Mechanisms and significance of tissue-specific MICU regulation of the mitochondrial calcium uniporter complex

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The real kinetics of the mitochondrial calcium uniporter of the liver and its role in cell calcium regulation

The activity of the calcium uniporter of rat liver mitochondria, allosterically enhanced by a pulse of calcium, decreases with time and in dependence on extramitochondrial Ca2+ concentration. Therefore, the initial velocity of calcium uptake by mitochondria depends on the extramitochondrial Ca2+ concentration prior to uptake. The allosteric activation by calcium and the hysteretic behaviour of the uniporter are the reasons why the course of calcium distribution between mitochondria and extramitochondrial space is determined for many minutes by the initial extramitochondrial Ca2+ concentration. This dependence and also the independence on the intramitochondrial calcium content are shown in an in vitro system, simulating conditions prevailing in vivo during the action of alpha-adrenergic agonists or vasoactive peptides on liver and during the early phase of carbon tetrachloride intoxication.     

Manganese stimulates calcium flux through the mitochondrial uniporter

Mn2+ alters the balance between the simultaneous uptake and release of Ca2+ across the mitochondrial inner membrane toward a lower external level. Addition of as little as 0.5 microM Mn2+ to energised mitochondria from rat liver, rat heart or guinea-pig brain changed the level at which they buffered Ca2+ in the medium. That extramitochondrial Mn2+ was responsible was suggested by a partial decay in the shift in Ca2+ steady state at a rate similar to the rate at which Mn2+ was accumulated by the mitochondria. The alteration of transmembrane Ca2+ distribution by Mn2+ required that both Mg2+ and Pi be present, and was almost maximal at Mg2+ and Pi levels in the physiological range. Substitution of spermine or Ni2+ for Mg2+, or acetate for Pi, abolished the effect. In contrast to Sr2+, Mn2+ did not inhibit either EGTA- or Ruthenium red-induced release of Ca2+ from the mitochondria. However, when flux through the uniporter was rate-limiting, Mn2+ accelerated Ca2+ uptake. The stimulation showed hyperbolic kinetics, with an element of competition discernible in the Mn2+-Mg2+ interaction. Thus, extramitochondrial Mn2+ at levels occurring in vivo can alter the mitochondrial 'set-point' by stimulating Ca2+ influx through the uniporter.     

MICU1 and MICU2 play nonredundant roles in the regulation of the mitochondrial calcium uniporter

The mitochondrial uniporter is a selective Ca²⁺ channel regulated by MICU1, an EF hand‐containing protein in the organelle's intermembrane space. MICU1 physically associates with and is co‐expressed with a paralog, MICU2. To clarify the function of MICU1 and its relationship to MICU2, we used gene knockout (KO) technology. We report that HEK‐293T cells lacking MICU1 or MICU2 lose a normal threshold for Ca²⁺ intake, extending the known gating function of MICU1 to MICU2. Expression of MICU1 or MICU2 mutants lacking functional Ca²⁺‐binding sites leads to a striking loss of Ca²⁺ uptake, suggesting that MICU1/2 disinhibit the channel in response to a threshold rise in [Ca²⁺]. MICU2's activity and physical association with the pore require the presence of MICU1, though the converse is not true. We conclude that MICU1 and MICU2 are nonredundant and together set the [Ca²⁺] threshold for uniporter activity.     

线粒体钙离子单向转运蛋白MCU及调节蛋白MICU1

线粒体钙离子摄入对能量生成、细胞分裂和死亡均具有十分重要的作用,但对该过程的机制却知之甚少。最近研究鉴定出线粒体钙离子单向转运蛋白(MCU,mitochondrial calcium uniporter)和线粒体钙离子摄入蛋白1(MICU1,mitochondrial calcium uptake 1),这两种蛋白都定位于线粒体内膜,均参与钙离子摄入。MCU拥有两个跨膜结构域,显示出钙离子通道活性并对钌红敏感,而MICU1具有两个典型的EF手形结构域,该结构可感知钙离子的变化,可能作为MCU调节蛋白发挥作用。这些研究进展对线粒体内稳态的理解和线粒体相关疾病的治疗具有重要意义。     

