Preconditioning of the brain induces tolerance to the damaging effects of ischemia and prevents cell death in ischemic penumbra. The development of this phenomenon is mediated by mitochondrial adenosine triphosphate-sensitive potassium (K+ATP) channels and nitric oxide signalling (NO). The aim of this study was to investigate the dynamics of molecular changes in mitochondria after ischemic preconditioning (IP) and the effect of pharmacological preconditioning (PhP) with the K+ATP-channels opener diazoxide on NO levels after ischemic stroke in rats. Immunofluorescence-histochemistry and laser-confocal microscopy were applied to evaluate the cortical expression of electron transport chain enzymes, mitochondrial K+ATP-channels, neuronal and inducible NO-synthases, as well as the dynamics of nitrosylation and nitration of proteins in rats during the early and delayed phases of IP. NO cerebral content was studied with electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy using spin trapping. We found that 24 hours after IP in rats, there is a two-fold decrease in expression of mitochondrial K+ATP-channels (p= 0.012) in nervous tissue, a comparable increase in expression of cytochrome c oxidase (p = 0.008), and a decrease in intensity of protein S-nitrosylation and nitration (p = 0.0004 and p = 0.001, respectively). PhP led to a 56% reduction of free NO concentration 72 hours after ischemic stroke simulation (p = 0.002). We attribute this result to the restructuring of tissue energy metabolism, namely the provision of increased catalytic sites to mitochondria and the increased elimination of NO, which prevents a decrease in cell sensitivity to oxygen during subsequent periods of severe ischemia.

Molecular Bases of Brain Preconditioning.

The natural phenolic peperobtusin A induces apoptosis of lymphoma U937 cells via the Caspase dependent and p38 MAPK signaling pathways.

The opportunity of Ca2+-sensitive fluorescent dye Fluo-4 AM and spectrofluorimetry method application for the study of energy-dependent Ca2+ accumulation in mitochondria from uterus smooth muscle is proved. It has been found that the presence of mitochondrial preparation increases time-dependent fluorescent response considerably and this effect depends on Ca2+ concentration in the medium. Thus, in these conditions, deesterification active probe is formed which is sensitive to Ca2+. It is shown that the accumulation of calcium ions in mitochondria in the presence of Mg-ATP and succinate depends on exogenous Ca2+ concentration and is characterized by substrate saturating. The apparent activation constant of Ca2+ accumulation is 53.9 +/- 6.9 mM, which corresponds to the physiological concentration of the cation in the cell next to mitochondria. Transit addition of Ca2+-ionophore A23187 to the incubation me- dium caused a rapid release of ionized cation from mitochondria. When proton gradient on the inner mitochondrial membrane is dissipated by protonophore CCCP, in the case of suppressing the generation of the gradient by oligomycin and in the presence of ruthenium red that inhibits Ca2+ mitochondrial accumulation systems, Ca2+ entry is significantly reduced. The results indicate the prospects of using Fluo-4 AM to study the properties of the Ca2+ accumulation system in isolated mitochondria of the myometrium.

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[Ca2+ accumulation study in isolated smooth muscle mitochondria using fluo-4 AM].

Modern data on biochemical patterns of nitric oxide biosynthesis in mammal cells from l-arginine in normoxic conditions is described. The attention of the authors is given to the results of the recent years on the structure and regulation features isoforms of No-synthase. The emphasis is put on the latest conception of the compartmentalization of certain isoforms of these enzymes in cells and on the possibility of the directed transport of nitric oxide in the vascular wall. The central place in the review is devoted to issues on the endogenous formation of NO in mitochondria and its potential physiological significance. Our own results on the identification of NO in mitochondria of the uterine smooth muscle, biochemical characteristics of this process and NO possible role in Са2+ transport regulation by organelles are presented and discussed.

