César Cárdenas

Essential Regulation of Cell Bioenergetics by Constitutive InsP3 Receptor Ca2+ Transfer to Mitochondria

Mechanisms that regulate cellular metabolism are a fundamental requirement of all cells. Most eukaryotic cells rely on aerobic mitochondrial metabolism to generate ATP. Nevertheless, regulation of mitochondrial activity is incompletely understood. Here we identified an unexpected and essential role for constitutive InsP(3)R-mediated Ca(2+) release in maintaining cellular bioenergetics. Macroautophagy provides eukaryotes with an adaptive response to nutrient deprivation that prolongs survival. Constitutive InsP(3)R Ca(2+) signaling is required for macroautophagy suppression in cells in nutrient-replete media. In its absence, cells become metabolically compromised due to diminished mitochondrial Ca(2+) uptake. Mitochondrial uptake of InsP(3)R-released Ca(2+) is fundamentally required to provide optimal bioenergetics by providing sufficient reducing equivalents to support oxidative phosphorylation. Absence of this Ca(2+) transfer results in enhanced phosphorylation of pyruvate dehydrogenase and activation of AMPK, which activates prosurvival macroautophagy. Thus, constitutive InsP(3)R Ca(2+) release to mitochondria is an essential cellular process that is required for efficient mitochondrial respiration and maintenance of normal cell bioenergetics.

MICU1 is an Essential Gatekeeper for MCU-Mediated Mitochondrial Ca2+ Uptake That Regulates Cell Survival

Mitochondrial Ca(2+) (Ca(2+)(m)) uptake is mediated by an inner membrane Ca(2+) channel called the uniporter. Ca(2+) uptake is driven by the considerable voltage present across the inner membrane (ΔΨ(m)) generated by proton pumping by the respiratory chain. Mitochondrial matrix Ca(2+) concentration is maintained five to six orders of magnitude lower than its equilibrium level, but the molecular mechanisms for how this is achieved are not clear. Here, we demonstrate that the mitochondrial protein MICU1 is required to preserve normal [Ca(2+)](m) under basal conditions. In its absence, mitochondria become constitutively loaded with Ca(2+), triggering excessive reactive oxygen species generation and sensitivity to apoptotic stress. MICU1 interacts with the uniporter pore-forming subunit MCU and sets a Ca(2+) threshold for Ca(2+)(m) uptake without affecting the kinetic properties of MCU-mediated Ca(2+) uptake. Thus, MICU1 is a gatekeeper of MCU-mediated Ca(2+)(m) uptake that is essential to prevent [Ca(2+)](m) overload and associated stress.

MCUR1 is an essential component of mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake that regulates cellular metabolism

The mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU) mediates calcium uptake by mitochondria and thus regulates cellular bioenergetics, but how MCU activity is modulated is not fully understood. Madesh, Foskett and colleagues report that the integral mitochondrial membrane protein MCUR1 (mitochondrial calcium uniporter regulator 1) binds to the MCU and promotes MCU-dependent calcium uptake to control ATP production and autophagy.

Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 Induces an Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate-dependent Increase in Nuclear and Cytosolic Calcium in Cultured Rat Cardiac Myocytes*

In the heart, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) is a pro-hypertrophic and anti-apoptotic peptide. In cultured rat cardiomyocytes, IGF-1 induced a fast and transient increase in Ca2+i levels apparent both in the nucleus and cytosol, releasing this ion from intracellular stores through an inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3)-dependent signaling pathway. Intracellular IP3 levels increased after IGF-1 stimulation in both the presence and absence of extracellular Ca2+. A different spatial distribution of IP3 receptor isoforms in cardiomyocytes was found. Ryanodine did not prevent the IGF-1-induced increase of Ca2+i levels but inhibited the basal and spontaneous Ca2+i oscillations observed when cardiac myocytes were incubated in Ca2+-containing resting media. Spatial analysis of fluorescence images of IGF-1-stimulated cardiomyocytes incubated in Ca2+-containing resting media showed an early increase in Ca2+i, initially localized in the nucleus. Calcium imaging suggested that part of the Ca2+ released by stimulation with IGF-1 was initially contained in the perinuclear region. The IGF-1-induced increase on Ca2+i levels was prevented by 1,2-bis(2-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N′,N′-tetraacetic acid-AM, thapsigargin, xestospongin C, 2-aminoethoxy diphenyl borate, U-73122, pertussis toxin, and βARKct (a peptide inhibitor of Gβγ signaling). Pertussis toxin also prevented the IGF-1-dependent IP3 mass increase. Genistein treatment largely decreased the IGF-1-induced changes in both Ca2+i and IP3. LY29402 (but not PD98059) also prevented the IGF-1-dependent Ca2+i increase. Both pertussis toxin and U73122 prevented the IGF-1-dependent induction of both ERKs and protein kinase B. We conclude that IGF-1 increases Ca2+i levels in cultured cardiac myocytes through a Gβγ subunit of a pertussis toxin-sensitive G protein-PI3K-phospholipase C signaling pathway that involves participation of IP3.

