Mitochondrial Membrane Polarization Research Articles

Mitochondrial determinants of chemoresistance.

Chemoresistance constitute nowadays the major contributor to therapy failure in most cancers. There are main factors that mitigate cell response to therapy, such as target organ, inherent sensitivity to the administered compound, its metabolism, drug efflux and influx or alterations on specific cellular targets, among others. We now know that intrinsic properties of cancer cells, including metabolic features, substantially contribute to chemoresistance. In fact, during the last years, numerous reports indicate that cancer cells resistant to chemotherapy demonstrate significant alterations in mitochondrial metabolism, membrane polarization and mass. Metabolic activity and expression of several mitochondrial proteins are modulated under treatment to cope with stress, making these organelles central players in the development of resistance to therapies. Here, we review the role of mitochondria in chemoresistant cells in terms of metabolic rewiring and function of key mitochondria-related proteins.

Change of cell growth and mitochondrial membrane polarization in the progeny of cells surviving low-dose high-LET irradiation from Ra-226

In order to test the delayed effect of radiation on the progeny of irradiated survivors, the human keratinocyte cell line HaCaT and the fish common bluegill embryonic cell line CHSE/F were exposed to low-dose high-LET α-radiation from Ra-226 or γ-rays. The clonogenic survival fraction, mitochondrial membrane polarization (MMP) and reproductive ability of the descendants of the surviving cells were measured. For progeny of irradiated HaCaT survivors, no delayed cell death occurred. On the contrary, progeny at about 47 cell doublings after Ra-226 irradiation and progeny at about 14 cell doublings after γ-irradiation showed increased clonogenic survival. However the total cell number was reduced for progeny of Ra-226-treated cells up to about 47 cell doublings after irradiation and for progeny of γ-irradiated cells up to about 28 doublings after irradiation, which means low reproductive ability had appeared. In addition, α-radiation from Ra-226 had greater impact on the MMP of the HaCaT progeny than γ-rays. MMP of progeny of Ra-226-treated cells decreased at 5 cell doublings after irradiation and increased dose-dependently at 19 cell doublings after treatment, and then decreased dose-dependently at 47 cell doublings, while there was no significant effect on MMP in progeny of γ irradiated cells. The progeny of Ra-226-irradiated CHSE/F survivors showed more serious damage than the offspring of γ-irradiated CHSE/F cells. Significant, dose-dependent delayed cell death occurred in progeny of surviving cells up to about 61 cell doublings after Ra-226 treatment, and the reproductive ability was also significantly reduced. But the MMP increased, which might be because of the increased removal of dead cells. For progeny of CHSE/F cells surviving γ-rays radiation, no significant change in clonogenic survival occurred, except for offspring of cells surviving low dose (0.1 Gy and 0.5 Gy) irradiation, which had higher survival than control up to about 28 cell doublings after irradiation. But the number of cells which were the progeny of γ-irradiated survivors decreased dose-dependently up to about 28 cell doublings after γ-irradiation.

Japanese quince (Chaenomeles japonica L.) fruit polyphenolic extract modulates carbohydrate metabolism in HepG2 cells via AMP-activated protein kinase.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) is a chronic diet-related disease which due to many dangerous complications has become a prominent health problem of the world. The aim of the study was to explore the in vitro activity of Japanese quince (Chaenomeles japonica L., family Rosaceae, JQ) fruit polyphenolic extract as modulator of carbohydrates metabolism. The research was designed to investigate the effect of JQ polyphenolic extract on glucose metabolism in human hepatoma HepG2 cell line cultured under normal non-metabolically changed and hyperglycemic conditions. Pretreatment of the cells with JQ preparation caused decrease of intracellular ROS generation and influenced mitochondrial membrane polarization which seemed to lead to AMPK activation. Further effects observed in HepG2 cells were associated with activation of the enzyme: elevation of glucose uptake and glycogen content, and alleviation of gluconeogenesis through modulation of PEPCK, PTP1B, FOXO1 and GLUT2/4 expression. These findings suggest that JQ polyphenols exhibit hypoglycemic effects via modulation of AMPK signaling in hepatocytes.

Mitochondrial dysfunction is an acute response of articular chondrocytes to mechanical injury.

Direct therapeutic targeting of MT function in the early post-injury time frame may provide a strategy to block perpetuation of tissue damage and prevent the development of PTOA. © 2017 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 36:739-750, 2018.

P62/SQSTM1 Cooperates with Hyperactive mTORC1 to Regulate Glutathione Production, Maintain Mitochondrial Integrity, and Promote Tumorigenesis.

p62/sequestosome-1 (SQSTM1) is a multifunctional adaptor protein and autophagic substrate that accumulates in cells with hyperactive mTORC1, such as kidney cells with mutations in the tumor suppressor genes tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC)1 or TSC2. Here we report that p62 is a critical mediator of TSC2-driven tumorigenesis, as Tsc2+/- and Tsc2f/f Ksp-CreERT2+ mice crossed to p62-/- mice were protected from renal tumor development. Metabolic profiling revealed that depletion of p62 in Tsc2-null cells decreased intracellular glutamine, glutamate, and glutathione (GSH). p62 positively regulated the glutamine transporter Slc1a5 and increased glutamine uptake in Tsc2-null cells. We also observed p62-dependent changes in Gcl, Gsr, Nqo1, and Srxn1, which were decreased by p62 attenuation and implicated in GSH production and utilization. p62 attenuation altered mitochondrial morphology, reduced mitochondrial membrane polarization and maximal respiration, and increased mitochondrial reactive oxygen species and mitophagy marker PINK1. These mitochondrial phenotypes were rescued by addition of exogenous GSH and overexpression of Sod2, which suppressed indices of mitochondrial damage and promoted growth of Tsc2-null cells. Finally, p62 depletion sensitized Tsc2-null cells to both oxidative stress and direct inhibition of GSH biosynthesis by buthionine sulfoximine. Our findings show how p62 helps maintain intracellular pools of GSH needed to limit mitochondrial dysfunction in tumor cells with elevated mTORC1, highlighting p62 and redox homeostasis as nodal vulnerabilities for therapeutic targeting in these tumors. Cancer Res; 77(12); 3255-67. ©2017 AACR.

A Prodrug of Two Approved Drugs, Cisplatin and Chlorambucil, for Chemo War Against Cancer.

Cancer cells maintain normal mitochondrial glutathione as one of the defense mechanisms to inhibit mitochondrial membrane polarization and hence apoptosis. A combinational therapeutic modality Platin-Cbl, a prodrug of FDA-approved chemotherapeutic agents, cisplatin and chlorambucil (Cbl), was synthesized and characterized to explore the potential of this compound to initiate chemo war on cancer cells using the active drugs, cisplatin and Cbl, when delivered to the cellular power house mitochondrion using a targeted nanoparticle designed to get associated with this organelle. Platin-Cbl demonstrated significantly high cytotoxic activity across a number of tumor cell lines as well as in a cisplatin-resistant cancer cell line compared with cisplatin or its mixture with Cbl suggesting its unique potency in cisplatin-resistant tumors. A mitochondria-targeted nanoparticle formulation of Platin-Cbl allowed for its efficacious mitochondrial delivery. In vitro studies documented high potency of Platin-Cbl nanoparticle formulations. Cisplatin-resistant cells upon treatment with Platin-Cbl were still able to manage energy production to a certain extent via fatty acid pathway; the advantage of using T-Platin-Cbl-NP is that this nanoparticle treatment causes impairment of all metabolic pathways in cisplatin-resistant cells forcing the cells to undergo efficient apoptosis. This study highlights a combination of several beneficial effects for a cascade of events to overcome resistance associated with single drug therapy. Mol Cancer Ther; 16(4); 625-36. ©2017 AACR.

Ca(2+)-dependent regulation of the Ca(2+) concentration in the myometrium mitochondria. I. Trifluoperazine effects on mitochondria membranes polarization and [Ca(2+)](m).

