calcimycin and 3-methyladenine

Wallerian degeneration of the CNS is accompanied by axonal dystrophy or swelling. To understand the mechanisms by which swellings arise, we studied their spatiotemporal dynamics, ultrastructure, composition, and the conditions that affect their formation in vivo and ex vivo. In contrast to peripheral nerve axons, lesioned optic nerve (ON) axons in vivo developed focal swellings asynchronously within 6 hours, long before there is any axon fragmentation. Axons in ON, spinal cord dorsal column, and corpus callosum all showed marked gradients with more swellings in proximal regions of their distal stumps early after lesion. Time-lapse imaging of a validated ex vivo system showed that multiple focal swellings arise after around 1 hour close to the injury site, followed by anterograde wave-like progression on continuous ON axon stumps. Swellings were largely stable but occasionally seemed to fuse with neighboring swellings. Their ultrastructural appearances resembled disease-associated spheroids. Although accumulation of axonal markers suggested transport deficits, large accumulations of mitochondria were not observed. Early swelling formation was decreased in Wld gene-expressing rodents and by removing extracellular calcium. Several pharmacologic agents that inhibit axon loss in vitro and/or in vivo also prevented early formation of axonal spheroids in acute ON explants. Because axonal swellings are hallmarks of many neurodegenerative conditions, these data suggest that they are a manifestation of Wallerian-like degeneration in some cases. Thus, Wallerian-like degeneration may be a more common component mechanism in CNS diseases than previously thought.

Topics: Adenine; Animals; Axons; Axotomy; Calcimycin; Central Nervous System; Disease Models, Animal; Enzyme Inhibitors; Gene Expression Regulation; In Vitro Techniques; Ionophores; Luminescent Proteins; Lysosomal-Associated Membrane Protein 2; Mice; Mice, Transgenic; Microscopy, Confocal; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; Mitochondria; Nerve Tissue Proteins; Neural Pathways; Optic Nerve; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Rats, Transgenic; Time Factors; Wallerian Degeneration

Calcium-dependent regulation of intracellular protein degradation was studied in isolated rat skeletal muscles incubated in vitro in the presence of a large variety of agents known to affect calcium movement and distribution. A23187, KC1, sucrose, and 8-(diethylamino)octyl-3,4, 5-trimethoxybenzoate hydrochloride increase proteolysis while tetracaine, verapamil, and low extracellular calcium caused significant decreases. Additionally, dantrolene decreases proteolysis in the presence of depolarizing levels of potassium, while it has no effect on degradation in normal media. The dose dependence of calcium ionophore A23187 on proteolysis and contracture tension are parallel. Furthermore, excess KC1 and hypertonic solutions increased protein degradation at doses reported to cause tension. Thus, the parallel increase in proteolysis and tension in response to various agents supports the hypothesis that protein degradation in muscle is regulated by calcium. To determine the responsible proteolytic systems involved in calcium-dependent degradation, the effect of different classes of protease inhibitors was tested. Addition of the inhibitors leupeptin and E-64-c blocked the A23187-induced increase in degradation. Since proteases sensitive to these agents are present in both the sarcoplasm and lysosomes, known lysosomotropic agents, methylamine and chloroquine, as well as 3-methyladenine, a specific autophagy inhibitor, were used in combination with A23187. These agents did not inhibit calcium ionophore-induced proteolysis, although these three agents selectively inhibited enhanced degradation seen in the absence of insulin, demonstrating an autophagic/lysosomal pathway in these muscles. Thus, our results suggest that nonlysosomal leupeptin- and E-64-c-sensitive proteases are responsible for calcium-dependent proteolysis in muscle.

Topics: Adenine; Animals; Calcimycin; Calcium; Calcium Channel Blockers; Cytosol; Dantrolene; Female; Gallic Acid; In Vitro Techniques; Mersalyl; Methylamines; Muscle Proteins; Muscles; Potassium Chloride; Prostaglandins; Protease Inhibitors; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains