Cytochrome Oxidase In Competition Research Articles

RONS in inflammatory neurodegeneration

Inflammatory neurodegeneration is neuronal degeneration due to inflammation, and is thought to contribute to neuronal loss in infectious, ischemic, traumatic and neurodegenerative brain pathologies. We have identified three mechanisms by which inflamed glia kill neurons: iNOS, PHOX and phagocytosis. Inflamed microglia (brain macrophages) and astrocytes express inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), producing high levels of NO, which inhibits mitochondrial respiration at cytochrome oxidase in competition with oxygen, sensitising neurons to hypoxic death. In addition, NO-derivatives peroxynitrite and S-nitrosothiols inactivate mitochondrial complex I, stimulating oxidant production by mitochondria. The phagocyte NADPH oxidase (PHOX) is constitutively expressed by microglia, and we find that H2O2 from PHOX activation is required for inflammatory activation of microglia. Alternatively, superoxide from PHOX can react with NO from iNOS to produce peroxynitrite that induces reversible phosphatidyserine (PS) exposure on neurons, which induces microglia to phagocytose viable neurons. We found inflammatory activation of neuronal-glial co-cultures with LPS, LTA, TNF-αor α-amyloid, or in vivo with LPS results, in progressive loss of neurons, accompanied by microglial phagocytosis of neurons, and is prevented by blocking phagocytosis or knockout of PS-binding adaptor protein MFG-E8. Cell death by primary phagocytosis may constitute a novel form of cell death: ‘phagoptosis’. References M. Fricker, J.J. Neher, J.W. Zhao, C. Thery, A.M. Tolkovsky, G.C. Brown, MFG-E8 mediates primary phagocytosis of viable neurons during neuroinflammation. J Neurosci. 32 (2012) 2657–2666. J.J. Neher, U. Neniskyte, Z.W. Zhao, A. Bal-Price, A.M. Tolkovsky, G.C. Brown, Inhibition of microglial phagocytosis is sufficient to prevent inflammatory neuronal death. J. Immunol. 186 (2011) 4973–4983. G.C. Brown, J.J. Neher, Inflammatory neurodegeneration and mechanisms of microglial killing of neurons. Mol. Neurobiol. 41 (2010) 242–247. G.C. Brown, Nitric oxide and neuronal death. Nitric Oxide 23 (2010) 153–165.

Inflammatory Neurodegeneration and Mechanisms of Microglial Killing of Neurons

Inflammatory neurodegeneration contributes to a wide variety of brain pathologies. A number of mechanisms by which inflammatory-activated microglia and astrocytes kill neurons have been identified in culture. These include: (1) acute activation of the phagocyte NADPH oxidase (PHOX) found in microglia, (2) expression of the inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in glia, and (3) microglial phagocytosis of neurons. Activation of PHOX (by cytokines, beta-amyloid, prion protein, lipopolysaccharide, ATP, or arachidonate) causes microglial proliferation and inflammatory activation; thus, PHOX is a key regulator of inflammation. However, activation of PHOX alone causes little or no death, but when combined with iNOS expression results in apparent apoptosis via peroxynitrite production. Nitric oxide (NO) from iNOS expression also strongly synergizes with hypoxia to induce neuronal death because NO inhibits cytochrome oxidase in competition with oxygen, resulting in glutamate release and excitotoxicity. Finally, microglial phagocytosis of these stressed neurons may contribute to their loss.

Mechanisms of inflammatory neurodegeneration: iNOS and NADPH oxidase

Inflammation contributes to a wide variety of brain pathologies, apparently via glia killing neurons. A number of mechanisms by which inflammatory-activated microglia and astrocytes kill neurons have been identified in culture. These include iNOS (inducible nitric oxide synthase), which is expressed in glia only during inflammation, and PHOX (phagocytic NADPH oxidase) found in microglia and acutely activated by inflammation. High levels of iNOS expression in glia cause (i) NO (nitric oxide) inhibition of neuronal respiration, resulting in neuronal depolarization and glutamate release, followed by excitotoxicity, and (ii) glutamate release from astrocytes via calcium-dependent vesicular release. Hypoxia strongly synergizes with iNOS expression to induce neuronal death via mechanism (i), because NO inhibits cytochrome oxidase in competition with oxygen. Activation of PHOX (by cytokines, beta-amyloid, prion protein, ATP or arachidonate) causes microglial proliferation and inflammatory activation; thus PHOX is a key regulator of inflammation. Activation of PHOX alone causes no death, but when combined with expressed iNOS results in extensive neuronal death via peroxynitrite production.