Са2+-dependent regulation of Ca2+ exchange in mitochondria is carried out with participation of calmodulin. We have shown previously that calmodulin antagonists reduced the level of mitochondrial membrane polarization and induced increase of the ionized Са concentration in both the mitochondrial matrix and cell cytoplasm. The concentration-dependent influence of trifluoperazine on the level of polarization of mitochondrial membranes has been shown in this work. The coordinates of the Hill graphs were used to calculate the constant K0.5 and the Hill coefficient. K0.5 was 24.4 ± 5 μM (n = 10). The Hill coefficient was 2.0 ± 0.2, indicating the presence of two centers of the trifluoperazine binding. We have also studied [Ca2+]m changes, when incubating mitochondria in mediums of different composition: without ATP and ions of Mg (0-medium), in the presence of 3 mM Mg (Mg-medium) and 3 mM Mg + 3 mM ATP (Mg,ATP-medium). It was shown that the composition of the incubation medium affected the [Ca2+]m values in the absence of exogenous Ca2+ and did not affect them in the presence of the latter. Preincubation of mitochondria in mediums of different composition with 25 μM trifluoperazine did not affect the [Ca2+]m values both before and after the addition of 100 µМ Са2+ to the incubation medium. It was concluded, that trifluoperazine depolarized myometrial mitochondria membranes in concentration-dependent manner. However, mitochondria preincubation with 25 μM trifluope­razine accompanied by 50% decrease in membrane polarization did not affect the [Ca2+]m values.

Hesperidin Attenuates Ultraviolet B-Induced Apoptosis by Mitigating Oxidative Stress in Human Keratinocytes.

Human skin cells undergo pathophysiological processes via generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) upon excessive exposure to ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation. This study investigated the ability of hesperidin (C28H34O15) to prevent apoptosis due to oxidative stress generated through UVB-induced ROS. Hesperidin significantly scavenged ROS generated by UVB radiation, attenuated the oxidation of cellular macromolecules, established mitochondrial membrane polarization, and prevented the release of cytochrome c into the cytosol. Hesperidin downregulated expression of caspase-9, caspase-3, and Bcl-2-associated X protein, and upregulated expression of B-cell lymphoma 2. Hesperidin absorbed wavelengths of light within the UVB range. In summary, hesperidin shielded human keratinocytes from UVB radiation-induced damage and apoptosis via its antioxidant and UVB absorption properties.

Polyethylene Glycol Preconditioning: An Effective Strategy to Prevent Liver Ischemia Reperfusion Injury.

Hepatic ischemia reperfusion injury (IRI) is an inevitable clinical problem for liver surgery. Polyethylene glycols (PEGs) are water soluble nontoxic polymers that have proven their effectiveness in various in vivo and in vitro models of tissue injury. The present study aims to investigate whether the intravenous administration of a high molecular weight PEG of 35 kDa (PEG 35) could be an effective strategy for rat liver preconditioning against IRI. PEG 35 was intravenously administered at 2 and 10 mg/kg to male Sprague Dawley rats. Then, rats were subjected to one hour of partial ischemia (70%) followed by two hours of reperfusion. The results demonstrated that PEG 35 injected intravenously at 10 mg/kg protected efficiently rat liver against the deleterious effects of IRI. This was evidenced by the significant decrease in transaminases levels and the better preservation of mitochondrial membrane polarization. Also, PEG 35 preserved hepatocyte morphology as reflected by an increased F-actin/G-actin ratio and confocal microscopy findings. In addition, PEG 35 protective mechanisms were correlated with the activation of the prosurvival kinase Akt and the cytoprotective factor AMPK and the inhibition of apoptosis. Thus, PEG may become a suitable agent to attempt pharmacological preconditioning against hepatic IRI.

Label-Free Quantitative Proteomics Reveals Survival Mechanisms Developed by Hypertrophic Chondrocytes under ER Stress.

