Elevated intracellular Ca2+ functions downstream of mitodysfunction to induce Wallerian-like degeneration and necroptosis in organophosphorus-induced delayed neuropathy

Abstract

Neurotoxic organophosphorus compounds can induce a type of delayed neuropathy in humans and sensitive animals, known as organophosphorus-induced delayed neuropathy (OPIDN). OPIDN is characterized by axonal degeneration akin to Wallerian-like degeneration, which is thought to be caused by increased intra-axonal Ca²⁺ concentrations. This study was designed to investigate that deregulated cytosolic Ca²⁺ may function downstream of mitodysfunction in activating Wallerian-like degeneration and necroptosis in OPIDN. Adult hens were administrated a single dosage of 750 mg/kg tri-ortho-cresyl phosphate (TOCP), and then sacrificed at 1 day, 5 day, 10 day and 21 day post-exposure, respectively. Sciatic nerves and spinal cords were examined for pathological changes and proteins expression related to Wallerian-like degeneration and necroptosis. In vitro experiments using differentiated neuro-2a (N2a) cells were conducted to investigate the relationship among mitochondrial dysfunction, Ca²⁺ influx, axonal degeneration, and necroptosis. The cells were co-administered with the Ca²⁺-chelator BAPTA-AM, the TRPA1 channel inhibitor HC030031, the RIPK1 inhibitor Necrostatin-1, and the mitochondrial-targeted antioxidant MitoQ along with TOCP. Results demonstrated an increase in cytosolic calcium concentration and key proteins associated with Wallerian degeneration and necroptosis in both in vivo and in vitro models after TOCP exposure. Moreover, co-administration with BATPA-AM or HC030031 significantly attenuated the loss of NMNAT2 and STMN2 in N2a cells, as well as the upregulation of SARM1, RIPK1 and p-MLKL. In contrast, Necrostatin-1 treatment only inhibited the TOCP-induced elevation of p-MLKL. Notably, pharmacological protection of mitochondrial function with MitoQ effectively alleviated the increase in intracellular Ca²⁺ following TOCP and mitigated axonal degeneration and necroptosis in N2a cells, supporting mitochondrial dysfunction as an upstream event of the intracellular Ca²⁺ imbalance and neuronal damage in OPIDN. These findings suggest that mitochondrial dysfunction post-TOCP intoxication leads to an elevated intracellular Ca²⁺ concentration, which plays a pivotal role in the initiation and development of OPIDN through inducing SARM1-mediated axonal degeneration and activating the necroptotic signaling pathway.

Keywords: Mitochondrial dysfunction; Necroptosis; Neuroinflammation; Tri-ortho-cresyl phosphate; Wallerian degeneration.