Cleavage of the plasma membrane Na+/Ca2+ exchanger in excitotoxicity

Rosalind Le Feuvre, Daniele Bano, Kenneth W. Young, Christopher J. Guerin, Ros LeFeuvre, Nancy J. Rothwell, Luigi Naldini, Rosario Rizzuto, Ernesto Carafoli, Pierluigi Nicotera

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

In brain ischemia, gating of postsynaptic glutamate receptors and other membrane channels triggers intracellular Ca2+ overload and cell death. In excitotoxic settings, the initial Ca2+ influx through glutamate receptors is followed by a second uncontrolled Ca2+ increase that leads to neuronal demise. Here we report that the major plasma membrane Ca2+ extruding system, the Na+/Ca2+ exchanger (NCX), is cleaved during brain ischemia and in neurons undergoing excitotoxicity. Inhibition of Ca2+-activated proteases (calpains) by overexpressing their endogenous inhibitor protein, calpastatin or the expression of an NCX isoform not cleaved by calpains, prevented Ca2+ overload and rescued neurons from excitotoxic death. Conversely, down-regulation of NCX by siRNA compromised neuronal Ca2+ handling, transforming the Ca 2+ transient elicited by non-excitotoxic glutamate concentrations into a lethal Ca2+overload. Thus, proteolytic inactivation of NCX-driven neuronal Ca2+ extrusion is responsible for the delayed excitotoxic Ca2+ deregulation and neuronal death.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)275-285
Number of pages10
JournalCell
Volume120
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 28 Jan 2005

Research Beacons, Institutes and Platforms

  • Manchester Institute of Biotechnology

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