Effect of Deuterium Concentration in the Incubation Medium on Intracellular Ca2+ Level, Mitochondrial Membrane Potential, and Neuronal Death during Glucose Deprivation.

We studied the effect of increasing and decreasing the deuterium level on the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), Ca2+ homeostasis, and neuronal death in the rat cerebellar neurons in vitro. It was found that decreasing deuterium concentration to 100 and 50 ppm was accompanied by gradual depression of MMP and a decrease in the level of cytosolic Ca2+ compared to the baseline values at deuterium concentration 150 ppm. Increasing deuterium concentration to 300 and 750 ppm was associated with an increase in MMP and Ca2+ levels. A decrease in deuterium concentration to 100 ppm and its increase to 300 and 750 ppm reduced neuronal death after glucose deprivation. A decrease in deuterium concentration to 50 ppm produced no protective effect. Possible mechanisms for these effects are proposed.