Effect of Peripheral Benzodiazepine Receptor (PBR/TSPO) Ligands on Opening of Ca²⁺-Induced Pore and Phosphorylation of 3.5-kDa Polypeptide in Rat Brain Mitochondria

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O. V. Krestinina¹, D. E. Grachev¹, I. V. Odinokova¹, G. Reiser², Yu. V. Evtodienko¹, and T. S. Azarashvili^1*

¹Institute of Theoretical and Experimental Biophysics, Russian Academy of Sciences, 142290 Pushchino, Moscow Region, Russia; fax: (4967) 33-0553; E-mail: tazarash@rambler.ru

²Institute of Neurobiochemistry, Otto-von-Guericke University, Department of Medicine, 39120 Magdeburg, Germany; fax: (49391) 67-13097

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed.

Received November 1, 2007; Revision received May 8, 2008

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The effect of nanomolar concentrations of PBR/TSPO ligands—Ro 5-4864, PK11195, and PPIX—on Ca²⁺-induced permeability transition pore (PTP) opening in isolated rat brain mitochondria was investigated. PBR/TSPO agonist Ro 5-4864 (100 nM) and endogenous ligand PPIX (1 µM) were shown to stimulate PTP opening, while antagonist PK11195 (100 nM) suppressed this process. Correlation between PBR ligand action on PTP opening and phosphorylation of a 3.5 kDa polypeptide was investigated. In intact brain mitochondria, incorporation of [γ-³²P]ATP into 3.5 kDa peptide was decreased in the presence of Ro 5-4864 and PPIX and increased in the presence of PK11195. At threshold Ca²⁺ concentrations leading to PTP opening, PBR/TSPO ligands were found to stimulate dephosphorylation of the 3.5 kDa peptide. Specific anti-PBR/TSPO antibody prevented both PTP opening and dephosphorylation of the 3.5-kDa peptide. The peptide was identified as subunit c of F_oF₁-ATPase by Western blot using specific anti-subunit c antibody. The results suggest that subunit c of F_oF₁-ATPase could be an additional target for PBR/TSPO ligands action, is subjected to Ca²⁺- and TSPO-dependent phosphorylation/dephosphorylation, and is involved in PTP operation in mitochondria.

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KEY WORDS: brain mitochondria, peripheral benzodiazepine receptor, permeability transition pore, F_oF₁-ATPase subunit c, PBR/TSPO

DOI: 10.1134/S0006297909040105

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