Suresh L. Mehta

Glutamate induces mitochondrial dynamic imbalance and autophagy activation: preventive effects of selenium.

Glutamate-induced cytotoxicity is partially mediated by enhanced oxidative stress. The objectives of the present study are to determine the effects of glutamate on mitochondrial membrane potential, oxygen consumption, mitochondrial dynamics and autophagy regulating factors and to explore the protective effects of selenium against glutamate cytotoxicity in murine neuronal HT22 cells. Our results demonstrated that glutamate resulted in cell death in a dose-dependent manner and supplementation of 100 nM sodium selenite prevented the detrimental effects of glutamate on cell survival. The glutamate induced cytotoxicity was associated with mitochondrial hyperpolarization, increased ROS production and enhanced oxygen consumption. Selenium reversed these alterations. Furthermore, glutamate increased the levels of mitochondrial fission protein markers pDrp1 and Fis1 and caused increase in mitochondrial fragmentation. Selenium corrected the glutamate-caused mitochondrial dynamic imbalance and reduced the number of cells with fragmented mitochondria. Finally, glutamate activated autophagy markers Beclin 1 and LC3-II, while selenium prevented the activation. These results suggest that glutamate targets the mitochondria and selenium supplementation within physiological concentration is capable of preventing the detrimental effects of glutamate on the mitochondria. Therefore, adequate selenium supplementation may be an efficient strategy to prevent the detrimental glutamate toxicity and further studies are warranted to define the therapeutic potentials of selenium in animal disease models and in human.

Selenium preserves mitochondrial function, stimulates mitochondrial biogenesis, and reduces infarct volume after focal cerebral ischemia

BackgroundMitochondrial dysfunction is one of the major events responsible for activation of neuronal cell death pathways during cerebral ischemia. Trace element selenium has been shown to protect neurons in various diseases conditions. Present study is conducted to demonstrate that selenium preserves mitochondrial functional performance, activates mitochondrial biogenesis and prevents hypoxic/ischemic cell damage.ResultsThe study conducted on HT22 cells exposed to glutamate or hypoxia and mice subjected to 60-min focal cerebral ischemia revealed that selenium (100 nM) pretreatment (24 h) significantly attenuated cell death induced by either glutamate toxicity or hypoxia. The protective effects were associated with reduction of glutamate and hypoxia-induced ROS production and alleviation of hypoxia-induced suppression of mitochondrial respiratory complex activities. The animal studies demonstrated that selenite pretreatment (0.2 mg/kg i.p. once a day for 7 days) ameliorated cerebral infarct volume and reduced DNA oxidation. Furthermore, selenite increased protein levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator 1alpha (PGC-1α) and nuclear respiratory factor 1 (NRF1), two key nuclear factors that regulate mitochondrial biogenesis. Finally, selenite normalized the ischemia-induced activation of Beclin 1 and microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3-II (LC3-II), markers for autophagy.ConclusionsThese results suggest that selenium protects neurons against hypoxic/ischemic damage by reducing oxidative stress, restoring mitochondrial functional activities and stimulating mitochondrial biogenesis.

Deletion of mitochondrial uncoupling protein-2 increases ischemic brain damage after transient focal ischemia by altering gene expression patterns and enhancing inflammatory cytokines

Mitochondrial hyperpolarization inhibits the electron transport chain and increases incomplete reduction of oxygen, enabling production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The consequence is mitochondrial damage that eventually causes cell death. Uncoupling proteins (UCPs) are inner mitochondrial membrane proteins that dissipate the mitochondrial proton gradient by transporting H+ across the inner membrane, thereby stabilizing the inner mitochondrial membrane potential and reducing the formation of ROS. The role of UCP2 in neuroprotection is still in debate. This study seeks to clarify the role of UCP2 in transient focal ischemia (tFI) and to further understand the mechanisms of ischemic brain damage. Both wild-type and UCP2-knockout mice were subjected to tFI. Knocking out UCP2 significantly increased the infarct volume to 61% per hemisphere as compared with 18% in wild-type animals. Knocking out UCP2 suppressed antioxidant, cell-cycle, and DNA repair genes, including Sod1 and Sod2, Gstm1, and cyclins. Furthermore, knocking out UCP2 significantly upregulated the protein levels of the inflammatory cytokines, including CTACK, CXCL16, Eotaxin-2, fractalkine, and BLC. It is concluded that knocking out the UCP2 gene exacerbates neuronal death after cerebral ischemia with reperfusion and this detrimental effect is mediated by alteration of antioxidant genes and upregulation of inflammatory mediators.

