Calcium flux between the endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondrion contributes to poliovirus-induced apoptosis.

We show that poliovirus (PV) infection induces an increase in cytosolic calcium (Ca2+) concentration in neuroblastoma IMR5 cells, at least partly through Ca2+ release from the endoplasmic reticulum lumen via the inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate receptor (IP3R) and ryanodine receptor (RyR) channels. This leads to Ca2+ accumulation in mitochondria through the mitochondrial Ca2+ uniporter and the voltage-dependent anion channel (VDAC). This increase in mitochondrial Ca2+ concentration in PV-infected cells leads to mitochondrial dysfunction and apoptosis.