Emerging evidence implicates ER stress caused by unfolded mutant proteins in chondrocytes as the underlying pathology of chondrodysplasias. ER stress is triggered in hypertrophic chondrocytes (HCs) in a mouse model (13del) of metaphyseal chondrodysplasia type Schmid (MCDS) caused by misfolded mutant collagen X proteins, but the HCs do not undergo apoptosis; rather chondrocyte differentiation is altered, causing skeletal abnormality. How 13del HCs can escape from apoptosis and survive ER stress is not understood. Here we compared the proteomes of HCs isolated from 13del growth plates with normal HCs using a label-free quantitative mass spectrometry approach. Pathway enrichment analyses of differentially expressed proteins showed significant changes in glycolysis and ER-mitochondria pathways in 13del HCs as well as in ATDC5 cell lines expressing wt and 13del collagen X. In vivo, we showed expression of mitochondrial calcium channels was reduced while mitochondrial membrane polarity was maintained in 13del chondrocytes, while in vitro, glucose uptake was maintained. We propose 13del HCs survive by a mechanism whereby changes in ER-mitochondria communication reduce import of calcium coupled to maintenance of mitochondrial membrane polarity. These findings provide the initial insights into our understanding of growth plate changes caused by protein misfolding in the pathogenesis of chondrodysplasias.

Role for the PI3K/Akt/Nrf2 signaling pathway in the protective effects of carnosic acid against methylglyoxal-induced neurotoxicity in SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells

Glycation, a process that occurs endogenously and generates advanced glycation end products (AGEs), presents an important role in cases of neurodegeneration, as for instance Alzheimer's disease (AD). Methylglyoxal (MG), a dicarbonyl compound, is the most potent inducer of AGEs, whose levels have been found increased in samples obtained from subjects suffering from AD. Moreover, MG induces protein cross-linking and redox impairment in vitro and in vivo. Carnosic acid (CA), a phenolic diterpene isolated from Rosmarinus officinalis, exerts protective effects in neuronal cells by increasing antioxidant defenses and detoxification systems. In the present work, we aimed to investigate whether there is a role for CA against MG-induced neurotoxicity. Data obtained here clearly demonstrate that CA pretreatment (1 μM for 12 h) caused cytoprotective effects and counteracted the damage elicited by MG in SH-SY5Y cells. CA inhibited loss of mitochondrial membrane polarity (MMP) and cytochrome c release from mitochondria, consequently blocking activation of pro-apoptotic caspase enzymes. Furthermore, CA alleviated MG-induced oxidative and nitrosative damage. CA prevented MG-dependent neurotoxicity by activating the PI3K/Akt/Nrf2 signaling pathway and the antioxidant enzymes modulated by Nrf2 transcription factor. Overall, the data presented here show the protective role of CA by its ability to counteract MG negative effects.

Calmodulin antagonists effect on Ca(2+) level in the mitochondria and cytoplasm of myometrium cells

It is known that Ca(2+)-dependent regulation of this cation exchange in mitochondria is carried out with participation of calmodulin. We had shown in a previous work using two experimental models: isolated mitochondria and intact myometrium cells, that calmodulin antagonists reduce the level of mitochondrial membrane polarization. The aim of this work was to investigate the influence of calmodulin antagonists on the level of ionized Ca in mitochondria and cytoplasm of uterine smooth muscle cells using spectrofluorometry and confocal microscopy. It was shown that myometrium mitochondria, in the presence of ATP and MgCl2 in the incubation medium, accumulate Ca ions in the matrix. Incubation of mitochondria in the presence of CCCP inhibited cation accumulation, but did not cease it. Calmodulin antagonist such as trifluoperazine (100 μm) considerably increased the level of ionized Ca in the mitochondrial matrix. Preliminary incubation of mitochondria with 100 μM Ca2+, before adding trifluoperazine to the incubation medium, partly prevented influence of the latter on the cation level in the matrix. Incubation of myometrium cells (primary culture) with another calmodulin antagonist calmidazolium (10 μM was accompanied by depolarization of mitochondrial membrane and an increase in the concentration of ionized Ca in cytoplasm. Thus, using two models, namely, isolated mitochondria and intact myometrium cells, it has been shown that calmodulin antagonists cause depolarization of mitochondrial membranes and an increase of the ionized Ca concentration in both the mitochondrial matrix and the cell cytoplasm.