Selective Vulnerability of Cancer Cells by Inhibition of Ca2+ Transfer from Endoplasmic Reticulum to Mitochondria

In the absence of low-level ER-to-mitochondrial Ca(2+) transfer, ATP levels fall, and AMPK-dependent, mTOR-independent autophagy is induced as an essential survival mechanism in many cell types. Here, we demonstrate that tumorigenic cancer cell lines, transformed primary human fibroblasts, and tumors in vivo respond similarly but that autophagy is insufficient for survival, and cancer cells die while their normal counterparts are spared. Cancer cell death is due to compromised bioenergetics that can be rescued with metabolic substrates or nucleotides and caused by necrosis associated with mitotic catastrophe during their proliferation. Our findings reveal an unexpected dependency on constitutive Ca(2+) transfer to mitochondria for viability of tumorigenic cells and suggest that mitochondrial Ca(2+) addiction is a feature of cancer cells.

Mitochondrial Ca2+ signals in autophagy

Macroautophagy (autophagy) is a lysosomal degradation pathway that is conserved from yeast to humans that plays an important role in recycling cellular constituents in all cells. A number of protein complexes and signaling pathways impinge on the regulation of autophagy, with the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) as the central player in the canonical pathway. Cytoplasmic Ca(2+) signaling also regulates autophagy, with both activating and inhibitory effects, mediated by the canonical as well as non-canonical pathways. Here we review this regulation, with a focus on the role of an mTOR-independent pathway that involves the inositol trisphosphate receptor (InsP(3)R) Ca(2+) release channel and Ca(2+) signaling to mitochondria. Constitutive InsP(3)R Ca(2+) transfer to mitochondria is required for autophagy suppression in cells in nutrient-replete media. In its absence, cells become metabolically compromised due to insufficient production of reducing equivalents to support oxidative phosphorylation. Absence of this Ca(2+) transfer to mitochondria results in activation of AMPK, which activates mTOR-independent pro-survival autophagy. Constitutive InsP(3)R Ca(2+) release to mitochondria is an essential cellular process that is required for efficient mitochondrial respiration, maintenance of normal cell bioenergetics and suppression of autophagy.

Constitutive cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) activation by Alzheimer's disease presenilin-driven inositol trisphosphate receptor (InsP3R) Ca2+ signaling

Mutations in presenilins (PS) account for most early-onset familial Alzheimers disease (FAD). Accumulating evidence suggests that disrupted Ca2+ signaling may play a proximal role in FAD specifically, and Alzheimers disease (AD) more generally, but its links to the pathogenesis of AD are obscure. Here we demonstrate that expression of FAD mutant PS constitutively activates the transcription factor cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) and CREB target gene expression in cultured neuronal cells and AD mouse models. Constitutive CREB activation was associated with and dependent on constitutive activation of Ca2+/CaM kinase kinase β and CaM kinase IV (CaMKIV). Depletion of endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ stores or plasma membrane phosphatidylinositol-bisphosphate and pharmacologic inhibition or knockdown of the expression of the inositol trisphosphate receptor (InsP3R) Ca2+ release channel each abolished FAD PS-associated constitutive CaMKIV and CREB phosphorylation. CREB and CaMKIV phosphorylation and CREB target gene expression, including nitric oxide synthase and c-fos, were enhanced in brains of M146V-KI and 3xTg-AD mice expressing FAD mutant PS1 knocked into the mouse locus. FAD mutant PS-expressing cells demonstrated enhanced cell death and sensitivity to Aβ toxicity, which were normalized by interfering with the InsP3R–CAMKIV–CREB pathway. Thus, constitutive CREB phosphorylation by exaggerated InsP3R Ca2+ signaling in FAD PS-expressing cells may represent a signaling pathway involved in the pathogenesis of AD.

