Modulation of Ca 2+ release and Ca 2+ oscillations in HeLa cells and fibroblasts by mitochondrial Ca 2+ uniporter stimulation

The recent availability of activators of the mitochondrial Ca 2+ uniporter allows direct testing of the influence of mitochondrial Ca 2+ uptake on the overall Ca 2+ homeostasis of the cell. We show here that activation of mitochondrial Ca 2+ uptake by 4,4′,4″‐(4‐propyl‐[1H]‐pyrazole‐1,3,5‐triyl)trisphenol (PPT) or kaempferol stimulates histamine‐induced Ca 2+ release from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and that this effect is enhanced if the mitochondrial Na + –Ca 2+ exchanger is simultaneously inhibited with CGP37157. This suggests that both Ca 2+ uptake and release from mitochondria control the ability of local Ca 2+ microdomains to produce feedback inhibition of inositol 1,4,5‐trisphosphate receptors (InsP 3 Rs). In addition, the ability of mitochondria to control Ca 2+ release from the ER allows them to modulate cytosolic Ca 2+ oscillations. In histamine stimulated HeLa cells and human fibroblasts, both PPT and kaempferol initially stimulated and later inhibited oscillations, although kaempferol usually induced a more prolonged period of stimulation. Both compounds were also able to induce the generation of Ca 2+ oscillations in previously silent fibroblasts. Our data suggest that cytosolic Ca 2+ oscillations are exquisitely sensitive to the rates of mitochondrial Ca 2+ uptake and release, which precisely control the size of the local Ca 2+ microdomains around InsP 3 Rs and thus the ability to produce feedback activation or inhibition of Ca 2+ release.