Exposure of Cultured Hippocampal Neurons to the Mitochondrial Uncoupler CCCP Induces a Rapid Growth of Dendritic Processes

• DOI: 10.20944/preprints202308.0380.v1
• Publication Date: 2023-08-07T01:12:22Z
• Authors: Lilia Kushnireva; Eduard Korkotian; Menahem Segal
• Keywords: Uniporter; Orai1

A major route for influx of calcium ions into neurons uses the STIM-Orai1 voltage-independent channel. Once cytosolic ([Ca2+]i) elevates, it activates mitochondrial and endoplasmic stores, to affect downstream molecular pathways. In present study we employed a novel drug, Carbonyl Cyanide Chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP), uncoupler, explore role mitochondria in cultured neuronal morphology. CCCP caused sustained elevation [Ca2+]i and, quite surprisingly, massive increase density dendritic filopodia spines affected neurons. This morphological change can be prevented cultures ex-posed calcium-free medium, Orai1 antagonist 2APB, or cells transfected with domi-nant-negative plasmid. It is suggested that through calcium, cause rapid growth processes