Chronic expression of RCAN1-1L protein induces mitochondrial autophagy and metabolic shift from oxidative phosphorylation to glycolysis in neuronal cells

Gennady Ermak, Sonal Sojitra, Fei Yin, Enrique Cadenas, Ana Maria Cuervo, Kelvin J.A. Davies

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

61 Scopus citations

Abstract

Expression of the RCAN1 gene can be induced by multiple stresses. RCAN1 proteins (RCAN1s) have both protective and harmful effects and are implicated in common human pathologies. The mechanisms by which RCAN1s function, however, remain poorly understood.Weidentify RCAN1s as regulators of mitochondrial autophagy (mitophagy) and demonstrate that induction of RCAN1-1L can cause dramatic degradation of mitochondria. The mechanisms of such degradation involve the adenine nucleotide translocator and mitochondrial permeability transition pore opening. We also demonstrate that RCAN1-1L induction can shift cellular bioenergetics from aerobic respiration to glycolysis, yet RCAN1-1L has very little effect on cell division, whereas it has a cumulative negative effect on cell survival. These results shed the light on mechanisms by which RCAN1s can protect or harm cells and by which they may operate in human pathologies. They also suggest that RCAN1s are important players in autophagy and such elusive phenomena as the mitochondrial permeability transition pore.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)14088-14098
Number of pages11
JournalJournal of Biological Chemistry
Volume287
Issue number17
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 20 2012
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Biochemistry
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cell Biology

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