Sunlight inhibits growth and induces markers of programmed cell death in Plasmodium falciparum in vitro

BackgroundPlasmodium falciparum is responsible for the majority of global malaria deaths. During the pathogenic blood stages of infection, a rapid increase in parasitaemia threatens the survival of the host before transmission of slow-maturing sexual parasites to the mosquito vector to continue the life cycle. Programmed cell death (PCD) may provide the parasite with the means to control its burden on the host and thereby ensure its own survival. Various environmental stress factors encountered during malaria may induce PCD in P. falciparum. This study is the first to characterize parasite cell death in response to natural sunlight.MethodsThe 3D7 strain of P. falciparum was cultured in vitro in donor erythrocytes. Synchronized and mixed-stage parasitized cultures were exposed to sunlight for 1 h and compared to cultures maintained in the dark, 24 h later. Mixed-stage parasites were also subjected to a second one-hour exposure at 24 h and assessed at 48 h. Parasitaemia was measured daily by flow cytometry. Biochemical markers of cell death were assessed, including DNA fragmentation, mitochondrial membrane polarization and phosphatidylserine externalization.ResultsSunlight inhibited P. falciparum growth in vitro. Late-stage parasites were more severely affected than early stages. However, some late-stage parasites survived exposure to sunlight to form new rings 24 h later, as would be expected during PCD whereby only a portion of the population dies. DNA fragmentation was observed at 24 and 48 h and preceded mitochondrial hyperpolarization in mixed-stage parasites at 48 h. Mitochondrial hyperpolarization likely resulted from increased oxidative stress. Although data suggested increased phosphatidylserine externalization in mixed-stage parasites, results were not statistically significant.ConclusionThe combination of biochemical markers and the survival of some parasites, despite exposure to a lethal stimulus, support the occurrence of PCD in P. falciparum.

Induced peroxidase and cytoprotective enzyme expressions support adaptation of HUVECs to sustain subsequent H₂O₂ exposure

H2O2 mediates autocrine and paracrine signaling in the vasculature and can propagate endothelial dysfunction. However, it is not clear how endothelial cells withstand H2O2 exposure and promote H2O2-induced vascular remodeling. To understand the innate ability of endothelial cells for sustaining excess H2O2 exposure, we investigated the genotypic and functional regulation of redox systems in primary HUVECs following an H2O2 treatment. Primary HUVECs were exposed to transient H2O2 exposure and consistent H2O2 exposure. Following H2O2 treatments for 24, 48 and 72 h, we measured O2(-) production, mitochondrial membrane polarization (MMP), and gene expressions of pro-oxidative enzymes, peroxidase enzymes, and cytoprotective intermediates. Our results showed that the 24 h H2O2 exposure significantly increased O2(-) levels, hyperpolarized MMP, and downregulated CAT, GPX1, TXNRD1, NFE2L2, ASK1, and ATF2 gene expression in HUVECs. At 72 h, HUVECs in both treatment conditions were shown to adapt to reduce O2(-) levels and normalize MMP. An upregulation of GPX1, TXNRD1, and HMOX1 gene expression and a recovery of NFE2L2 and PRDX1 gene expression to control levels were observed in both consistent and transient treatments at 48 and 72 h. The response of endothelial cells to excess levels of H2O2 involves a complex interaction amongst O2(-) levels, mitochondrial membrane polarization and anti- and pro-oxidant gene regulation. As a part of this response, HUVECs induce cytoprotective mechanisms including the expression of peroxidase and antioxidant enzymes along with the downregulation of pro-apoptotic genes. This adaptation assists HUVECs to withstand subsequent exposures to H2O2.