Nitric oxide from neuronal nitric oxide synthase sensitises neurons to hypoxia‐induced death via competitive inhibition of cytochrome oxidase

Hypoxia/ischaemia is known to trigger neuronal death, but the role of neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) in this process is controversial. Nitric oxide (NO) inhibits cytochrome oxidase in competition with oxygen. We tested whether NO derived from nNOS synergises with hypoxia to induce neuronal death by inhibiting mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase. Sixteen hours of hypoxia (2% oxygen) plus deoxyglucose (an inhibitor of glycolysis) caused extensive, excitotoxic death of neurons in rat cerebellar granule cell cultures. Three different nNOS inhibitors (including the selective inhibitor N-4S-4-amino-5-2-aminoethyl-aminopentyl-N'-nitroguanidine) decreased this neuronal death by half, indicating a contribution of nNOS to hypoxic death. The selective nNOS inhibitor did not, however, block neuronal death induced either by added glutamate or by added azide (an uncompetitive inhibitor of cytochrome oxidase), indicating that nNOS does not act downstream of glutamate or cytochrome oxidase. Hypoxia plus deoxyglucose-induced glutamate release and neuronal depolarisation, and the nNOS inhibitor decreased this. Hypoxia inhibited cytochrome oxidase activity in the cultures, but a selective nNOS inhibitor prevented this inhibition, indicating NO from nNOS was inhibiting cytochrome oxidase in competition with oxygen. These data indicate that hypoxia synergises with NO from nNOS to induce neuronal death via cytochrome oxidase inhibition causing neuronal depolarisation. This mechanism might contribute to ischaemia/stroke-induced neuronal death in vivo.

Differential requirements of calcium for oxoglutarate dehydrogenase and mitochondrial nitric-oxide synthase under hypoxia: Impact on the regulation of mitochondrial oxygen consumption

Studies with isolated mitochondria are performed at artificially high pO 2 (220 to 250 μM oxygen), although this condition is hyperoxic for these organelles. It was the aim of this study to evaluate the effect of hypoxia (20–30 μM) on the calcium-dependent activation of 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase (or 2-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase; OGDH) and mitochondrial nitric-oxide synthase (mtNOS). Mitochondria had a P/O value 15% higher in hypoxia than that in normoxia, indicating that oxidative phosphorylation and electron transfer were more efficiently coupled, whereas the intramitochondrial free calcium concentrations were higher (2–3-fold) at lower pO 2. These increases were abrogated by ruthenium red indicating that the higher uptake via the calcium uniporter was involved in this process. Mitochondria at high calcium concentration microdomains may produce nitric oxide, given the K 0.5 of calcium for OGDH (0.16 μM) and mtNOS (∼1 μM). Nitric oxide, by binding to cytochrome oxidase in competition with oxygen, decreases the rate of oxygen consumption. This condition is highly beneficial for the following reasons: i, these mitochondria are still able to produce ATP and support calcium clearance; ii, it prevents the accumulation of ROS by slowing the rate of oxygen consumption (hence ROS production); iii, the onset of anoxia is delayed, allowing oxygen to diffuse back to these sites, thereby ameliorating the oxygen gradient between regions of high and low calcium concentration. In this way, oxygen depletion at the latter sites is prevented. This, in turn, assures continued aerobic metabolism which may involve the activated dehydrogenases.

NITRIC OXIDE FROM INDUCIBLE NITRIC OXIDE SYNTHASE SENSITIZES THE INFLAMED AORTA TO HYPOXIC DAMAGE VIA RESPIRATORY INHIBITION