The mechanical effects of CRT promoting autophagy via mitochondrial calcium uniporter down‐regulation and mitochondrial dynamics alteration

The mechanism of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) remains unclear. In this study, mitochondria calcium uniporter (MCU), dynamin‐related protein‐1 (DNM1L/Drp1) and their relationship with autophagy in heart failure (HF) and CRT are investigated. Thirteen male beagle's dogs were divided into three groups (sham, HF, CRT). Animals received left bundle branch (LBB) ablation followed by either 8‐week rapid atrial pacing or 4‐week rapid atrial pacing and 4‐week biventricular pacing. Cardiac function was evaluated by echocardiography. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were detected by microarray analysis. General morphological changes, mitochondrial ultrastructure, autophagosomes and mitophagosomes were investigated. The cardiomyocyte stretching was adopted to imitate the mechanical effect of CRT. Cells were divided into three groups (control, angiotensin‐II and angiotensin‐II + stretching). MCU, DNM1L/Drp1 and autophagy markers were detected by western blots or immunofluorescence. In the present study, CRT could correct cardiac dysfunction, decrease cardiomyocyte's size, alleviate cardiac fibrosis, promote the formation of autophagosome and mitigate mitochondrial injury. CRT significantly influenced gene expression profile, especially down‐regulating MCU and up‐regulating DNM1L/Drp1. Cell stretching reversed the angiotensin‐II induced changes of MCU and DNM1L/Drp1 and partly restored autophagy. CRT's mechanical effects down‐regulated MCU, up‐regulated DNM1L/Drp1 and subsequently enhanced autophagy. Besides, the mechanical stretching prevented the angiotensin‐II‐induced cellular enlargement.     

Tissue-specific modulation of the mitochondrial calcium uniporter by magnesium ions

This paper analyzes the kinetics of the Ca2+ uniporter of mitochondria from rat heart, kidney and liver operating in a range of Ca2+ concentrations near the steady-state value (1-4 microM). Heart mitochondria exhibit the lowest activity, and physiological Mg2+ concentrations inhibit the mitochondrial Ca2+ uniporter by approx. 50% in heart and kidney, and by 20% in liver. At physiological Ca2+ and Mg2+ concentrations the external free Ca2+ maintained by respiring mitochondria in vitro is higher in heart and kidney with respect to liver mitochondria. This behaviour could represent an adaptation of different mitochondria to their specific intracellular environment.     

Inhibitors of the mitochondrial calcium uniporter for the treatment of disease

The mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU) is a protein located in the inner mitochondrial membrane that is responsible for mitochondrial Ca²⁺ uptake. Under certain pathological conditions, dysregulation of Ca²⁺ uptake through the MCU results in cellular dysfunction and apoptotic cell death. Given the role of the MCU in human disease, researchers have developed compounds capable of inhibiting mitochondrial calcium uptake as tools for understanding the role of this protein in cell death. In this article, we describe recent findings on the role of the MCU in mediating pathological conditions and the search for small-molecule inhibitors of this protein for potential therapeutic applications.     

Mechanisms of permeation and selectivity in calcium channels

The mechanisms underlying ion transport and selectivity in calcium channels are examined using electrostatic calculations and Brownian dynamics simulations. We model the channel as a rigid structure with fixed charges in the walls, representing glutamate residues thought to be responsible for ion selectivity. Potential energy profiles obtained from multi-ion electrostatic calculations provide insights into ion permeation and many other observed features of L-type calcium channels. These qualitative explanations are confirmed by the results of Brownian dynamics simulations, which closely reproduce several experimental observations. These include the current-voltage curves, current-concentration relationship, block of monovalent currents by divalent ions, the anomalous mole fraction effect between sodium and calcium ions, attenuation of calcium current by external sodium ions, and the effects of mutating glutamate residues in the amino acid sequence.     

Impaired expression of the mitochondrial calcium uniporter suppresses mast cell degranulation

Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry - Calcium ion (Ca2+) uptake into the mitochondrial matrix influences ATP production, Ca2+ homeostasis, and apoptosis regulation. Ca2+ uptake across the...     

