Search

Mitochondrial dynamics and trafficking are essential to provide the energy required for neurotransmission and neural activity. We investigated how G protein–coupled receptors (GPCRs) and G proteins control mitochondrial dynamics and trafficking. The activation of Gαq inhibited mitochondrial trafficking in neurons through a mechanism that was independent of the canonical downstream PLCβ pathway. Mitoproteome analysis revealed that Gαq interacted with the Eutherian-specific mitochondrial protein armadillo repeat–containing X-linked protein 3 (Alex3) and the Miro1/Trak2 complex, which acts as an adaptor for motor proteins involved in mitochondrial trafficking along dendrites and axons. By generating a CNS-specific Alex3 knockout mouse line, we demonstrated that Alex3 was required for the effects of Gαq on mitochondrial trafficking and dendritic growth in neurons. Alex3-deficient mice had altered amounts of ER stress response proteins, increased neuronal death, motor neuron loss, and severe motor deficits. These data revealed a mammalian-specific Alex3/Gαq mitochondrial complex, which enables control of mitochondrial trafficking and neuronal death by GPCRs. Editor's summary: The elongated morphology of neurons means that mitochondria must be trafficked over long distances to support energy-intensive processes in multiple subcellular compartments. Izquierdo-Villalba et al. found that mitochondrial trafficking in neurons required the interaction of the G protein Gαq with the mitochondrial protein Alex3. Gαq enhanced the binding of Alex3 to mitochondrial trafficking proteins that mediate anterograde traffic. Expression of a constitutively active form of Gαq in neurons from mice with a CNS-specific deficiency in Alex3 revealed that Gαq was necessary for the role of Alex3 in mitochondrial trafficking and distribution and dendritic arborization. These results raise the intriguing possibility that the activity of Gαq-coupled receptors can affect mitochondrial trafficking in neurons through the Gαq/Alex3 complex. —Wei Wong [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traumatic injury to the brain is one of the leading causes of injury-related death or disability, but current therapies are limited. Previously it has been shown that the antioxidant proteins metallothioneins (MTs) are potent neuroprotective factors in animal models of brain injury. The exogenous administration of MTs causes effects consistent with the roles proposed from studies in knock-out mice. We herewith report the results comparing full mouse MT-1 with the independent alpha and beta domains, alone or together, in a cryoinjury model. The lesion of the cortex caused the mice to perform worse in the horizontal ladder beam and the rota-rod tests; all the proteins showed a modest effect in the former test, while only full MT-1 improved the performance of animals in the rota-rod, and the alpha domain showed a rather detrimental effect. Gene expression analysis by RNA protection assay demonstrated that all proteins may alter the expression of host-response genes such as GFAP, Mac1 and ICAM, in some cases being the beta domain more effective than the alpha domain or even the full MT-1. A MT-1-to-MT-3 mutation blunted some but not all the effects caused by the normal MT-1, and in some cases increased its potency. Thus, splitting the two MT-1 domains do not seem to eliminate all MT functions but certainly modifies them, and different motifs seem to be present in the protein underlying such functions.

Cryolesion of the frontoparietal cortex in mice is a well-described brain injury paradigm that results in increased astrogliosis surrounding the lesion site and is accompanied by a prominent increase in the MAO-B levels in astrocytes. Whether these increased MAO-B levels contribute to cellular damage or modulate reactive astrocytosis remains unclear. MAO-B activity may contribute to cellular damage, since its metabolism products are highly toxic to the cells. Additionally, it has been suggested that MAO-B inhibition may regulate astrocytic reaction. In this study, we have determined the relative contribution of MAO-B activity to the outcome following freeze injury. Freeze injury induced a prominent increase of several inflammatory markers, including ICAM, Mac-1, EB22, and GFAP. Inhibition of MAO-B activity using the selective inhibitor PF9601N did not reduce this cryolesion-induced inflammatory response. Additional data revealed that the expression of several cryolesion-induced cell death genes, such as Fas, Rip, p53, and ICE, was not reduced in PF9601N-treated mice, evidencing that MAO-B activity did not contribute to cryolesion-induced cell death. Definitive functional analysis of the mice using the ladder beam task revealed that MAO-B inhibition did not improve the cryolesion-induced motor impairment. These data strongly suggest that, although MAO-B is highly expressed in the area surrounding the lesion site, its activity does not contribute to the cellular damage or play any role in regulating astrocytic reactivity., ((c) 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.)

Cytokines, such as tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and lymphotoxin-alpha, have been described widely to play important roles in the brain in physiologic conditions and after traumatic injury. However, the exact mechanisms involved in their function have not been fully elucidated. We give some insight on their role by using animals lacking either Type 1 receptor (TNFR1KO) or Type 2 (TNFR2KO) and their controls (C57Bl/6). Both TNFR1KO and to a greater extent TNFR2KO mice showed increased exploration/activity neurobehavioral traits in the hole board test, such as rearings, head dippings, and ambulations, compared with wild-type mice, suggesting an inhibitory role of TNFR1/TNFR2 signaling. In contrast, no significant differences were observed in the elevated plus maze test, ruling out a major role of these receptors in the control of anxiety. We next evaluated the response to a freeze injury to the somatosensorial cortex. The effect of the cryolesion on motor function was evaluated with the horizontal ladder beam test, and the results showed that both TNFR1KO and TNFR2KO mice made fewer errors, suggesting a detrimental role for TNFR1/TNFR2 signaling for coping with brain damage. Expression of approximately 22600 genes was analyzed using an Affymetrix chip (MOE430A) at 0 (unlesioned), 1, or 4 days post-lesion in the three strains. The results show a unique and major role of both TNF receptors on the pattern of gene expression elicited by the injury but also in normal conditions, and suggest that blocking of TNFR1/TNFR2 receptors may be beneficial after a traumatic brain injury., ((c) 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.)