Photo-induction and automated quantification of reversible mitochondrial permeability transition pore opening in primary mouse myotubes

PLoS One. 2014 Nov 25;9(11):e114090. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0114090. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

Opening of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP) is involved in various cellular processes including apoptosis induction. Two distinct states of mPTP opening have been identified allowing the transfer of molecules with a molecular weight <1500 Da or <300 Da. The latter state is considered to be reversible and suggested to play a role in normal cell physiology. Here we present a strategy combining live-cell imaging and computer-assisted image processing allowing spatial visualization and quantitative analysis of reversible mPTP openings ("ΔΨ flickering") in primary mouse myotubes. The latter were stained with the photosensitive cation TMRM, which partitions between the cytosol and mitochondrial matrix as a function of mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨ). Controlled illumination of TMRM-stained primary mouse myotubes induced ΔΨ flickering in particular parts of the cell ("flickering domains"). A novel quantitative automated analysis was developed and validated to detect and quantify the frequency, size, and location of individual ΔΨ flickering events in myotubes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cyclosporine / pharmacology
  • Female
  • Light*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mitochondrial Membrane Transport Proteins / drug effects
  • Mitochondrial Membrane Transport Proteins / physiology
  • Mitochondrial Membrane Transport Proteins / radiation effects*
  • Mitochondrial Permeability Transition Pore
  • Muscle Fibers, Skeletal / drug effects
  • Muscle Fibers, Skeletal / physiology
  • Muscle Fibers, Skeletal / radiation effects*
  • Oligomycins / pharmacology

Substances

  • Mitochondrial Membrane Transport Proteins
  • Mitochondrial Permeability Transition Pore
  • Oligomycins
  • oligomycin A
  • Cyclosporine

Grants and funding

This research was supported by an equipment grant from the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO, No: 911-02-008) and the NWO Centres for Systems Biology Research initiative (CSBR09/013V). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.