title: 1-Methyl-4-phenylpyridinium induces autocrine excitotoxicity, protease activation, and neuronal apoptosis.
abstract: The pathogenesis of several neurodegenerative diseases may involve indirect excitotoxic mechanisms, where glutamate receptor overstimulation is a secondary consequence of initial functional defects of neurons (e.g., impairment of mitochondrial energy generation). The neurotoxin 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+) and other mitochondrial inhibitors (e.g., rotenone or 3-nitropropionic acid) elicited apoptosis in cerebellar granule cell cultures via stimulation of autocrine excitotoxicity. Cell death, increase in intracellular Ca2+ concentration, release of cytochrome c, and all biochemical and morphological signs of apoptosis were prevented by blockade of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor with noncompetitive, glycine-site or glutamate-site inhibitors. In addition, MPP+-induced apoptosis was reduced by high Mg2+ concentrations in the medium or by inhibiting exocytosis with clostridial neurotoxins. Two classes of cysteine proteases were involved in the execution of cell death: caspases and calpains. Inhibitors of either class of proteases prevented cell death, cleavage of intracellular proteins (i.e., fodrin), and the appearance of typical features of apoptosis such as phosphatidylserine translocation or DNA fragmentation. However, protease inhibitors did not interfere with the initial intracellular Ca2+ concentration increase. We suggest that MPP+ as well as other mitochondrial inhibitors trigger indirect excitotoxic processes, which lead to Ca2+ overload, protease activation, and subsequent neuronal apoptosis.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Biology, Chair of Molecular Toxicology, University of Konstanz, D-78457 Konstanz, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Leist
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Volbracht
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fava
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nicotera
mesh_terms: D015655:1-Methyl-4-phenylpyridinium / Q000633:toxicity*; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002154:Calpain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D061945:Caspase Inhibitors; D020169:Caspases / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002843:Chromatin / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D005089:Exocytosis / Q000187:drug effects; D007425:Intracellular Membranes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000096:biosynthesis; D011480:Protease Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000502:physiology; D012402:Rotenone / Q000494:pharmacology; D014475:Uncoupling Agents / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D061945:Caspase Inhibitors; D002843:Chromatin; D011480:Protease Inhibitors; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D014475:Uncoupling Agents; D012402:Rotenone; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D002154:Calpain; D020169:Caspases; D015655:1-Methyl-4-phenylpyridinium; D002118:Calcium