• BMB Reports
• /
• 제56권11호
• /
• pp.575-583
• /
• 2023

Mitochondria, fundamental cellular organelles that govern energy metabolism, hold a pivotal role in cellular vitality. While consuming dioxygen to produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the electron transfer process within mitochondria can engender the formation of reactive oxygen species that exert dual roles in endothelial homeostatic signaling and oxidative stress. In the context of the intricate electron transfer process, several metal ions that include copper, iron, zinc, and manganese serve as crucial cofactors in mitochondrial metalloenzymes to mediate the synthesis of ATP and antioxidant defense. In this mini review, we provide a comprehensive understanding of the coordination chemistry of mitochondrial cuproenzymes. In detail, cytochrome c oxidase (CcO) reduces dioxygen to water coupled with proton pumping to generate an electrochemical gradient, while superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) functions in detoxifying superoxide into hydrogen peroxide. With an emphasis on the catalytic reactions of the copper metalloenzymes and insights into their ligand environment, we also outline the metalation process of these enzymes throughout the copper trafficking system. The impairment of copper homeostasis can trigger mitochondrial dysfunction, and potentially lead to the development of copper-related disorders. We describe the current knowledge regarding copper-mediated toxicity mechanisms, thereby shedding light on prospective therapeutic strategies for pathologies intertwined with copper dyshomeostasis.

• 생명과학회지
• /
• 제25권11호
• /
• pp.1235-1243
• /
• 2015

황흑산은 동의보감의 복강과 장옹의 처방을 위해 기록된 처방전으로 오랫동안 사용되어 왔으나, 항암 효능에 대한 구체적인 연구는 전혀 이루어진 바 없다. 본 연구에서는 AGS 인체 위암세포를 대상으로 황흑산 처리에 의한 증식억제와 연관된 apoptosis 유발 및 관련 기전 연구를 수행하였다. AGS 위암세포에 황흑산 추출물을 처리함에 처리 농도 의존적으로 증식이 억제되었으며, 이는 apoptosis 유발과 연관성이 있음을 핵의 형태적 변형과 sub-G1기 세포의 축적 등으로 확인하였다. 황흑산 추출물에 의한 apoptosis 유도에는 pro-apoptotic Bax 단백질의 발현 증가와 anti-apoptotic Bcl-2의 발현 감소 및 미토콘드리아에서 세포질로의 cytochrome c 유리와 연관성이 있었으며, 세포 내 활성산소종(reactive oxygen species, ROS)의 축적을 증가시켰다. 또한 황흑산 추출물에 의한 apoptosis 유발은 caspases (caspase-3, -8 및 -9)의 활성을 증가시켰으며, poly (ADP-ribose)-polymerase 단백질의 단편화를 초래하였다. 그러나 ROS scavenger 및 pan-caspases inhibitor는 황흑산 추출물에 의한 apoptosis의 유발을 거의 완벽하게 억제하였으며, 암세포의 증식억제도 차단하였다. 이상의 결과는 황흑산 추출물에 의한 apoptosis가 ROS 생성 및 caspase 활성 의존적으로 일어남을 의미하는 것으로 황흑산의 항암기전 해석을 이해하고 향후 지속적인 연구를 위한 유용한 자료로 사용될 것이다.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• 제59권3호
• /
• pp.259-268
• /
• 2016

Objective : Accumulation of advanced glycation end-products (AGE) and mitochondrial glycation is importantly implicated in the pathological changes of the brain associated with diabetic complications, Alzheimer disease, and aging. The present study was undertaken to determine whether sildenafil, a type 5 phosphodiesterase type (PDE-5) inhibitor, has beneficial effect on neuronal cells challenged with AGE-induced oxidative stress to preserve their mitochondrial functional integrity. Methods : HT-22 hippocampal neuronal cells were exposed to AGE and changes in the mitochondrial functional parameters were determined. Pretreatment of cells with sildenafil effectively ameliorated these AGE-induced deterioration of mitochondrial functional integrity. Results : AGE-treated cells lost their mitochondrial functional integrity which was estimated by their MTT reduction ability and intracellular ATP concentration. These cells exhibited stimulated generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), disruption of mitochondrial membrane potential, induction of mitochondrial permeability transition, and release of the cytochrome C, activation of the caspase-3 accompanied by apoptosis. Western blot analyses and qRT-PCR demonstrated that sildenafil increased the expression level of the heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). CoPP and bilirubin, an inducer of HO-1 and a metabolic product of HO-1, respectively, provided a similar protective effects. On the contrary, the HO-1 inhibitor ZnPP IX blocked the effect of sildenafil. Transfection with HO-1 siRNA significantly reduced the protective effect of sildenafil on the loss of MTT reduction ability and MPT induction in AGE-treated cells. Conclusion : Taken together, our results suggested that sildenafil provides beneficial effect to protect the HT-22 hippocampal neuronal cells against AGE-induced deterioration of mitochondrial integrity, and upregulation of HO-1 is involved in the underlying mechanism.