Involvement of the mitochondrial calcium uniporter in cardioprotection by ischemic preconditioning

The objective of the present study was to determine whether the mitochondrial calcium uniporter plays a role in the cardioprotection induced by ischemic preconditioning (IPC). Isolated rat hearts were subjected to 30 min of regional ischemia by ligation of the left anterior descending artery followed by 120 min of reperfusion. IPC was achieved by two 5-min periods of global ischemia separated by 5 min of reperfusion. IPC reduced the infarct size and lactate dehydrogenase release in coronary effluent, which was associated with improved recovery of left ventricular contractility. Treatment with ruthenium red (RR, 5 μM), an inhibitor of the uniporter, or with Ru360 (10 μM), a highly specific uniporter inhibitor, provided cardioprotective effects like those of IPC. The cardioprotection induced by IPC was abolished by spermine (20 μM), an activator of the uniporter. Cyclosporin A (CsA, 0.2 μM), an inhibitor of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore, reversed the effects caused by spermine. In mitochondria isolated from untreated hearts, both Ru360 (10 μM) and RR (1 μM) decreased pore opening, while spermine (20 μM) increased pore opening which was blocked by CsA (0.2 μM). In mitochondria from preconditioned hearts, the opening of the pore was inhibited, but this inhibition did not occur in the mitochondria from hearts treated with IPC plus spermine. These results indicate that the mitochondrial calcium uniporter is involved in the cardioprotection conferred by ischemic preconditioning.     

Calcium signaling: double duty for calcium at the mitochondrial uniporter

Uptake of Ca(2+) by mitochondria serves as a regulator of a number of important cellular functions, including energy metabolism, cytoplasmic Ca(2+) signals, and apoptosis. Recent findings reveal that the process of Ca(2+) uptake by the mitochondrial uniporter is itself regulated by Ca(2+) in a temporally complex manner.     

Thyroid hormone may induce changes in the concentration of the mitochondrial calcium uniporter

We explored the possibility that the hormone 3,3',5-tri-iodothyronine can regulate the biosynthesis of the mitochondrial calcium uniporter. To meet this objective experiments on Ca(2+) transport, and binding of the specific inhibitor Ru(360) were carried out in mitochondria isolated from euthyroid, hyperthyroid and hypothyroid rats. It was found that V(max) for Ca(2+) transport increased from 11.67+/-0.8 in euthyroid to 14.36+/-0.44 in hyperthyroid, and decreased in hypothyroid mitochondria to 8.62+/-0.63 nmol Ca(2+)/mg/s. Furthermore, the K(i) for the specific inhibitor Ru(360), depends on the thyroid status, i.e. 18, 19 and 13 nM for control, hyper- and hypothyroid mitochondria, respectively. In addition, the binding of 103Ru(360) was increased in hyperthyroid and decreased in hypothyroid mitochondria. Scatchard analysis for the binding of 103Ru(360) showed the following values: 28, 40 and 23 pmol/mg for control, hyper- and hypothyroid mitochondria, respectively. The K(d) for 103Ru(360) was found to be 30.39, 37.03 and 35.71 nM for controls, hyper- and hypothyroid groups, respectively. When hypothyroid rats were treated with thyroid hormone, mitochondrial Ca(2+) transport, as well as 103Ru(360) binding, reached similar values to those found for euthyroid mitochondria.     

Purification of the mitochondrial calcium uniporter from beef heart and characterization of its properties

A low-molecular-weight component (LMC) inducing selective transport of calcium across the bilayer lipid membrane has been isolated from mitochondria of bovine heart by the method developed in our laboratory, which excludes the use of detergents and proteolytic enzymes. It is shown that, in the presence of 10 mM CaCl₂, LMC forms conduction channels in the membrane in multiples of 5 pS. The specific inhibitor of the mitochondrial calcium uniporter, ruthenium red, closes Ca²⁺-induced channels formed in the membrane by LMC. In the absence of calcium or in the presence of potassium ions only, the component is incapable of forming channels of conduction. It is shown using nuclear magnetic resonance that LMC is a complex consisting of lipids, amino acids, and sugars with a molecular weight of 1–2 kDa.     

