The regulator of calcineurin 1 increases adenine nucleotide translocator 1 and leads to mitochondrial dysfunctions.

The over-expression of regulator of calcineurin 1 isoform 1 (RCAN1.1) has been implicated in mitochondrial dysfunctions of Alzheimer's disease; however, the mechanism linking RCAN1.1 over-expression and the mitochondrial dysfunctions remains unknown. In this study, we use human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells stably expressing RCAN1.1S and rat primary neurons infected with RCAN1.1S expression lentivirus to study the association of RCAN1 with mitochondrial functions. Our study here showed that the over-expression of RCAN1.1S remarkably up-regulates the expression of adenine nucleotide translocator (ANT1) by stabilizing ANT1 mRNA. The increased ANT1 level leads to accelerated ATP-ADP exchange rate, more Ca2+ -induced mitochondrial permeability transition pore opening, increased cytochrome c release, and eventually cell apoptosis. Furthermore, knockdown of ANT1 expression brings these mitochondria perturbations caused by RCAN1.1S back to normal. The effect of RCAN1.1S on ANT1 was independent of its inhibition on calcineurin. This study elucidated a novel function of RCAN1 in mitochondria and provides a molecular basis for the RCAN1.1S over-expression-induced mitochondrial dysfunctions and neuronal apoptosis.