Xestospongin B, a competitive inhibitor of IP3-mediated Ca2+ signalling in cultured rat myotubes, isolated myonuclei, and neuroblastoma (NG108-15) cells

Xestospongin B, a macrocyclic bis‐1‐oxaquinolizidine alkaloid extracted from the marine sponge Xestospongia exigua, was highly purified and tested for its ability to block inositol 1,4,5‐trisphosphate (IP3)‐induced Ca2+ release. In a concentration‐dependent manner xestospongin B displaced [3H]IP3 from both rat cerebellar membranes and rat skeletal myotube homogenates with an EC50 of 44.6 ± 1.1 μM and 27.4 ± 1.1 μM, respectively. Xestospongin B, depending on the dose, suppressed bradykinin‐induced Ca2+ signals in neuroblastoma (NG108‐15) cells, and also selectively blocked the slow intracellular Ca2+ signal induced by membrane depolarization with high external K+ (47 mM) in rat skeletal myotubes. This slow Ca2+ signal is unrelated to muscle contraction, and involves IP3 receptors. In highly purified isolated nuclei from rat skeletal myotubes, Xestospongin B reduced, or suppressed IP3‐induced Ca2+ oscillations with an EC50 = 18.9 ± 1.35 μM. In rat myotubes exposed to a Ca2+‐free medium, Xestospongin B neither depleted sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ stores, nor modified thapsigargin action and did not affect capacitative Ca2+ entry after thapsigargin‐induced depletion of Ca2+ stores. Ca2+‐ATPase activity measured in skeletal myotube homogenates remained unaffected by Xestospongin B. It is concluded that xestospongin B is an effective cell‐permeant, competitive inhibitor of IP3 receptors in cultured rat myotubes, isolated myonuclei, and neuroblastoma (NG108‐15) cells.

LETM1-dependent mitochondrial Ca2+ flux modulates cellular bioenergetics and proliferation

Dysregulation of mitochondrial Ca2+‐dependent bioenergetics has been implicated in various pathophysiological settings, including neurodegeneration and myocardial infarction. Although mitochondrial Ca2+ transport has been characterized, and several molecules, including LETM1, have been identified, the functional role of LETM1‐mediated Ca2+ transport remains unresolved. This study examines LETM1‐mediated mitochondrial Ca2+ transport and bioenergetics in multiple cell types, including fibroblasts derived from patients with Wolf‐Hirschhorn syndrome (WHS). The results show that both mitochondrial Ca2+ influx and efflux rates are impaired in LETM1 knockdown, and similar phenotypes were observed in ΔEF hand, D676A D688KLETM1 mutant‐overexpressed cells, and in cells derived from patients with WHS. Although LETM1 levels were lower in WHS‐derived fibroblasts, the mitochondrial Ca2+ uniporter components MCU, MCUR1, and MICU1 remain unaltered. In addition, the MCU mitoplast patch‐clamp current (IMCU) was largely unaffected in LETM1‐knockdown cells. Silencing of LETM1 also impaired basal mitochondrial oxygen consumption, possibly via complex IV inactivation and ATP production. Remarkably, LETM1 knockdown also resulted in increased reactive oxygen species production. Further, LETM1 silencing promoted AMPK activation, autophagy, and cell cycle arrest. Reconstitution of LETM1 or antioxidant overexpression rescued mitochondrial Ca2+ transport and bioenergetics. These findings reveal the role of LETM1‐dependent mitochondrial Ca2+ flux in shaping cellular bioenergetics.—Doonan, P J., Chandramoorthy, H. C., Hoffman, N. E., Zhang, X., Cárdenas, C., Shanmughapriya, S., Rajan, S., Vallem, S., Chen, X., Foskett, J. K., Cheung, J. Y., Houser, S. R., Madesh, M., LETM1‐dependent mitochondrial Ca2+ flux modulates cellular bioenergetics and proliferation. FASEB J. 28, 4936–4949 (2014). www.fasebj.org

Single-channel recording of inositol trisphosphate receptor in the isolated nucleus of a muscle cell line

Nuclear calcium appears to have an important role in the regulation of gene expression in many cells, but the mechanisms involved in controlling nuclear Ca2+ signaling are controversial and still poorly understood. We have described the presence of inositol 1,4,5 trisphosphate (IP3) receptors in the nuclei of skeletal muscle cells. Now, we have characterized the properties of the IP3 receptors channels present in the nuclei of the 1B5 cell line, which do not express any isoforms of the ryanodine receptor. Immunocytochemistry of isolated nuclei confirmed the presence of IP3R in the nuclear envelope and fluorescence measurements in nuclei suspensions allowed us to document ATP-dependent calcium loading by the nucleus and its release upon IP3 addition. Patch clamp of nuclear membranes was performed, and single-channel activity recorded was dependent on the presence of IP3 in the pipette; single-channel conductance was in the range reported in the literature for these channels, and the open probability was shown to be dependent on IP3 concentration. The presence of functional IP3 receptors in the nuclear envelope membrane is likely to have an important function in the regulation of nucleoplasmic calcium concentration and consequently in the regulation of transcription in muscle cells.