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Calcineurin‐independent inhibition of mitochondrial Ca 2+ uptake by cyclosporin A
Author(s) -
Montero M,
Lobatón C D,
GutierrezFernández S,
Moreno A,
Alvarez J
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
british journal of pharmacology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.432
H-Index - 211
eISSN - 1476-5381
pISSN - 0007-1188
DOI - 10.1038/sj.bjp.0705609
Subject(s) - mitochondrial permeability transition pore , uniporter , calcineurin , mitochondrion , aequorin , cytosol , activator (genetics) , apoptosis , chemistry , biology , pharmacology , microbiology and biotechnology , biochemistry , programmed cell death , receptor , transplantation , medicine , enzyme , intracellular
Cyclosporin A (CsA) is a widely used compound because of its potent immunosupressive properties, derived mainly from the inhibition of calcineurin, and also because of its ability to block the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (PTP). This second effect has been involved in the protection against apoptosis mediated by release of mitochondrial factors. We show here that CsA (1–10 μ M ) has an additional effect on Ca 2+ homeostasis in mitochondria that cannot be attributed to inhibition of PTP. By measuring specifically mitochondrial [Ca 2+ ] with targeted aequorin, we show that CsA inhibited Ca 2+ entry into mitochondria both in intact and in permeabilized cells, and this effect was stronger when Ca 2+ entry was triggered by low cytosolic [Ca 2+ ], below 5 μ M . Inhibition of mitochondrial Ca 2+ uptake required micromolar concentrations of CsA and was not mimicked by other inhibitors of calcineurin such as FK‐506 or cypermethrin, nor by a different inhibitor of the PTP, bongkrekic acid. CsA blocked the increase in mitochondrial Ca 2+ uptake rate induced by the mitochondrial Ca 2+ uniporter activator SB202190. Our results suggest that CsA inhibits Ca 2+ entry through the Ca 2+ uniporter by a mechanism independent of the inhibition of PTP or calcineurin. This effect may contribute to reduce depolarization and Ca 2+ overloading in mitochondria after cell stimulation, and thus cooperate with the direct inhibition of PTP to prevent apoptosis.British Journal of Pharmacology (2004) 141 , 263–268. doi: 10.1038/sj.bjp.0705609