Endoplasmic Reticulum-Mitochondria Contacts Modulate Reactive Oxygen Species-Mediated Signaling and Oxidative Stress in Brain Disorders: The Key Role of Sigma-1 Receptor

Abstract

Significance:

Mitochondria-Associated Membranes (MAMs) are highly dynamic endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-mitochondria contact sites that, due to the transfer of lipids and Ca²⁺ between these organelles, modulate several physiologic processes, such as ER stress response, mitochondrial bioenergetics and fission/fusion events, autophagy, and inflammation. In addition, these contacts are implicated in the modulation of the cellular redox status since several MAMs-resident proteins are involved in the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which can act as both signaling mediators and deleterious molecules, depending on their intracellular levels.

Recent Advances:

In the past few years, structural and functional alterations of MAMs have been associated with the pathophysiology of several neurodegenerative diseases that are closely associated with the impairment of several MAMs-associated events, including perturbation of the redox state on the accumulation of high ROS levels.

Critical Issues:

Inter-organelle contacts must be tightly regulated to preserve cellular functioning by maintaining Ca²⁺ and protein homeostasis, lipid metabolism, mitochondrial dynamics and energy production, as well as ROS signaling. Simultaneously, these contacts should avoid mitochondrial Ca²⁺ overload, which might lead to energetic deficits and deleterious ROS accumulation, culminating in oxidative stress-induced activation of apoptotic cell death pathways, which are common features of many neurodegenerative diseases.

Future Directions:

Given that Sig-1R is an ER resident chaperone that is highly enriched at the MAMs and that controls ER to mitochondria Ca²⁺ flux, as well as oxidative and ER stress responses, its potential as a therapeutic target for neurodegenerative diseases such as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Alzheimer, Parkinson, and Huntington diseases should be further explored. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 37, 758–780.