Neuronal acid-induced [Zn²⁺]i elevations calibrated using the low-affinity ratiometric probe FuraZin-1

The experiments were carried out on primary cultures of murine cortical neurons from cryopreserved preparations obtained from embryonic-day-16 fetuses. To calibrate acid-induced intracelluar [Zn(2+) ] ([Zn(2+) ]i ) elevations, a low affinity (Kd = 39 μM at pH 6.1) ratiometric Zn(2+) probe, FuraZin-1, was used. A pHi drop from 7.2 to 6.1 caused [Zn(2+) ]i elevations reaching 2 μM; when the thiol-reactive agent N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) was subsequently applied, [Zn(2+) ]i increased further to 5.6 μM; analogous acid- and NEM-induced [Zn(2+) ]i elevations could also be detected but not calibrated, using the high affinity Zn(2+) probe FluoZin-3. The data indicate that NEM causes Zn(2+) release from ligands that chelate Zn(2+) at pH 6.1. ATP could also chelate Zn(2+) at pH 6.1 because its pKa is about 6.8. Therefore, it was tested whether an ATP depletion affects the acid-induced [Zn(2+) ]i elevations. The ATP depletion was induced by inhibiting mitochondrial and glycolytic ATP production. Interestingly, an almost complete ATP depletion (confirmed using a luciferin/luciferase assay) failed to affect the acid-induced [Zn(2+) ]i increases. These data suggest that the total amount of Zn(2+) accumulated in intracellular ATP-dependent stores (Zn(2+) -ATP complexes and organelles that accumulate Zn(2+) in an ATP-dependent manner) is negligible compared to the amount of Zn(2+) accumulated in the acid-sensitive intracellular ligands. In vitro, upon acidification, Zn(2+) -cysteine complexes release Zn(2+) and ATP chelates the released Zn(2+) . However, in vivo (cultured neurons), an ATP depletion failed to enhance acid-induced [Zn(2+) ]i elevations. These [Zn(2+) ]i elevations were calibrated using a low affinity ratiometric probe FuraZin-1; they reached 2 µM levels and increased to 5 µM when a thiol-reactive agent, N-ethylmaleimide, compromised Zn(2+) binding by cysteines.