RESUMO
In astrocytes, the intracellular calcium (Ca2+) signaling mediated by activation of metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGlu5) is crucially involved in the modulation of many aspects of brain physiology, including gliotransmission. Here, we find that the mGlu5-mediated Ca2+ signaling leading to release of glutamate is governed by mGlu5 interaction with Homer1 scaffolding proteins. We show that the long splice variants Homer1b/c are expressed in astrocytic processes, where they cluster with mGlu5 at sites displaying intense local Ca2+ activity. We show that the structural and functional significance of the Homer1b/c-mGlu5 interaction is to relocate endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to the proximity of the plasma membrane and to optimize Ca2+ signaling and glutamate release. We also show that in reactive astrocytes the short dominant-negative splice variant Homer1a is upregulated. Homer1a, by precluding the mGlu5-ER interaction decreases the intensity of Ca2+ signaling thus limiting the intensity and the duration of glutamate release by astrocytes. Hindering upregulation of Homer1a with a local injection of short interfering RNA in vivo restores mGlu5-mediated Ca2+ signaling and glutamate release and sensitizes astrocytes to apoptosis. We propose that Homer1a may represent one of the cellular mechanisms by which inflammatory astrocytic reactions are beneficial for limiting brain injury.
Assuntos
Astrócitos/metabolismo , Cálcio/metabolismo , Proteínas de Arcabouço Homer/metabolismo , Animais , Isquemia Encefálica/metabolismo , Cátions Bivalentes/metabolismo , Células Cultivadas , Córtex Cerebral/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Córtex Cerebral/metabolismo , Retículo Endoplasmático/metabolismo , Proteína Glial Fibrilar Ácida/genética , Proteína Glial Fibrilar Ácida/metabolismo , Ácido Glutâmico/metabolismo , Proteínas de Fluorescência Verde/genética , Proteínas de Fluorescência Verde/metabolismo , Proteínas de Arcabouço Homer/antagonistas & inibidores , Proteínas de Arcabouço Homer/genética , Humanos , Recém-Nascido , Masculino , Camundongos Transgênicos , Ratos Sprague-Dawley , Receptor de Glutamato Metabotrópico 5/metabolismo , Receptores de Glutamato Metabotrópico/metabolismo , Técnicas de Cultura de TecidosRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Mutations in the Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD1) gene have been linked to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). However, the molecular mechanisms have not been elucidated yet. Homer family protein Homer1b/c is expressed widely in the central nervous system and plays important roles in neurological diseases. In this study, we explored whether Homer1b/c was involved in SOD1 mutation-linked ALS. RESULTS: In vitro studies showed that the SOD1 G93A mutation induced an increase of Homer1b/c expression at both the mRNA and protein levels in NSC34 cells. Knockdown of Homer1b/c expression using its short interfering RNA (siRNA) (si-Homer1) protected SOD1 G93A NSC34 cells from apoptosis. The expressions of Homer1b/c and apoptosis-related protein Bax were also suppressed, while Bcl-2 was increased by lithium and valproic acid (VPA) in SOD1 G93A NSC34 cells. In vivo, both the mRNA and protein levels of Homer1b/c were increased significantly in the lumbar spinal cord in SOD1 G93A transgenic mice compared with wild type (WT) mice. Moreover, lithium and VPA treatment suppressed the expression of Homer1b/c in SOD1 G93A mice. CONCLUSION: The suppression of SOD1 G93A mutation-induced Homer1b/c upregulation protected ALS against neuronal apoptosis, which is a novel mechanism of the neuroprotective effect of lithium and VPA. This study provides new insights into pathogenesis and treatment of ALS.
Assuntos
Esclerose Lateral Amiotrófica/terapia , Proteínas de Arcabouço Homer/biossíntese , Lítio/uso terapêutico , Superóxido Dismutase/genética , Ácido Valproico/uso terapêutico , Esclerose Lateral Amiotrófica/genética , Esclerose Lateral Amiotrófica/patologia , Animais , Apoptose/genética , Linhagem Celular , Predisposição Genética para Doença , Proteínas de Arcabouço Homer/antagonistas & inibidores , Proteínas de Arcabouço Homer/genética , Humanos , Camundongos , Camundongos Transgênicos , Proteínas Proto-Oncogênicas c-bcl-2/metabolismo , Interferência de RNA , RNA Interferente Pequeno/genéticaRESUMO
Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) is a glycerophospholipid that can be detected in serum, saliva and cerebrospinal fluid. However, the effect of LPA on neuronal death and survival has not been fully determined. In the present study, we investigated the potential neurotoxic effect of LPA in primary cultured cortical neurons. Treatment with LPA (0.5, 1 and 5⯵M) markedly decreased neuronal viability, increased lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release and promoted apoptosis in cortical neurons. The results of western blot showed that LPA increased the expression of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress associated factors, and the protein misfolding inhibitor 4-phenylbutyric acid (4-PBA) attenuated LPA-induced toxicity. In addition, treatment with LPA did not alter the expression and distribution of Homer1 in cortical neurons. The protein levels of metabotropic glutamate receptor 1 (mGluR1), but not metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5), were significantly increased by LPA at 12 and 24â¯h after treatment. Knockdown of Homer1 using specific siRNA partially prevented the LPA-induced neurotoxicity and ER stress. Furthermore, the results of Ca2+ imaging showed that treatment with LPA induced intracellular Ca2+ release, which could be partially prevented by 4-PBA and downregulation of Homer1. The LPA-induced intracellular Ca2+ release was associated with ER Ca2+ release through the Homer1-mGluR1 pathway. In summary, our results showed that LPA treatment induced ER stress and apoptosis in cortical neurons, and its neurotoxicity was partially mediated by Ca2+ release from the ER via the Homer1/mGluR1 pathway.