We tested whether nitric oxide (NO) could synergize with hypoxia to induce damage to the aorta isolated from rat. We found that 4 h of mild hypoxia (5% O2) caused substantial necrosis of isolated rat aortae (measured as lactate dehydrogenase release) if inducible NO synthase (iNOS) had previously been induced by endotoxin plus interferon-gamma. Mild hypoxia caused no significant necrosis in the absence of this inflammatory activation, and inflammatory activation caused little damage at a higher oxygen levels (21% oxygen). An iNOS inhibitor (1400W) prevented the necrosis induced by inflammation plus mild hypoxia, whereas the NO donor diethylenetriamine (DETA)/NO adduct, 0.5 mM) greatly sensitized the noninflammed aorta to necrosis induced by mild hypoxia. NO inhibited aortic respiration to a greater degree at lower oxygen concentrations, consistent with NO inhibition of cytochrome oxidase in competition with oxygen. A specific inhibitor of mitochondrial respiration, myxothiazol, caused necrosis of aortae over a similar time course to NO. DETA/NO plus mild hypoxia-induced cell death was substantially reduced by a glycolytic intermediate 3-phosphoglycerate, suggesting that necrosis resulted from energy depletion secondary to respiratory inhibition. This NO-induced sensitization of aorta to mild hypoxia may be important in sepsis and other pathologies where iNOS is expressed.

Inhibition of mitochondrial respiration by nitric oxide is independent of membrane fluidity modulation or oxidation of sulfhydryl groups

Nitric oxide (NO) modulates the fluidity of a variety of membranes. Thus, the aim of the present work was to study if the inhibitory effect of NO on mitochondrial respiration is associated with its effects on membrane fluidity. Liver mitochondria and an inner mitochondrial membrane fraction (IMMF) were isolated from male Wistar rats by differential centrifugation. Oxygen consumption was measured polarographically and fluidity by the fluorescence polarization method. S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine (SNAP) was used as a NO donor. It was observed that NO decreased IMMF fluidity and oxygen consumption in a concentration dependent fashion. However, SAM a fluidizing agent that prevented the decrement in fluidity produced by SNAP, failed to preserve oxygen consumption. Protection of sulfhydryl groups with dithiotreitol was utilized to evaluate the role of oxidation of these groups on IMMF respiration. Incubation with dithiotreitol did not preserve IMMF oxygen consumption. The data shown herein suggest that NO inhibits the respiratory chain by a mechanism not involving the modulation of membrane fluidity or the oxidation of sulfhydryl groups. Thus, it seems that the mechanism by which NO modulates mitochondrial respiration is by cytochrome oxidase inhibition, because (as reported by others) low concentrations of NO specifically inhibit reversibly cytochrome oxidase in competition with oxygen.

Nitric oxide, hypoxia and brain inflammation

NO (nitric oxide) acutely and potently inhibits mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase in competition with oxygen, thereby raising the apparent K(M) for oxygen of mitochondria and neurons into the physiological or pathological range. We find that NO from an NO donor or glial inducible NOS (nitric oxide synthase) highly sensitizes neurons to hypoxia-induced death, probably via the NO-oxygen competition at cytochrome oxidase. Thus the NO from neuronal NOS during excitotoxicity or the NO from inducible NOS during inflammation may sensitize the brain to hypoxic/ischaemic damage.

Inflammatory neurodegeneration mediated by nitric oxide, glutamate, and mitochondria.

In inflammatory, infectious, ischemic, and neurodegenerative pathologies of the central nervous system (CNS) glia become "activated" by inflammatory mediators, and express new proteins such as the inducible isoform of nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). Although these activated glia have benefi- cial roles, in vitro they potently kill cocultured neurons, and there is increasing evidence that they contribute to pathology in vivo. Nitric oxide (NO) from iNOS appears to be a key mediator of such glial-induced neuronal death. The high sensitivity of neurons to NO is partly due to NO causing inhibition of respiration, rapid glutamate release from both astrocytes and neurons, and subsequent excitotoxic death of the neurons. NO is a potent inhibitor of mitochondrial respiration, due to reversible binding of NO to cytochrome oxidase in competition with oxygen, resulting in inhibition of energy production and sensitization to hypoxia. Activated astrocytes or microglia cause a potent inhibition of respiration in cocultured neurons due to glial NO inhibiting cytochrome oxidase within the neurons, resulting in ATP depletion and glutamate release. In some conditions, glutamate- induced neuronal death can itself be mediated by N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-receptor activation of the neuronal isoform of NO synthase (nNOS) causing mitochondrial damage. In addition NO can be converted to a number of reactive derivatives such as peroxynitrite, NO2, N2O3, and S-nitrosothiols that can kill cells in part by inhibiting mitochondrial respiration or activation of mitochondrial permeability transition, triggering neuronal apoptosis or necrosis.

