Arsenic-induced mitochondrial oxidative damage is mediated by decreased PGC-1α expression and its downstream targets in rat brain

• Arsenic-induced neurotoxicity is involved in oxidative stress generation.
• Oxidative stress plays important role in regulation of mitochondrial biogenesis.
• Study shows down regulation of mitochondrial biogenesis in rat brain.

The present study was carried out to investigate the molecular mechanism of arsenic-induced mitochondrial oxidative damage and its relation to biogenesis in rat brain. Chronic sodium arsenite (25 ppm, orally) administration for 12 weeks decreased mitochondrial complexes activities and mRNA expression of selective complexes subunits. The expression of mitochondrial biogenesis regulator PGC-1α, and its downstream targets NRF-1, NRF-2 and Tfam were decreased significantly both at mRNA and protein levels suggesting impaired biogenesis following chronic arsenic-exposure. In addition to this, protein expression analysis also revealed activation of Bax and caspase-3, leading to translocation of cytochrome c from mitochondria to cytosol suggesting induction of apoptotic pathway under oxidative stress. This was further confirmed by electron microscopy study which depicted morphological changes in mitochondria in terms of altered nuclear and mitochondrial shape and chromatin condensation in arsenic-treated rats. The immunohistochemical studies showed both nuclear and cytosolic localization of NRF-1 and NRF-2 in arsenic-exposed rat brain further suggesting regulatory role of these transcription factors under arsenic neurotoxicity. The results of present study indicate that arsenic-induced mitochondrial oxidative damage is associated with decreased mitochondrial biogenesis in rat brain that may present as important target to reveal the mechanism for arsenic-induced neurotoxicity.