IP3R-1 aggravates endotoxin-induced acute lung injury in mice by regulating MAM formation and mitochondrial function

Acute lung injury (ALI) caused by endotoxin represents one of the common clinical emergencies. Mitochondria-associated endoplasmic reticulum membranes (MAM) serve as a critical link between mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum (ER), which has an essential effect on maintaining intracellular homeostasis. As an important component of MAM, type-1 inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor (IP3R-1) mediates the ER-to-mitochondrial transport of Ca2+. This study explored the role of IP3R-1 and MAM in ALI. Besides the levels of inflammasome-associated components interleukin (IL)-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and malonyldialdehyde (MDA) were increased in both bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and serum, increased cross-sectional area of mitochondria, elevated MAM formation, and decreased respiratory control ratio (RCR) were observed within lung tissues collected in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated mice, accompanied by upregulation of IP3R-1 in total lung lysates and MAM. Ca2+ uptake level in the mitochondria, production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the mitochondria, and the formation of MAM were elevated within LPS-treated MLE-12 cells, and all those changes in response to LPS were partly inhibited by knocking down of IP3R-1 expression in MLE-12 cells. Collectively, IP3R-1 has a critical effect on MAM formation and mitochondrial dysfunction, which could be innovative therapeutic targets for ALI caused by endotoxin.