The calpain inhibitor VI prevents apoptosis of adult motor neurons.
Motor neuron cell death was studied in organotypic cultures of adult spinal cord slices from the mouse. Six hours after excision, many motor neuron nuclei displayed apoptotic features including nuclear and chromatin condensation. At this time point, many motor neurons also exhibited immunoreactivity to calpain II. Both the calpain inhibitor VI and ethyleneglycol-bis(beta-aminoethyl ether) N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (EGTA) prevented the appearance of apoptotic nuclei whereas the pan caspase inhibitor Z-VAD.fmk had no effect. The results suggest that calpain is required for apoptosis of motor neurons and that this type of apoptosis is independent of caspase activation.
Department of Cell and Organism Biology, Lund University, Helgonavägen 3 B, 223 62 Lund, Sweden. hamidreza.momeni@cob.lu.se
Hamid R
HR
Momeni
Martin
M
Kanje
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D002154:Calpain / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051379:Mice; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology*
D006023:Glycoproteins; C039304:calpain inhibitors; D002154:Calpain; C403234:Capn6 protein, mouse