Donor Pretreatment With IL-1 Receptor Antagonist Attenuates Inflammation and Improves Functional Potency in Islets From Brain-Dead Nonhuman Primates.

Most pancreas and islet grafts are recovered from brain-dead (BD) donors. In this study we characterized the early inflammatory response induced by brain death in pancreata and islets from nonhuman primate donors and evaluated the effect of targeted anti-inflammatory intervention in the protection of pancreatic islets prior to transplantation. BD donors were monitored for 6 h and assigned to three experimental groups: group 1: BD-untreated donors (BD-UT) (n = 7), group 2: BD + donor pretreatment with IL-1ra (n = 6), and group 3: non-BD animals serving as controls (n = 7). We observed an IL-1ra-dependent reduction in the mobilization and activation of neutrophils from bone marrow and a significantly reduced accumulation of CD68(+) leukocytes in the pancreas and islets after brain death induction. Donor treatment with IL-1ra significantly decreased chemokine mRNA expression (MCP-1, IL-8, and MIP-1a) and attenuated the activation of circulating neutrophils and intraislet macrophages as demonstrated by a reduction in intracellular IL-1β, IL-6, MCP-1, and MIP-1α expression. As a result, IL-1ra dramatically improved viability, mitochondrial membrane polarity, and islet engraftment in mice transplanted using a minimal islet mass. These results suggest that early immunomodulation targeting inflammation in the BD donor may represent an effective therapeutic strategy to improve islet quality and function prior to transplantation.

P63 supports aerobic respiration through hexokinase II

Short p63 isoform, ΔNp63, is crucial for epidermis formation, and it plays a pivotal role in controlling the turnover of basal keratinocytes by regulating the expression of a subset of genes involved in cell cycle and cell adhesion programs. The glycolytic enzyme hexokinase 2 (HK2) represents the first step of glucose utilization in cells. The family of HKs has four isoforms that differ mainly in their tissue and subcellular distribution. The preferential mitochondrial localization of HK2 at voltage-dependent anion channels provides access to ATP generated by oxidative phosphorylation and generates an ADP/ATP recycling mechanism to maintain high respiration rates and low electron leak. Here, we report that ΔNp63 depletion in human keratinocytes impairs mitochondrial basal respiration and increases mitochondrial membrane polarization and intracellular reactive oxygen species. We show ΔNp63-dependent regulation of HK2 expression, and we use ChIP, validated by p63-Chip sequencing genomewide profiling analysis, and luciferase assays to demonstrate the presence of one p63-specific responsive element within the 15th intronic region of the HK2 gene, providing evidence of a direct interaction. Our data support the notion of ΔNp63 as a master regulator in epithelial cells of a combined subset of molecular mechanisms, including cellular energy metabolism and respiration. The ΔNp63-HK2 axis is also present in epithelial cancer cells, suggesting that ΔNp63 could participate in cancer metabolic reprogramming.

N-acetylcysteine effectively mitigates cadmium-induced oxidative damage and cell death in Leydig cells in vitro

Context: Cadmium (Cd) is known to cause severe damage to various organs including lung, liver, kidney, brain and reproductive system. Several studies have reported the induction of oxidative stress pathways following Cd exposure. Objective: Since oxidative stress is also deemed responsible for inducing male infertility, a growing worldwide concern, we tried to understand whether the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (NAC) can be a potential therapeutic agent to counter Cd toxicity using primary Leydig cells. Materials and methods: This study highlights the initial cellular alterations which culminate in cell death induction. Primary Leydig cells were isolated from 28-day-old male Wistar rats, exposed to various concentrations of Cd in vitro and biochemical and cell death parameters were evaluated to understand the effect of Cd. NAC pre-treatment was done to understand its protective efficacy. Results: Following Cd exposure to Leydig cells in vitro, we found simultaneous intracellular calcium (Ca2+) increase and reduction in mitochondrial membrane polarization at 30 min, followed by significant induction of reactive oxygen species and MAPK–extracellular-regulated kinases with concurrent glutathione depletion at 1 h, and significant cell death (both necrotic and apoptotic) at 6 and 18 h, respectively. Pre-treatment with NAC abrogated all these toxic manifestations and showed significantly reduced cell death. NAC also rescued the expression of 3-βHSD, a major steroidogenic protein. Discussion and conclusion: Taken together, these data illustrated that NAC can be used as a potential protective agent against Cd-induced testicular toxicity, especially with regards to oxidative stress-induced Leydig cell toxicity.

