Mitochondrial calpain 10 is degraded by Lon protease after oxidant injury

Calpain 10 is ubiquitously expressed and is one of four mitochondrial matrix proteases. We determined that over-expression or knock-down of mitochondrial calpain 10 results in cell death, demonstrating that mitochondrial calpain 10 is required for viability. Thus, we studied calpain 10 degradation in isolated mitochondrial matrix, mitochondria and in renal proximal tubular cells (RPTC) under control and toxic conditions. Using isolated renal cortical mitochondria and mitochondrial matrix, calpain 10 underwent rapid degradation at 37 °C that was blocked with Lon inhibitors but not by calpain or proteasome inhibitors. While exogenous Ca2+ addition, Ca2+ chelation or exogenous ATP addition had no effect on calpain 10 degradation, the oxidants tert-butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP) or H2O2 increased the rate of degradation. Using RPTC, mitochondrial and cytosolic calpain 10 increased in the presence of MG132 (Lon/proteasome inhibitor) but only cytosolic calpain 10 increased in the presence of epoxomicin (proteasome inhibitor). Furthermore, TBHP and H2O2 oxidized mitochondrial calpain 10, decreased mitochondrial, but not cytosolic calpain 10, and pretreatment with MG132 blocked TBHP-induced degradation of calpain 10. In summary, mitochondrial calpain 10 is selectively degraded by Lon protease under basal conditions and is enhanced under and oxidizing conditions, while cytosolic calpain 10 is degraded by the proteasome.

► Heat and oxidant stress induce mitochondrial calpain 10 degradation.
► Lon inhibitors are able to prevent mitochondrial calpain 10 degradation.
► Epoxomicin, a proteasome inhibitor, causes an accumulation in cytosolic calpain 10.