Hypochlorous acid induces apoptosis of cultured cortical neurons through activation of calpains and rupture of lysosomes

Abstract

3‐Chlorotyrosine, a bio‐marker of hypochlorous acid (HOCl) in vivo, was reported to be substantially elevated in the Alzheimer's disease (AD) brains. Thus, HOCl might be implicated in the development of AD. However, its effect and mechanism on neuronal cell death have not been investigated. Here, we report for the first time that HOCl treatment induces an apoptotic‐necrotic continuum of concentration‐dependent cell death in cultured cortical neurons. Neurotoxicity caused by an intermediate concentration of HOCl (250 µ m) exhibited several biochemical markers of apoptosis in the absence of caspase activation. However, the involvement of calpains was demonstrated by data showing that calpain inhibitors protect cortical neurons from apoptosis and the formation of 145/150 kDa α‐fodrin fragments. Moreover, an increase in cytosolic Ca 2+ concentration was associated with HOCl neurotoxicity and Ca 2+ channel antagonists, and Ca 2+ chelators prevented cleavage of α‐fodrin and the induction of apoptosis. Finally, we found that calpain activation ruptured lysosomes. Stabilization of lysosomes by calpain inhibitors or imidazoline drugs, as well as inhibition of cathepsin protease activities, rescued cells from HOCl‐induced neurotoxicity. Our results showed for the first time that HOCl induces apoptosis in cortical neurons, and that the cell death process involves calpain activation and rupture of lysosomes.