title: Role of the Menkes copper-transporting ATPase in NMDA receptor-mediated neuronal toxicity.
abstract: Menkes disease, a fatal neurodegenerative disorder resulting in seizures, hypotonia, and failure to thrive, is due to inherited loss-of-function mutations in the gene encoding a copper-transporting ATPase (Atp7a) on the X chromosome. Although affected patients exhibit signs and symptoms of copper deficiency, the mechanisms resulting in neurologic disease remain unknown. We recently discovered that Atp7a is required for the production of an NMDA receptor-dependent releasable copper pool within hippocampal neurons, a finding that suggests a role for copper in activity-dependent modulation of synaptic activity. In support of this hypothesis, we now demonstrate that copper chelation exacerbates NMDA-mediated excitotoxic cell death in primary hippocampal neurons, whereas the addition of copper is specifically protective and results in a significant decrease in cytoplasmic Ca(2+) levels after NMDA receptor activation. Consistent with the known neuroprotective effect of NMDA receptor nitrosylation, we show here that this protective effect of copper depends on endogenous nitric oxide production in hippocampal neurons, demonstrating in vivo links among neuroprotection, copper metabolism, and nitrosylation. Atp7a is required for these copper-dependent effects: Hippocampal neurons isolated from newborn Mo(br) mice reveal a marked sensitivity to endogenous glutamate-mediated NMDA receptor-dependent excitotoxicity in vitro, and mild hypoxic/ischemic insult to these mice in vivo results in significantly increased caspase 3 activation and neuronal injury. Taken together, these data reveal a unique connection between copper homeostasis and NMDA receptor activity that is of broad relevance to the processes of synaptic plasticity and excitotoxic cell death.
authors.affiliation: Mallinckrodt Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
authors.forename: Michelle L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Schlief
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: West
authors.forename: Ann Marie
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Craig
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Holtzman
authors.forename: Jonathan D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Gitlin
mesh_terms: D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D002154:Calpain / Q000378:metabolism; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism; D027682:Cation Transport Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003300:Copper / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000073840:Copper-Transporting ATPases; D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D007706:Menkes Kinky Hair Syndrome / Q000473:pathology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology*; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000096:biosynthesis; D021381:Protein Transport / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C486201:Atp7a protein, mouse; D027682:Cation Transport Proteins; D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D003300:Copper; C505407:CASP3 protein, human; D002154:Calpain; C505409:Casp3 protein, mouse; C505410:Casp3 protein, rat; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases; D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases; D000073840:Copper-Transporting ATPases