title: Glutamate-induced alterations in Ca2+ signaling are modulated by mitochondrial Ca2+ handling capacity in brain slices of R6/1 transgenic mice.
abstract: Huntington's disease is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by an expansion of CAGs repeats and characterized by alterations in mitochondrial functions. Although changes in Ca(2+) handling have been suggested, the mechanisms involved are not completely understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible alterations in Ca(2+) handling capacity and the relationship with mitochondrial dysfunction evaluated by NAD(P)H fluorescence, reactive oxygen species levels, mitochondrial membrane potential (DeltaPsi(m)) measurements and respiration in whole brain slices from R6/1 mice of different ages, evaluated in situ by real-time real-space microscopy. We show that the cortex and striatum of the 9-month-old R6/1 transgenic mice present a significant sustained increase in cytosolic Ca(2+) induced by glutamate (Glu). This difference in Glu response was partially reduced in R6/1 when in the absence of extracellular Ca(2+), indicating that N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors participation in this response is more important in transgenic mice. In addition, Glu also lead to a decrease in NAD(P)H fluorescence, a loss in DeltaPsi(m) and a further increase in respiration, which may have evoked a decrease in mitochondrial Ca(2+) Ca(2+)(m) uptake capacity. Taken together, these results show that alterations in Ca(2+) homeostasis in transgenic mice are associated with a decrease in Ca(2+)(m) uptake mechanism with a diminished Ca(2+) handling ability that ultimately causes dysfunctions and worsening of the neurodegenerative and the disease processes.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Farmacologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP/EPM), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: T R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Rosenstock
authors.forename: C R A
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Bertoncini
authors.forename: A V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Teles
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hirata
authors.forename: M J S
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Smaili
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000378:metabolism*; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D020013:Calcium Signaling / Q000502:physiology*; D002259:Carbonyl Cyanide p-Trifluoromethoxyphenylhydrazone / Q000378:metabolism; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D006706:Homeostasis; D006801:Humans; D006816:Huntington Disease / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D053078:Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism*; D009249:NADP / Q000378:metabolism; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D019284:Thapsigargin / Q000378:metabolism; D014475:Uncoupling Agents / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D014475:Uncoupling Agents; D002259:Carbonyl Cyanide p-Trifluoromethoxyphenylhydrazone; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D009249:NADP; D019284:Thapsigargin; D002118:Calcium