Mechanisms of dual modulatory effects of spermine on the mitochondrial calcium uniporter complex.

ABSTRACT: The mitochondrial Ca²⁺ uniporter is the Ca²⁺ channel responsible for mitochondrial Ca²⁺ uptake. It plays crucial physiological roles in regulating oxidative phosphorylation, intracellular Ca²⁺ signaling, and cell death. The uniporter contains the pore-forming MCU subunit, the auxiliary EMRE protein, and the regulatory MICU1 subunit, which blocks the MCU pore under resting cellular Ca²⁺ concentrations. It has been known for decades that spermine, a biological polyamine ubiquitously present in animal cells, can enhance mitochondrial Ca²⁺ uptake, but the underlying mechanisms remain incompletely understood. In this study, we demonstrate that spermine exerts both potentiation and inhibitory effects on the uniporter. At physiolog

SUBMITTER: Tu YC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11871460 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature