Selective inhibition of mitochondrial sodium-calcium exchanger protects striatal neurons from α-synuclein plus rotenone induced toxicity

Cell Death Dis. 2019 Jan 28;10(2):80. doi: 10.1038/s41419-018-1290-6.

Abstract

Progressive accumulation of α-synuclein (α-syn) and exposure to environmental toxins are risk factors that may both concur to Parkinson's disease (PD) pathogenesis. Electrophysiological recordings of field postsynaptic potentials (fEPSPs) and Ca2+ measures in striatal brain slices and differentiated SH-SY5Y cells showed that co-application of α-syn and the neurotoxic pesticide rotenone (Rot) induced Ca2+ dysregulation and alteration of both synaptic transmission and cell function. Interestingly, the presence of the mitochondrial NCX inhibitor CGP-37157 prevented these alterations. The specific involvement of the mitochondrial NCX was confirmed by the inability of the plasma membrane inhibitor SN-6 to counteract such phenomenon. Of note, using a siRNA approach, we found that NCX1 was the isoform specifically involved. These findings suggested that NCX1, operating on the mitochondrial membrane, may have a critical role in the maintenance of ionic Ca2+ homeostasis in PD and that its inhibition most likely exerts a protective effect in the toxicity induced by α-syn and Rot.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Corpus Striatum / metabolism*
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Humans
  • Mitochondria / metabolism*
  • Neurons / metabolism*
  • Parkinson Disease
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Rotenone / adverse effects*
  • Sodium-Calcium Exchanger / metabolism*
  • alpha-Synuclein / adverse effects*

Substances

  • Sodium-Calcium Exchanger
  • alpha-Synuclein
  • Rotenone