Dysregulation of Ca 2+ signaling following oxidative stress is an important pathophysiological mechanism of many chronic neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer's Disease, agerelated macular degeneration, glaucomatous and diabetic retinopathies. However, the underlying mechanisms of disturbed intracellular Ca 2+ signaling remain largely unknown. We here describe a novel mechanism for increased intracellular Ca 2+ release following oxidative stress in a neuronal cell line. Using an experimental approach that included quantitative polymerase chain reaction, quantitative immunoblotting, microfluorimetry and the optical imaging of intracellular Ca 2+ release, we show that sub-lethal tert-butyl hydroperoxide-mediated oxidative stress result in a selective up-regulation of type-2 inositol-1,4,5,-trisphophate receptors. This oxidative stress mediated change was detected both at the transcriptional and translational level and functionally resulted in increased Ca 2+ release into the nucleoplasm from the membranes of the nuclear envelope at a given receptor-specific stimulus. Our data describe a novel source of Ca 2+ dysregulation induced by oxidative stress with potential relevance for differential subcellular Ca 2+ signaling specifically within the nucleus and the development of novel neuroprotective strategies in neurodegenerative disorders.

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The polycystin family of transient receptor potential (TRP) channels form Ca2+ regulated cation channels with distinct subcellullar localizations and functions. As part of heteromultimeric channels and multi-protein complexes, polycystins control intracellular Ca2+ signals and more generally the translation of extracellular signals and stimuli to intracellular responses. Polycystin-2 channels have been cloned from retina, but their distribution and function in retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) have not yet been established. In the present study, we determined cellular and subcellular localization as well as functional properties of polycystin-2 channels in RGCs. Polycystin-2 expression and distribution in RGCs was assessed by immunohistochemistry on vertical cryostat section of mouse retina as well as primary cultured mouse RGCs, using fluorescence microscopy. Biophysical and pharmacological properties of polycystin-2 channels isolated from primary cultured RGCs were determined using planar lipid bilayer electrophysiology. We detected polycystin-2 immunoreactivity both in the ganglion cell layer as well as in primary cultured RGCs. Subcellular analysis revealed strong cytosolic localization pattern of polycystin-2. Polycystin-2 channel current was Ca2+ activated, had a maximum slope conductance of 114 pS and could be blocked in a dose-dependent manner by increasing concentrations of Mg2+. The cytosolic localization of polycystin-2 in RGCs is in accordance with its function as intracellular Ca2+ release channel. We conclude that polycystin-2 forms functional channels in RGCs, of which biophysical and pharmacological properties are similar to polycystin-2 channels reported for other tissues and organisms. Our data suggest a potential role for polycystin-2 in RGC Ca2+ signaling.

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