Neuroprotective role of mitochondrial uncoupling protein 2 in cerebral stroke

The uncoupling proteins (UCPs) are mitochondrial transporter proteins involved in proton conductance across inner mitochondrial membrane (IMM). UCP2, which is one of the members of this class of proteins, has a wide but restricted tissue distribution including brain. Its physiologic role according to emerging evidences, although still not clear, indicate that distribution of UCP2 may be related to regulation of mitochondria membrane potential (ΔΨm), production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), preservation of calcium homeostasis, modulation of neuronal activity, and eventually inhibition of cellular damage. These factors are very important in determining the fate of neurons and damage progression in the brain during various neurodegenerative diseases including cerebral stroke. Recent evidence indicates that an increased expression and activity of UCP2 are well correlated with neuronal survival after stroke and trauma. This review briefly covers the present understanding of UCP2, which eventually may be beneficial to understand the precise role of UCP2 to develop strategy to identify its potential therapeutic application.

Upregulation of Human Selenoprotein H in murine hippocampal neuronal cells promotes mitochondrial biogenesis and functional performance

Overexpression of selenoprotein H (SelH) gene provides neuroprotection in neurons against UVB-induced cell death by blocking the mitochondrial-initiated apoptotic cell death pathway. This study examined the effects of SelH on mitochondrial biogenesis and mitochondrial function. The results demonstrated that overexpression of SelH gene in neuronal HT22 cells significantly increased the levels of mitochondrial biogenesis regulators, nuclear respiratory factor-1 (NRF-1), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator-1 alpha (PGC-1α) and mitochondrial transcription factor A (Tfam). Mitochondrial cytochrome c content was elevated, mass was increased and respiration was enhanced. SelH transfection ameliorated ultra violet B (UVB)-induced suppression of mitochondrial biogenesis markers and depolarization of mitochondrial membrane potential. Overexpression of SelH promotes mitochondrial biogenesis and improves mitochondrial functional performance.

Deficiency in the inner mitochondrial membrane peptidase 2-like (Immp21) gene increases ischemic brain damage and impairs mitochondrial function.

Mitochondrial dysfunction plays an important role in mediating ischemic brain damage. Immp2l is an inner mitochondrial membrane peptidase that processes mitochondrial protein cytochrome c1 (Cyc1). Homozygous mutation of Immp2l (Immp2l(Tg(Tyr)979Ove) or Immp2l(-/-)) elevates mitochondrial membrane potential, increases superoxide (O(2)(-)) production in the brain and impairs fertility. The objectives of this study are to explore the effects of heterozygous mutation of Immp2l (Immp2l(+/-)) on ischemic outcome and to determine the influence of Immp2l deficiency on brain mitochondria after stroke. Male Immp2l(+/-) and wild-type (WT) mice were subjected to 1-h focal cerebral ischemia. Their brains were harvested after 5 and 24-h of reperfusion. The results showed that infarct volume and DNA oxidative damage significantly increased in the Immp2l(+/-) mice. There were no obvious cerebral vasculature abnormalities between the two types of mice viewed by Indian ink perfusion. The increased damage in Immp2l(+/-) mice was associated with early increase in O(2)(-) production. Mitochondrial respiratory rate, total mitochondrial respiratory capacity and mitochondrial respiratory complex activities were decreased at 5-h of recirculation in Immp2l(+/-) mice compared to WT mice. Our results suggest that Immp2l deficiency increases ischemic brain damage by enhancing O(2)(-) production and damaging mitochondrial functional performance.

Selenite Stimulates Mitochondrial Biogenesis Signaling and Enhances Mitochondrial Functional Performance in Murine Hippocampal Neuronal Cells

Supplementation of selenium has been shown to protect cells against free radical mediated cell damage. The objectives of this study are to examine whether supplementation of selenium stimulates mitochondrial biogenesis signaling pathways and whether selenium enhances mitochondrial functional performance. Murine hippocampal neuronal HT22 cells were treated with sodium selenite for 24 hours. Mitochondrial biogenesis markers, mitochondrial respiratory rate and activities of mitochondrial electron transport chain complexes were measured and compared to non-treated cells. The results revealed that treatment of selenium to the HT22 cells elevated the levels of nuclear mitochondrial biogenesis regulators PGC-1α and NRF1, as well as mitochondrial proteins cytochrome c and cytochrome c oxidase IV (COX IV). These effects are associated with phosphorylation of Akt and cAMP response element-binding (CREB). Supplementation of selenium significantly increased mitochondrial respiration and improved the activities of mitochondrial respiratory complexes. We conclude that selenium activates mitochondrial biogenesis signaling pathway and improves mitochondrial function. These effects may be associated with modulation of AKT-CREB pathway.

Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress in Brain Damage

The efficient functioning of the ER is indispensable for most of the cellular activities and survival. Disturbances in the physiological functions of the ER result in the activation of a complex set of signaling pathways from the ER to the cytosol and nucleus, and these are collectively known as unfolded protein response (UPR), which is aimed to compensate damage and can eventually trigger cell death if ER stress is severe or persists for a longer period. The precise molecular mechanisms that facilitate this switch in brain damage have yet to be understood completely with multiple potential participants involved. The ER stress-associated cell death pathways have been recognized in the numerous pathophysiological conditions, such as diabetes, hypoxia, ischemia/reperfusion injury, and neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimers disease, Parkinsons disease, and bipolar disorder. Hence, there is an emerging need to study the basic molecular mechanisms of ER stress-mediating multiple cell survival/death signaling pathways. These molecules that regulate the ER stress response would be potential drug targets in brain diseases.

Overexpression of human selenoprotein H in neuronal cells enhances mitochondrial biogenesis and function through activation of protein kinase A, protein kinase B, and cyclic adenosine monophosphate response element-binding protein pathway.

Mitochondrial biogenesis is activated by nuclear encoded transcription co-activator peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α), which is regulated by several upstream factors including protein kinase A and Akt/protein kinase B. We have previously shown that selenoprotein H enhances the levels of nuclear regulators for mitochondrial biogenesis, increases mitochondrial mass and improves mitochondrial respiratory rate, under physiological condition. Furthermore, overexpression of selenoprotein H protects neuronal HT22 cells from ultraviolet B irradiation-induced cell damage by lowering reactive oxygen species production, and inhibiting activation of caspase-3 and -9, as well as p53. The objective of this study is to identify the cell signaling pathways by which selenoprotein H initiates mitochondrial biogenesis. We first confirmed our previous observation that selenoprotein H transfected HT22 cells increased the protein levels of nuclear-encoded mitochondrial biogenesis factors, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator-1α, nuclear respiratory factor 1 and mitochondrial transcription factor A. We then observed that total and phosphorylation of protein kinase A, Akt/protein kinase B and cyclic adenosine monophosphate response element-binding protein (CREB) were significantly increased in selenoprotein H transfected cells compared to vector transfected HT22 cells. To verify whether the observed stimulating effects on mitochondrial biogenesis pathways are caused by selenoprotein H and mediated through CREB, we knocked down selenoprotein H mRNA level using siRNA and inhibited CREB with napthol AS-E phosphate in selenoprotein H transfected cells and repeated the measurements of the aforementioned biomarkers. Our results revealed that silencing of selenoprotein H not only decreased the protein levels of PGC-1α, nuclear respiratory factor 1 and mitochondrial transcription factor A, but also decreased the total and phosphorylation levels of protein kinase A, protein kinase B, and CREB. Similarly, CREB inhibition reduced CREB activation and PGC-1α protein levels in selenoprotein H transfected cells. Moreover, selenoprotein H transfection increased the activity of mitochondrial complexes and prevented the ultraviolet B induced fall of mitochondrial membrane potential. We conclude that the effects of selenoprotein H on mitochondrial biogenesis and mitochondrial function are probably mediated through protein kinase A-CREB-PGC-1α and Akt/protein kinase B-CREB-PGC-1α pathways.

Hyperglycemia-enhanced ischemic brain damage in mutant manganese SOD mice is associated with suppression of HIF-1α

Both preischemic hyperglycemia and reduction of manganese superoxide dismutase activity are known to enhance neuronal death induced by transient cerebral ischemia. Transcriptional factor hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) regulates multiple downstream genes that modulate cell metabolism, survival, death, angiogenesis, hematopoiesis, and other functions. The objectives of this study were to determine (i) whether hyperglycemia is able to increase ischemic brain damage in mutant manganese superoxide dismutase (SOD2) mice and (ii) whether the reduction of SOD2 activity has a profound effect on HIF-1 protein expression under hyperglycemic ischemic condition. Both wild type and mutant SOD deficient (SOD2(-/+)) mice were induced to hyperglycemia 30min before induction of a 30-min transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO). Brains were extracted after 5 and 24h of reperfusion for immunohistochemistry and Western blot analyses. The results showed that preischemic hyperglycemia significantly increased infarct volume in SOD2(-/+)mice and that HIF-1alpha protein levels were significantly reduced in ischemic core area at 5- and 24-h of reperfusion in hyperglycemic SOD2(-/+) mice. However, the HIF-1alpha protein levels were not significantly decreased in hyperglycemic wild type animals subjected to stroke. The results suggest that the increased brain damage observed in hyperglycemic SOD2(-/+) mice is associated with HIF-1alpha suppression, while hyperglycemia per se does not seem to exert its detrimental effects on ischemic brain via modulating HIF-1 pathway.