Overview of pyruvate protective mechanism.

<p>Pyruvate protects cells from glutamate excitotoxicity by regulating DAPK1 complexes through DAPK1 and NMDA receptors complex dissociation and DAPK1 and Beclin-1 association. They go forward to protect cells by attenuating Ca2+ overload and activating autophagy, respectively. Finally, a convergence of the two ways protects mitochondria from glutamate excitotoxicity, which leads to cell survival.