Blockade of RyRs in the ER Attenuates 6-OHDA-Induced Calcium Overload, Cellular Hypo-Excitability and Apoptosis in Dopaminergic Neurons

Calcium (Ca(2+)) dyshomeostasis induced by endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is an important molecular mechanism of selective dopaminergic (DA) neuron loss in Parkinson’s disease (PD). Inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate receptors (IP(3)Rs) and ryanodine receptors (RyRs), which are located on the ER surface, are the main endogenous Ca(2+) release channels and play crucial roles in regulating Ca(2+) homeostasis. However, the roles of these endogenous Ca(2+) release channels in PD and their effects on the function and survival of DA neurons remain unknown. In this study, using a 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced in vitro PD model (SN4741 Cell line), we found that 6-OHDA significantly increased cytoplasmic Ca(2+) levels ([Ca2+](i)), which was attenuated by pretreatment with 4-phenyl butyric acid (4-PBA; an ER stress inhibitor) or ryanodine (a RyRs blocker). In addition, in acute midbrain slices of male Sprague-Dawley rats, we found that 6-OHDA reduced the spike number and rheobase of DA neurons, which were also reversed by pretreatment with 4-PBA and ryanodine. TUNEL staining and MTT assays also showed that 4-PBA and ryanodine obviously alleviated 6-OHDA-induced cell apoptosis and devitalization. Interestingly, a IP(3)Rs blocker had little effect on the above 6-OHDA-induced neurotoxicity in DA neurons. In conclusion, our findings provide evidence of the different roles of IP(3)Rs and RyRs in the regulation of endogenous Ca(2+) homeostasis, neuronal excitability, and viability in DA neurons, and suggest a potential therapeutic strategy for PD by inhibiting the RyRs Ca(2+) channels in the ER.