Knockdown of STIM1 inhibits 6-hydroxydopamine-induced oxidative stress through attenuating calcium-dependent ER stress and mitochondrial dysfunction in undifferentiated PC12 cells.

Stromal interaction molecule (STIM) proteins are parts of elaborate eukaryotic Ca(2+) signaling systems and are considered to be important players in regulating neuronal Ca(2+) homeostasis under normal ageing and pathological conditions. Here, we investigated the potential role of STIM1 in 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced toxicity in undifferentiated PC12 cell lines. Cells exposed to 6-OHDA demonstrated alterations in the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in a Ca(2+)-dependent manner. Downregulation of STIM1 expression by specific small interfering RNA (siRNA) attenuated apoptotic cell death, reduced intracellular ROS production, and partially prevented the impaired endogenous antioxidant enzyme activities after 6-OHDA treatment. Furthermore, STIM1 knockdown significantly attenuated 6-OHDA-induced intracellular Ca(2+) overload by inhibiting endogenous store-operated calcium entry (SOCE). The effect of STIM1 siNRA on SOCE was related to orai1 and L-type Ca(2+) channels, but not to transient receptor potential canonical type 1 (TRPC1) channel. In addition, silencing of STIM1 increased the Ca(2+) buffering capacity of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) in 6-OHDA-injured cells. ER vacuoles formed from the destruction of ER structural integrity and activation of ER-related apoptotic factors (CHOP and Caspase-12) were partially prevented by STIM1 knockdown. Moreover, STIM1 knockdown attenuated 6-OHDA-induced mitochondrial Ca(2+) uptake and mitochondrial dysfunction, including the collapse of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and the decrease of ATP generation. Taken together, our data provide the first evidence that inhibition of STIM1-meditated intracellular Ca(2+) dyshomeostasis protects undifferentiated PC12 cells against 6-OHDA toxicity and indicate that STIM1 may be responsible for neuronal oxidative stress induced by ER stress and mitochondrial dysfunction in PD.