• BMB Reports
• /
• 제41권10호
• /
• pp.745-750
• /
• 2008

Selenium, an essential trace element possessing anti-carcinogenic properties, can induce apoptosis in cancer cells. We have previously shown that sodium selenite can induce apoptosis by activating the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway in NB4 cells. However, the detailed mechanism remains unclear. Presently, we demonstrate that p53 contributes to apoptosis by directing signaling at the mitochondria. Immunofluorescent and Western blot procedures revealed selenite-induced p53 translocation to mitochondria. Inhibition of p53 blocked accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, suggesting that mitochondrial p53 acts as an upstream signal of ROS and activates the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway. Selenite also disrupted cellular calcium ion homeostasis in a ROS-dependent manner and increased mitochondrial calcium ion concentration. p38 kinase mediated phosphorylation and mitochondrial translocation of p53. Taken together, these results indicate that p53 involves selenite-induced NB4 cell apoptosis by translocation to mitochondria and activation mitochondrial apoptosis pathway in a transcription-independent manner.

• 한국동물생명공학회지
• /
• 제39권1호
• /
• pp.48-57
• /
• 2024

Background: Cadmium (Cd) is toxic heavy metal that accumulates in organisms after passing through their respiratory and digestive tracts. Although several studies have reported the toxic effects of Cd exposure on human health, its role in embryonic development during preimplantation stage remains unclear. We investigated the effects of Cd on porcine embryonic development and elucidated the mechanism. Methods: We cultured parthenogenetic embryos in media treated with 0, 20, 40, or 60 µM Cd for 6 days and evaluated the rates of cleavage and blastocyst formation. To investigate the mechanism of Cd toxicity, we examined intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and glutathione (GSH) levels. Moreover, we examined mitochondrial content, membrane potential, and ROS. Results: Cleavage and blastocyst formation rates began to decrease significantly in the 40 µM Cd group compared with the control. During post-blastulation, development was significantly delayed in the Cd group. Cd exposure significantly decreased cell number and increased apoptosis rate compared with the control. Embryos exposed to Cd had significantly higher ROS and lower GSH levels, as well as lower expression of antioxidant enzymes, compared with the control. Moreover, embryos exposed to Cd exhibited a significant decrease in mitochondrial content, mitochondrial membrane potential, and expression of mitochondrial genes and an increase in mitochondrial ROS compared to the control. Conclusions: We demonstrated that Cd exposure impairs porcine embryonic development by inducing oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction. Our findings provide insights into the toxicity of Cd exposure on mammalian embryonic development and highlight the importance of preventing Cd pollution.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• 제26권1호
• /
• pp.28-37
• /
• 2016

Numerous plants have been documented to contain phenolic compounds. Thymol is one among these phenolic compounds that possess a repertoire of pharmacological activities, including anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antioxidant, antibacterial, and antimicrobial effects. Despite of the plethora of affects elicited by thymol, its activity profile on gastric cancer cells is not explored. In this study, we discovered that thymol exerts anticancer effects by suppressing cell growth, inducing apoptosis, producing intracellular reactive oxygen species, depolarizing mitochondrial membrane potential, and activating the proapoptotic mitochondrial proteins Bax, cysteine aspartases (caspases), and poly ADP ribose polymerase in human gastric AGS cells. The outcomes of this study displayed that thymol, via an intrinsic mitochondrial pathway, was responsible for inducing apoptosis in gastric AGS cells. Hence, thymol might serve as a tentative agent in the future to treat cancer.

• 대한의생명과학회지
• /
• 제17권3호
• /
• pp.177-184
• /
• 2011

Potassium cyanate (KOCN) is an inorganic compound and induces the carbamylation of proteins with cytotoxic effects on human cells. Although there is a potential cytotoxic molecule, the role of KOCN on the apoptosis of cancer cell is not well understood. The present study investigated the effects of KOCN on the human colorectal cancer cell line, HCT 116 cells. To understand the anti-cancer effect of KOCN on HCT 116 cells, we examined alteration of apoptosis, the intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ concentration, the intracellular signaling pathway and generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in these cells treated with KOCN. The apoptosis of HCT 116 cells was induced by KOCN in a dose-dependent manner at 24 hours and 48 hours, respectively. The apoptosis was processed via the cleavage of poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) and activation of caspase 3 in HCT 116 cells. KOCN induced the elevation of intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ concentration and changed the expressions of Bcl-2 family proteins. The pro-apoptotic Bax was continuously up-regulated, and the anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 was down-regulated by KOCN. KOCN also induced the hyperpolarization of mitochondria and the generation of ROS in HCT 116 cells. Taken together, these results indicate that KOCN induces the apoptosis of HCT 116 cells by disruption of $Ca^{2+}$ homeostasis and via mitochondrial pathway. This study provides the compound that may be used as a potent agent for the treatment of colorectal cancer.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• 제41권1호
• /
• pp.35-44
• /
• 2018

