Translocation of apoptosis-inducing factor in cerebellar granule cells exposed to neurotoxic agents inducing oxidative stress

• Published in: The European journal of neuroscience Vol. 16; no. 10; pp. 2013 - 2016
• Main Authors: Fonfría, E., Daré, E., Benelli, M., Suñol, C., Ceccatelli, S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Science, Ltd 01.11.2002
• Subjects: Animals; Apoptosis; Apoptosis Inducing Factor; Cell Culture Techniques; Cell Nucleus - metabolism; Cerebellum - cytology; Cerebellum - drug effects; Cerebellum - metabolism; chromatin rearrangement; DNA Fragmentation; Flavoproteins - drug effects; Flavoproteins - metabolism; Granulocytes - drug effects; Granulocytes - metabolism; Granulocytes - ultrastructure; hydrogen peroxide; Hydrogen Peroxide - adverse effects; Medicin och hälsovetenskap; Membrane Proteins - drug effects; Membrane Proteins - metabolism; methylmercury; Methylmercury Compounds - adverse effects; Mitochondria - metabolism; Oxidants - adverse effects; Oxidative Stress; rat; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley
• ISSN: 0953-816X; 1460-9568
• DOI: 10.1046/j.1460-9568.2002.02269.x

We have previously shown that the neurotoxic compounds colchicine, methylmercury (MeHg) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) cause apoptosis in primary cultures of cerebellar granule cells (CGC), characterized by nuclear condensation and high‐molecular weight DNA fragmentation. However, only colchicine triggers the activation of caspases, suggesting that factors other than caspase‐activated DNase (CAD) are responsible for DNA cleavage in the other two models. Here we report that the two agents that cause oxidative stress, MeHg (1 µm) and H2O2 (50 µm), induce translocation of apoptosis‐inducing factor (AIF) from the mitochondria to the nucleus in CGC. Our data suggest that, in absence of caspase activity, AIF translocation could be a key event leading to chromatin condensation and DNA degradation in CGC exposed to MeHg and H2O2.