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NAIP interacts with hippocalcin and protects neurons against calcium-induced cell death through caspase-3-dependent

E A Mercer1, L Korhonen, Y Skoglösa

  • 1Department of Neuroscience, Neurobiology, Box 587, Biomedical Centre, Uppsala University, S-751 23 Uppsala, Sweden.

The EMBO Journal
|July 19, 2000
PubMed

Insights

Neuronal apoptosis inhibitory protein (NAIP) and hippocalcin protect neurons from calcium-induced cell death. Their synergistic interaction, mediated by NAIP

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cell Biology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Inhibitor-of-apoptosis proteins (IAPs) regulate cell death pathways.
  • The specific mechanism of neuronal apoptosis inhibitory protein (NAIP) in cell death inhibition remains unclear.
  • Understanding NAIP's function is crucial for neuroprotection research.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the mechanism by which NAIP inhibits neuronal cell death.
  • To investigate the interaction between NAIP and hippocalcin in neuronal survival.
  • To determine the role of calcium in NAIP-hippocalcin interaction and neuroprotection.

Main Methods:

  • Investigated NAIP's interaction with hippocalcin using calcium-dependent binding assays.
  • Utilized neuronal cell lines (NSC-34, Neuro-2a) to study cell death.
  • Assessed neuroprotection by over-expressing NAIP domains (NAIP-BIR1-3) and hippocalcin.
  • Analyzed caspase-3 activity following calcium-induced stress.

Main Results:

  • NAIP's BIR3 domain binds hippocalcin, a process enhanced by calcium.
  • Over-expression of NAIP-BIR1-3 and hippocalcin synergistically protected neurons against calcium-induced cell death.
  • Co-expression of NAIP-BIR1-3 and hippocalcin significantly improved neuronal survival compared to individual over-expression.
  • NAIP and hippocalcin confer protection through both caspase-3-dependent and independent pathways.

Conclusions:

  • NAIP, via its BIR3 domain, interacts with hippocalcin to promote neuronal survival.
  • Calcium plays a key role in mediating the neuroprotective interaction between NAIP and hippocalcin.
  • This synergistic interaction offers a novel therapeutic target for neurodegenerative conditions involving calcium dysregulation.

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