Mitochondria are responsible for supplying of most of the cell's energy via oxidative phosphorylation. However, mitochondria also can be deleterious for a cell because they are the primary source of reactive oxygen species, which are generated as a byproduct of respiration. Accumulation of mitochondrial and cellular oxidative damage leads to diverse pathologies. Thus, it is important to maintain a population of healthy and functional mitochondria for normal cellular metabolism. Eukaryotes have developed defense mechanisms to cope with aberrant mitochondria. Mitochondria autophagy (known as mitophagy) is thought to be one such process that selectively sequesters dysfunctional or excess mitochondria within double-membrane autophagosomes and carries them into lysosomes/vacuoles for degradation. The power of genetics and conservation of fundamental cellular processes among eukaryotes make yeast an excellent model for understanding the general mechanisms, regulation, and function of mitophagy. In budding yeast, a mitochondrial surface protein, Atg32, serves as a mitochondrial receptor for selective autophagy that interacts with Atg11, an adaptor protein for selective types of autophagy, and Atg8, a ubiquitin-like protein localized to the isolation membrane. Atg32 is regulated transcriptionally and post-translationally to control mitophagy. Moreover, because Atg32 is a mitophagy-specific protein, analysis of its deficient mutant enables investigation of the physiological roles of mitophagy. Here, we review recent progress in the understanding of the molecular mechanisms and functional importance of mitophagy in yeast at multiple levels.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• 제20권4호
• /
• pp.367-378
• /
• 2016

Recently, it was reported that the role of mitochondria-reactive oxygen species (ROS) generating pathway in cisplatin-induced apoptosis is remarkable. Since a variety of molecules are involved in the pathway, a comprehensive approach to delineate the biological interactions of the molecules is required. However, quantitative modeling of the mitochondria-ROS generating pathway based on experiment and systemic analysis using the model have not been attempted so far. Thus, we conducted experiments to measure the concentration changes of critical molecules associated with mitochondrial apoptosis in both human mesothelioma H2052 and their ${\rho}^0$ cells lacking mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). Based on the experiments, a novel mathematical model that can represent the essential dynamics of the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway induced by cisplatin was developed. The kinetic parameter values of the mathematical model were estimated from the experimental data. Then, we have investigated the dynamical properties of this model and predicted the apoptosis levels for various concentrations of cisplatin beyond the range of experiments. From parametric perturbation analysis, we further found that apoptosis will reach its saturation level beyond a certain critical cisplatin concentration.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• 제10권1호
• /
• pp.51-58
• /
• 2006

The promoting effect of hydrogen peroxide ($H_2O_2$) against the cytotoxicity of 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium ($MPP^+$) in differentiated PC12 cells was assessed by measuring the effect on the mitochondrial membrane permeability. Treatment of PC12 cells with $MPP^+$ resulted in the nuclear damage, decrease in the mitochondrial transmembrane potential, cytosolic accumulation of cytochrome c, activation of caspase-3, increase in the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and depletion of GSH. Addition of $H_2O_2$ enhanced the $MPP^+-induced$ nuclear damage and cell death. Catalase, Carboxy-PTIO, Mn-TBAP, N-acetylcysteine, cyclosporin A and trifluoperazine inhibited the cytotoxic effect of $MPP^+$ in the presence of $H_2O_2$. Addition of $H_2O_2$ promoted the change in the mitochondrial membrane permeability, ROS formation and decrease in GSH contents due to $MPP^+$ in PC12 cells. The results show that the $H_2O_2$ treatment promotes the cytotoxicity of $MPP^+$ against PC12 cells. $H_2O_2$ may enhance the $MPP^+$-induced viability loss in PC12 cells by promoting the mitochondrial membrane permeability change, release of cytochrome c and subsequent activation of caspase-3, which is associated with the increased formation of ROS and depletion of GSH. The findings suggest that $H_2O_2$ as a promoting agent for the formation of mitochondrial permeability transition may enhance the neuronal cell injury caused by neurotoxins.