Calbindin-D(28k) buffers intracellular calcium and promotes resistance to degeneration in PC12 cells

Anne McMahon, Brendan S. Wong, Anthony M. Iacopino, May C. Ng, Susan Chi, Dwight C. German

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

79 Scopus citations

Abstract

The calcium-binding protein calbindin-D(28k) (CB) has been hypothesized to function, in part, as a neuroprotective protein. CB is localized within nerve cells that are often less vulnerable to degeneration in patients with Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease, and cells containing CB can buffer intracellular calcium concentrations ([Ca2+](i). The present study was designed to directly test the hypothesis that CB can protect cells from degeneration by reducing [Ca2+](i). PC12 cells, transfected to express different levels of CB, were found to be significantly less vulnerable to degeneration caused by serum withdrawal, glutamate, and the neurotoxin 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+). However, CB did not protect cells from degeneration caused by the calcium ionophore A23187. CB-transfected cells exhibited reduced elevations in [Ca2+](i) following treatment with bradykinin, or ATP compared to non-CB-containing cells. These data indicate that CB can protect cells from degeneration caused by certain conditions, and it reduces elevations in [Ca2+](i) caused by influx from extracellular sources.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)56-63
Number of pages8
JournalMolecular Brain Research
Volume54
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 1998

Keywords

  • A23187
  • Calcium imaging
  • Glutamate
  • Serum withdrawal

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Molecular Biology
  • Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience

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