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The biosynthesis of nitric oxide from L-arginine. Nitric oxide formation features and its functional role in mitochondria

We prove the feasibility of evaluation of mitochondrial electron transport chain function in isolated mitochondria of smooth muscle cells of rats from uterus using fluorescence of NADH and FAD coenzymes. We found the inversely directed changes in FAD and NADH fluorescence intensity under normal functioning of mitochondrial electron transport chain. The targeted effect of inhibitors of complex I, III and IV changed fluorescence of adenine nucleotides. Rotenone (5 μM) induced rapid increase in NADH fluorescence due to inhibition of complex I, without changing in dynamics of FAD fluorescence increase. Antimycin A, a complex III inhibitor, in concentration of 1 μg/ml caused sharp increase in NADH fluorescence and moderate increase in FAD fluorescence in comparison to control. NaN3 (5 mM), a complex IV inhibitor, and CCCP (10 μM), a protonophore, caused decrease in NADH and FAD fluorescence. Moreover, all the inhibitors caused mitochondria swelling. NO donors, e.g. 0.1 mM sodium nitroprusside and sodium nitrite similarly to the effects of sodium azide. Energy-dependent Ca2+ accumulation in mitochondrial matrix (in presence of oxidation substrates and Mg-ATP2- complex) is associated with pronounced drop in NADH and FAD fluorescence followed by increased fluorescence of adenine nucleotides, which may be primarily due to Ca2+- dependent activation of dehydrogenases of citric acid cycle. Therefore, the fluorescent signal of FAD and NADH indicates changes in oxidation state of these nucleotides in isolated mitochondria, which may be used to assay the potential of effectors of electron transport chain.

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Evaluation of functioning of mitochondrial electron transport chain with NADH and FAD autofluorescence

The influence of modulators of calcium exchange in mitochondria--oligomycin, Mg2+ and ruthenium red (RuR)--on the myometrium mitochondria size and granularity was studied in the work. The study of the mitochondria size was carried out using the photon correlation spectroscopy. It was shown that the average hydrodynamic diameter was 655 +/- 14 nm (n = 5; control). The addition of oligomycin (1 microg/ml)--the inhibitor of ATP-synthase F0-component, increases the mitochondria average hydrodynamic diameter to 913 +/- 75 nm (n = 5), that is by 39% more than the control. In the presence of RuR (10 microM) (Ca2(+)-uniporter inhibitor) and Mg2+ (7 mM) the mitochondria average hydrodynamic diameter increases to 788 +/- 28 and 788 +/- 38 nm (n = 5) respectively, that is by 17% more than the control. Using flow cytometry it was shown, that oligomycin (1 microg/ml) causes the increase of side scattering of the mitochondria. Addition of RuR (10 microM) and Mg2+ (7 mM) does not lead to significant changes in side scattering of the mitochondria. So it was shown that oligomycin significantly increases mitochondria granularity, but Mg2+ and RuR have no influence on this parameter

Modulators of transmembrane calcium exchange in myometrium mitochondria change their hydrodynamic diameter

The effect of nitrosactive compounds (sodium nitroprusside and sodium nitrite) on the polarization level of the uterus myocytes inner mitochondrial membrane using the confocal laser microscopy and fluorescent probe potentialsensitive DiOC6(3) (3,3'-dihexyloxacarbocyanine) was ivestigated Colocalisation of mitochondrial membranes specific fluorescent probes (MitoTracker Orange CM-H2TMRos, 10 - nonyl acridine orange and DiOC6(3)) was demonstrated It was shown that sodium nitroprusside at 01 mM concentration caused a moderate decrease in mitochondrial transmembrane potential That observation was confirmed by flow cytometry Action efficiency of sodium nitrite in a similar concentration was significantly lower than that of sodium nitroprusside It is shown that it was sodium nitroprusside which caused a slight swelling of the mitochondria A possible protecting role of nitric oxide as to mitochondria was discussed

Investigation of nitrosactive compounds influence on polarization of the mitochondrial inner membrane in the rat uterus myocytes using potential sensitive fluorescent probe DiOC6(3)