Purification of the mitochondrial calcium uniporter from the beef heart and characterization of its properties

A low-molecular-weight component (LMC) inducing selective transport of calcium across the bilayer lipid membrane has been isolated from mitochondria of the bovine heart by the method developed in our laboratory, which excludes the use of detergents and proteolytic enzymes. It was shown that, in the presence of 10 mM CaCl2, LMC forms conduction channels in the membrane multiples of 5 pS. The specific inhibitor of mitochondrial calcium uniporter, ruthenium red, closes Ca2(+)-induced channels formed in the membrane by LMC. In the absence of calcium or in the presence of potassium ions only, the component is incapable of forming channels of conduction. It was shown using nuclear magnetic resonance that LMC is a complex consisting of lipids, amino acids, and sugars with a molecular weight of 1-2 kDa.     

Thermoporter: a new regulatory mechanism for mitochondrial calcium uniporter activity

The mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU) controls mitochondrial bioenergetics, and its activity varies greatly between tissues. Here, we highlight a recently identified MCU–EMRE–UCP1 complex, named thermoporter, in the adaptive thermogenesis of brown adipose tissue (BAT). The thermoporter enhances MCU activity to promote thermogenic metabolism, demonstrating a BAT-specific regulation for MCU activity.     

Inhibition of the mitochondrial calcium uniporter by antibodies against a 40-kDa glycorproteinT

Polyclonal rabbit antibodies against a Ca²⁺-binding mitochondrial glycoprotein were found to inhibit the uniporter-mediated transport of Ca²⁺ in mitoplasts prepared from rat liver mitochondria. Spermine, a modulator of the uniporter, decreased the inhibition. This glycoprotein ofM _r 40,000, isolated from beef heart mitochondria and earlier shown to form Ca²⁺-conducting channels in black-lipid membranes, thus is a good candidate for being a component of the uniporter. Antibody-IgG was found to specifically bind to mitochondria in human fibroblasts.     

线粒体钙单向转运体在心肌低氧/复氧损伤中的作用

目的:观察线粒体钙单向转运体在心肌低氧/复氧损伤中的作用并探讨其机制。方法:应用Langendorff大鼠心脏灌流模型,低氧/复氧(H/R)采用冠脉前降支结扎30 min、复灌120 min的方法。用生物信号采集系统记录左室发展压(LVDP)、左室压最大上升/下降速率(±dP/dtmax)、左室舒张末压(LVEDP);分光光度法分别检测冠脉流出液中乳酸脱氢酶(LDH)的含量和线粒体活性氧(ROS);TTC染色法检测心肌梗死面积。结果:与单纯低氧/复氧组相比,复氧起始给予线粒体钙单向转运体抑制剂钌红(5μmol/L)明显改善左心室各项功能指标,减小心肌梗死面积,降低线粒体ROS和冠脉流出液中LDH含量;而在复氧期起始给予线粒体钙单向转运体激动剂精胺(20μmol/L),显著升高了线粒体ROS活性,冠脉流出液中LDH含量在复氧5 min、20 min、30 min时显著增多,左心室各项功能指标与心肌梗死面积与单纯低氧/复氧组相比无显著差异。ROS清除剂MPG(1 mmol/L)与精胺联合应用则取消了精胺的作用。结论:抑制线粒体钙单向转运体可能通过减少线粒体ROS的生成减轻心脏低氧/复氧损伤。     

Modeling of ion permeation in calcium and sodium channel selectivity filters

Structure-function studies have shown that it is possible to convert a sodium channel to a calcium-selective channel by a single amino acid substitution in the selectivity filter locus. Ion permeation through the "model selectivity filter" was modeled with a reduced set of functional groups representative of the constituent amino acid side chains. Force-field minimizations were conducted to obtain the energy profile of the cations as they get desolvated and bind to the "model selectivity filter." The calculations suggest that the ion selectivity in the calcium channel is due to preferential binding, whereas in the sodium channel it is due to exclusion. Energetics of displacement of a bound cation from the calcium "model selectivity filter" by another cation suggest that "multi-ion mechanism" reduces the activation barrier for ion permeation. Thus, the simple model captures qualitatively most of the conduction characteristics of sodium and calcium channels. However, the computed barriers for permeation are fairly large, suggesting that ion interaction with additional residues along the transport path may be essential to effect desolvation.