Nitric oxide as a competitive inhibitor of oxygen consumption in the mitochondrial respiratory chain.

Nitric oxide (NO) and its derivatives inhibit mitochondrial respiration by various means. The author and others have shown that low (nanomolar) concentrations of NO immediately, specifically and reversibly inhibit cytochrome oxidase in competition with oxygen, in isolated cytochrome oxidase, mitochondria, nerve terminals, cultured cells and tissues. Primary astrocytes and a macrophage cell line, activated by cytokines and endotoxin to express the inducible isoform of NO synthase, strongly and reversibly inhibited their own respiration and that of co-incubated cells by this means. Primary aortic endothelial cells transiently inhibited their own respiration when NO production was acutely stimulated with bradykinin or ATP, and basal NO release increased the apparent Km for oxygen of respiration in these cells. Thus the NO inhibition of cytochrome oxidase may be involved in the physiological and/or pathological regulation of respiration rate and its affinity for oxygen.

Nitric oxide, cytochrome c and mitochondria.

Nitric oxide (NO) and its derivative, peroxynitrite (ONOO-), inhibit mitochondrial respiration, and this inhibition may contribute to both the physiological and cytotoxic actions of NO. Nanomolar concentrations of NO rapidly and reversibly inhibited cytochrome oxidase in competition with oxygen, as shown with isolated cytochrome oxidase, mitochondria, brain nerve terminals and cells. Cultured astrocytes and macrophages activated (by cytokines and endotoxin) to express the inducible form of NO synthase produced up to 1 microM NO, and inhibited their own respiration and that of co-incubated cells via reversible NO inhibition of cytochrome oxidase. NO-induced inhibition of respiration in brain nerve terminals resulted in rapid glutamate release, which might contribute to the neurotoxicity of NO. NO inhibition of cytochrome oxidase is reversible; however, incubation of cells with NO donors for 4 hours resulted in an inhibition of complex I, which was reversible by light and thiol reagents and may be due to nitrosylation of thiols in complex I. NO also caused the acute inhibition of catalase, stimulation of hydrogen peroxide production by mitochondria, and reaction with hydrogen peroxide on superoxide dismutase to produce peroxynitrite. Peroxynitrite inhibited complexes I, II and V (the ATP synthase), aconitase, creatine kinase, and increases the proton leak in isolated mitochondria. Peroxynitrite also caused opening of the permeability transition pore, resulting in the release of cytochrome c, which might then trigger apoptosis. Hypoxia/ischaemia also resulted in an acute reversible inhibition of cytochrome oxidase. Heart ischaemia caused the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria into the cytosol, and at the same time caspase-3-like-protease activity was activated in the cytoplasm. Addition of cytochrome c to non-ischaemic cytosol also caused activation of this protease activity, suggesting that caspase activation and consequent apoptosis is at least partly a result of this cytochrome c release.

Nitric oxide causes glutamate release from brain synaptosomes.

We determined the ability of pathological levels of nitric oxide (NO) to cause glutamate release from isolated rat brain nerve terminals using a fluorometric assay. It was found that NO (0.7 and 2 microM) produced (4 and 10 nmol/mg of synaptosomal protein) Ca2+-independent glutamate release from synaptosomes (after 1 min of exposure). Spermine/NO complex (spermine NONOate; a slow NO donor) and potassium cyanide (an inhibitor of cytochrome oxidase) also caused Ca2+-independent glutamate release. Preincubation of synaptosomes with 5 microM 1H-[1,2,4]oxadiazole[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one (an inhibitor of soluble guanylyl cyclase) had no effect on NO-induced Ca2+-independent glutamate release. Ca2+-independent glutamate release produced by NO was greater in a low-oxygen medium. NO, spermine NONOate, and potassium cyanide inhibited synaptosomal respiration with a similar order of potency with respect to their ability to cause glutamate release. Because NO has been shown previously to inhibit reversibly cytochrome oxidase in competition with oxygen, our findings in this study suggest that NO (and cyanide) causes glutamate release following inhibition of mitochondrial respiration at the level of cytochrome oxidase. Thus, elevated NO production leading to mitochondrial dysfunction, glutamate release, and excitotoxicty may contribute to neuronal death in neurological diseases.