Role of the mitochondrial membrane permeability transition (MPT) in rotenone-induced apoptosis in liver cells

Rotenone inhibits spontaneously and chemically induced hepatic tumorigenesis in rodents through the induction of apoptosis. However, the mechanism for the induction of apoptosis by rotenone has not been defined. Mitochondrial dysfunction, in particular the induction of the mitochondrial membrane permeability transition (MPT), has been implicated in the cascade of events involved in the induction of apoptosis. Inhibition of the mitochondrial electron-transport chain reduces the mitochondrial transmembrane potential (Delta psi(m)), which may induce the formation of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore and the subsequent MPT. Fluorescent microscopy of Hoechst 33258-stained WB-F344 cells, a rat-liver cell line, was utilized to examine the effect of the mitochondrial respiratory chain inhibitor, rotenone (0.5-5 mu M), atractyloside (5-10 mu M), and cyclosporin A (2.5-10 mu M) on apoptosis. A time- and concentration-dependent increase in liver cell apoptosis was observed following treatment with rotenone and atractyloside (11.7- and 7.7-fold, respectively, over solvent control). Cotreatment with 7.5- and 10 mu M-cyclosporin A for 12 h inhibited the apoptogenicity of 5-mu M rotenone treatment. A similar effect was observed following cyclosporin A cotreatment with atractyloside. Rotenone induced a rapid increase in apoptosis (within 20 min of treatment). By 2 h of treatment, the morphological appearance of apoptosis was similar to that observed in cultures treated continuously with rotenone for 12 h. Inhibition studies demonstrated that cyclosporin A prevented apoptosis if the exposure to it occurred prior to the 20-min threshold necessary to induce apoptosis by rotenone. Mitochondrial function was examined by staining with the mitochondrial membrane potential (Delta psi(m))-sensitive fluorochrome, MitoTracker Red (CMXRos) and confirmed utilizing cytofluorometric analysis of DiOC(6)(3)-stained cells. Rotenone (5.0-mu M) and atractyloside (5.0-mu M) reduced the percent of CMXRos or DiOC(6)(3)-positive (Delta psi(m)-positive) liver cells within 15 min and throughout the duration of the study (6 h) to approximately 65-80% and 50-80% of control. However, cotreatment with concentrations of cyclosporin A that inhibited the apoptogenicity of rotenone and atractyloside prevented the rotenone- and atractyloside-induced reduction of the Delta psi(m). Therefore, the apoptogenic effect of rotenone and atractyloside appears to occur rapidly (within 20 min) and is irreversible once mitochondrial damage occurs. The inhibition of the rotenone- and atractyloside-induced apoptosis and mitochondrial dysfunction by cyclosporin A suggests the MPT may be involved in the induction of apoptosis by rotenone.