By using photon correlation spectroscopy the effect of contractile activity modulators of smooth muscle to the size (diameter) of rats uterine muscle cells was investigated. Cells were studied by using laser confocal microscopy as objects mostly oval or nearly oval form. The diameter of myocytes, assessed by photon correlation spectroscopy, was amounted 7-10 microm which is Consistent with the results obtained by using laser confocal microscopy. It is shown that the myoconstricted agents as Ca2+ ionophore A-23187 (10 microM) and K(+)-channels inhibitors (tetraethylammonium and 4-aminopyridine in a concentration of 1 mM) leading to decrease the diameter of the cells by 22%, 12% and 24% in average respectively. The ouabain, that reduces contractile activity of smooth muscle, leads to increase this parameter up 23% from control. Thus, decreasing/increasing the diameter of uterine myocytes correlates with their well known influence on myometrium constriction/relaxation.

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Investigation of the changes in uterine myocytes size depending on contractile activity modulators by photon correlation spectroscopy

Mitochondrial ATP-sensitive potassium channel (mitoKATP) is a main factor of regulation of K+ exchange in mitochondria. Using photon correlation spectroscopy we have shown diazoxide-induced increase of hydrodynamic diameter of mitochondrial particles from the rat myometrium. Selective channel blocker glybenclamide partially eliminates this effect. By means of Rhodamine-123 fluorescence it was shown that activation of ATP-sensitive K(+)-channel in mitochondria caused partial depolarization of the mitochondrial membrane. This effect was absolutely blocked by glybenclamide. In the presence of valinomycine and diazoxide together, depolarization also was detected, but in this case glybenclamide failed to restore mitochondrial potential. Thus, activation of mitoKATP from the rat myometrium causes the increase of the hydrodynamic diameter of organelles and partial depolarization of the inner membrane.

[Effect of mitochondrial ATP-dependent potassium channel effectors diazoxide and glybenclamide on hydrodynamic diameter and membrane potential of the myometrial mitochondria].

The effect of divalent cations--Co2+, Cu2+, Mn2+ and Ni2+ (5 mM) on the activity of actomyosin complex ATPase and ATPase of subfragment-1 (S1,head) of myosin from smooth muscle of the uterus was studied. It has been shown that Co2+, Mn2+ and Ni2+ inhibited, while Cu2+ activates the enzyme activity of both actomyosin and myosin S1. Mg and Mn ions had practically no effect on the emission intensity of eosin Y associated with actomyosin, while one could observe the most marked suppression of emission of related fluorescent probe in the presence of Cu cations and less pronounced suppression in the presence of Co2+. In the presence of Mn, Co and Ni cations the average hydrodynamic diameter (HD) of actomyosin complex and of subfragment-1 of the smooth muscle of the uterus is virtually identical to the HD in the presence of Mg2+. In the presence of Cu cations there is a considerable (ten-fold) increase in the size of the protein particles that may be a result of their aggregation. The results obtained evidence for the significant changes in the structure and function of the actomyosin complex of the myometrium in the presence of heavy metals and allow us to assume that the target of the effect of these metals on the contractile proteins is a subfragment-1 of myosin, where the active site of ATPase and actin-binding sites are localized.

Chunikhin OIu

Papers

Modulators of transmembrane calcium exchange in myometrium mitochondria change their hydrodynamic diameter

Investigation of nitrosactive compounds influence on polarization of the mitochondrial inner membrane in the rat uterus myocytes using potential sensitive fluorescent probe DiOC6(3)

Investigation of the changes in uterine myocytes size depending on contractile activity modulators by photon correlation spectroscopy

[Effect of mitochondrial ATP-dependent potassium channel effectors diazoxide and glybenclamide on hydrodynamic diameter and membrane potential of the myometrial mitochondria].

[Influence of heavy metal ions on the ATPase activity of actomyosin complex and myosin subfragment-1 from smooth muscle of the uterus].