Caspase inhibition extends the commitment to neuronal death beyond cytochrome c release to the point of mitochondrial depolarization

Nerve growth factor (NGF) deprivation induces a Bax-dependent, caspase-dependent programmed cell death in sympathetic neurons. We examined whether the release of cytochrome c was accompanied by the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential during sympathetic neuronal death. NGF-deprived, caspase inhibitor-treated mouse sympathetic neurons maintained mitochondrial membrane potential for 25-30 h after releasing cytochrome c. NGF-deprived sympathetic neurons became committed to die, as measured by the inability of cells to be rescued by NGF readdition, at the time of cytochrome c release. In the presence of caspase inhibitor, however, this commitment to death was extended beyond the point of cytochrome c release, but only up to the subsequent point of mitochondrial membrane potential loss. Caspase-9 deficiency also arrested NGF-deprived sympathetic neurons after release of cytochrome c, and permitted these neurons to be rescued with NGF readdition. Commitment to death in the NGF-deprived, caspase-9-deficient sympathetic neurons was also coincident with the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential. Thus, caspase inhibition extended commitment to death in trophic factor-deprived sympathetic neurons and allowed recovery of neurons arrested after the loss of cytochrome c, but not beyond the subsequent loss of mitochondrial membrane potential.