rise of intracellular Ca2+ concentration with caffeine treatment is consistent with the slow inward diffusion of caffeine and subsequent Ca2+ release from sarcoplasmic reticulum. 相似文献
We have recently developed a new method for monitoring Ca2+ concentrations in defined cell compartments. The cDNA encoding the Ca2+-sensitive photoprotein aequorin has been modified in order to include specific targeting sequences and expressed in eukaryotic cells; the recombinant protein, specifically located inside the cells, has allowed the direct study of mitochondrial and nuclear Ca2+ concentrations in living cells. The principles, and the application, of this new methodology are discussed in this article. 相似文献
Activity-dependent increase in cytosolic calcium ([Ca2+]i) is a prerequisite for many neuronal functions. We previously reported a strong direct depolarization, independent of glutamate receptors, effectively caused a release of Ca2+ from ryanodine-sensitive stores and induced the synthesis of endogenous cannabinoids (eCBs) and eCB-mediated responses. However, the cellular mechanism that initiated the depolarization-induced Ca2+-release is not completely understood. In the present study, we optically recorded [Ca2+]i from CA1 pyramidal neurons in the hippocampal slice and directly monitored miniature Ca2+ activities and depolarization-induced Ca2+ signals in order to determine the source(s) and properties of [Ca2+]i-dynamics that could lead to a release of Ca2+ from the ryanodine receptor. In the absence of depolarizing stimuli, spontaneously occurring miniature Ca2+ events were detected from a group of hippocampal neurons. This miniature Ca2+ event persisted in the nominal Ca2+-containing artificial cerebrospinal fluid (ACSF), and increased in frequency in response to the bath-application of caffeine and KCl. In contrast, nimodipine, the antagonist of the L-type Ca2+ channel (LTCC), a high concentration of ryanodine, the antagonist of the ryanodine receptor (RyR), and thapsigargin (TG) reduced the occurrence of the miniature Ca2+ events. When a brief puff-application of KCl was given locally to the soma of individual neurons in the presence of glutamate receptor antagonists, these neurons generated a transient increase in the [Ca2+]i in the dendrosomal region. This [Ca2+]i-transient was sensitive to nimodipine, TG, and ryanodine suggesting that the [Ca2+]i-transient was caused primarily by the LTCC-mediated Ca2+-influx and a release of Ca2+ from RyR. We observed little contribution from N- or P/Q-type Ca2+ channels. The coupling between LTCC and RyR was direct and independent of synaptic activities. Immunohistochemical study revealed a cellular localization of LTCC and RyR in a juxtaposed configuration in the proximal dendrites and soma. We conclude in the hippocampal CA1 neuron that: (1) homeostatic fluctuation of the resting membrane potential may be sufficient to initiate functional coupling between LTCC and RyR; (2) the juxtaposed localization of LTCC and RyR has anatomical advantage of synchronizing a Ca2+-release from RyR upon the opening of LTCC; and (3) the synchronized Ca2+-release from RyR occurs immediately after the activation of LTCC and determines the peak amplitude of depolarization-induced global increase in dendrosomal [Ca2+]i. 相似文献
The hippocampal formation contains a variety of neuronal types. The principal neurons are granule cells in the dentate gyrus and pyramidal cells in Ammon's horn. These two neuron types show distinct cell morphology and display a different vulnerability to ischemic injury or various neurotoxins. In order to illustrate the difference in the pathophysiological properties of these neurons, we established a method for separately culturing granule cells and pyramidal cells. They were prepared from the dentate gyrus and Ammon's horn of 3-day-old Wistar rat pups and maintained for 7–9 days in culture. After transient exposure to N-methyl-D-aspartate or glutamate, both the cultured neuron populations displayed somatic Ca2+ transients with similar amplitudes, but the subsequent recovery to baseline was about twice as fast in granule cells than in pyramidal cells. Similar results were obtained for K+ depolarization-induced Ca2+ elevation, suggesting that the relatively rapid Ca2+ clearance in granule cells is independent of Ca2+ influx pathways. The present study provides the first evidence for a difference in Ca2+ dynamics and homeostasis between granule and pyramidal cells and may represent a cellular basis for the differential vulnerability of hippocampal neurons. 相似文献
Accumulation of glutamate in ischaemic CNS is thought to amplify neuronal death during a stroke. Exposure of neurons to toxic glutamate concentrations causes an initial transient increase in [Ca2+]c followed by a delayed increase commonly termed delayed [Ca2+]c deregulation (DCD).
Methods
We have used fluorescence imaging techniques to explore differences in glutamate-induced DCD in rat hippocampal neurons after different periods of time in culture (days in vitro; DIV).
Results
The amplitude of both the initial [Ca2+]c signal and the number of cells showing DCD in response to glutamate increased with the duration of culture. The capacity of mitochondria to accumulate calcium in permeabilised neurons decreased with time in culture, although mitochondrial membrane potential at rest did not change. The rate of ATP consumption, measured as an increase in [Mg2+]c following inhibition of ATP synthesis, was lower in ‘young’ neurons. The sensitivity of ‘young’ neurons to glutamate-induced DCD approximated to that of ‘old’ neurons when mitochondrial function was impaired using either FCCP or oligomycin. Further, following such treatment, cells showed a DCD-like response to increased [Ca2+]c induced by KCl induced depolarisation which was never otherwise seen.
General significance
Thus, changes in cellular bioenergetics dictate the onset of DCD in response to glutamate. 相似文献
Autonomous tonic firing of the midbrain dopamine neuron is essential for maintenance of ambient dopamine level in the brain, in which intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]c) plays a complex but pivotal role. However, little is known about Ca2+ signals by which dopamine neurons maintain an optimum spontaneous firing rate. In the midbrain dopamine neurons, we here show that spontaneous firing evoked [Ca2+]c changes in a phasic manner in the dendritic region but a tonic manner in the soma. Tonic levels of somatic [Ca2+]c strictly tallied with spontaneous firing rates. However, manipulatory raising or lowering of [Ca2+]c with caged compounds from the resting firing state proportionally suppressed or raised spontaneous firing rate, respectively, suggesting presence of the homeostatic regulation mechanism for spontaneous firing rate via tonic [Ca2+]c changes of the soma. More importantly, abolition of this homeostatic regulation mechanism significantly exaggerated the responses of tonic firings and high-frequency phasic discharges to glutamate. Therefore, we conclude that this Ca2+-dependent homeostatic regulation mechanism is responsible for not only maintaining optimum rate of spontaneous firing, but also proper responses to glutamate. Perturbation of this mechanism could cause dopamine neurons to be more vulnerable to glutamate and Ca2+ toxicities. 相似文献