Calorie restriction does not restore brain mitochondrial function in P301L tau mice, but it does decrease mitochondrial F0F1-ATPase activity

• Published in: Molecular and cellular neuroscience 2015-07, Vol.67, p.46-54
• Main Authors: Delic, Vedad, Brownlow, Milene, Joly-Amado, Aurelie, Zivkovic, Sandra, Noble, Kenyaria, Phan, Tam-Anh, Ta, Yen, Zhang, Yumeng, Bell, Stephen D., Kurien, Crupa, Reynes, Christian, Morgan, Dave, Bradshaw, Patrick C.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alzheimer Disease - genetics; Alzheimer Disease - metabolism; Alzheimer's; Animals; ATP synthase; Brain - metabolism; Caloric Restriction; Calorie restriction; Cell Respiration; Complex I; Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial; Mice; Mitochondria; Mitochondria - metabolism; Proton-Translocating ATPases - metabolism; Tau; tau Proteins - genetics; tau Proteins - metabolism
• ISSN: 1044-7431; 1095-9327
• DOI: 10.1016/j.mcn.2015.06.001

Calorie restriction (CR) has been shown to increase lifespan and delay aging phenotypes in many diverse eukaryotic species. In mouse models of Alzheimer's disease (AD), CR has been shown to decrease amyloid-beta and hyperphosphorylated tau levels and preserve cognitive function. Overexpression of human mutant tau protein has been shown to induce deficits in mitochondrial electron transport chain complex I activity. Therefore, experiments were performed to determine the effects of 4-month CR on brain mitochondrial function in Tg4510 mice, which express human P301L tau. Expression of mutant tau led to decreased ADP-stimulated respiratory rates, but not uncoupler-stimulated respiratory rates. The membrane potential was also slightly higher in mitochondria from the P301L tau mice. As shown previously, tau expression decreased mitochondrial complex I activity. The decreased complex I activity, decreased ADP-stimulated respiratory rate, and increased mitochondrial membrane potential occurring in mitochondria from Tg4510 mice were not restored by CR. However, the CR diet did result in a genotype independent decrease in mitochondrial F0F1-ATPase activity. This decrease in F0F1-ATPase activity was not due to lowered levels of the alpha or beta subunits of F0F1-ATPase. The possible mechanisms through which CR reduces the F0F1-ATPase activity in brain mitochondria are discussed. •Calorie restriction decreased brain mitochondrial F0F1-ATPase activity.•Brain mitochondria from P301L tau mice showed a higher membrane potential.•P301L tau brain mitochondria produced more reactive oxygen species when stressed.•Mitochondria from P301L tau mice showed decreased state 3 but not state 5 respiration.•Calorie restriction did not restore the mitochondrial deficits in P301L tau mice.