Hydrogen peroxide‐induced redox homeostasis regulation in endothelial cells

Human vasculature is shown to regulate hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) at various levels in normal as well as pathophysiological conditions. Recent research studies have put forward the involvement of H2O2 in regulating cytotoxic and vasoactive response to vasculature. However, being part of redox system, the effect of H2O2 on regulation of vascular and in particular endothelial redox system is not clearly understood. Thus, we investigated H2O2 –induced regulation in redox system during transient and consistent exposure to endothelial cells. Using systems biology approach, we studied the superoxide (O₂‾) production, mitochondrial membrane polarization and gene expression of several redox system enzymes in HUVEC following both transient and consistent H2O2 exposure for 72 hours. Our results, showed a significant down‐regulation in ASK1, CAT, TXNRD1 under continuous H2O2 exposure. But in transient H2O2 exposure followed by remodeling period showed significant up‐regulation in GPX1 and TXNRD1 whereas genes expression of ASK1, SOD1 and PRDX1 returned to homeostasis. In both treatment conditions, exposure to H₂O₂ significantly increased O₂‾ production, which remained significantly higher up to 48 hours and decreased back to control level. Similar trend was also observed in mitochondrial membrane polarization which transitioned from hyperpolarized to normal state over the period of 72 hours in both H₂O₂ treatment conditions. Results from our study indicate that HUVEC actively regulated functional and gene expression changes to reach similar extent of redox homeostasis under both H₂O₂ treatments. These results further the understanding on how endothelial cells endure varying levels of H₂O₂ in pathological conditions.

The CT20 peptide: More than a Piece of Bax

Use of cytotoxic peptides for cancer treatment is an emerging therapeutic direction with promising potential; however, in many instances the intracellular actions of these peptides remain unknown. Finding ways to systematically decipher the intercellular targets and functions of rationally designed or endogenously sourced therapeutic peptides to better define clinical use is a significant challenge that needs to be addressed. Here we describe our recent results outlining the activity of CT20p, a peptide derived from the pro-apoptotic protein Bax, which specifically kills metastatic cancer cells but not normal epithelial cells. Using breast cancer as a model system to test the peptide, we found that CT20p can be delivered to cells by polymeric hyperbranched nanoparticles and that, once intracellular, has profound effects on cytosolic proteins and organelles in a cancer-specific fashion that are different from the parent protein. In cancer cells, CT20p localizes to the mitochondria, forms pores in mitochondrial-like membranes, alters mitochondrial movement and membrane polarization, and impairs cytoskeletal reorganization, leading to cell detachment and death. Further, we discuss our strategy for determining the molecular actions of CT20p that could help inform the activities of other currently available antimicrobial and anticancer therapeutic peptides.

New derivatives of lupane triterpenoids disturb breast cancer mitochondria and induce cell death

Novel cationic dimethylaminopyridine derivatives of pentacyclic triterpenes were previously described to promote mitochondrial depolarization and cell death in breast and melanoma cell lines. The objective of this work was to further investigate in detail the mechanism of mitochondrial perturbations, correlating those effects with breast cancer cell responses to those same agents. Initially, a panel of tumor and non-tumor cell lines was grown in high-glucose or glucose-free glutamine-containing media, the later forcing cells to synthesize ATP by oxidative phosphorylation only. Cell proliferation, cell cycle, cell death and mitochondrial membrane polarization were evaluated. Inhibition of cell proliferation was observed, accompanied by an arrest in the G1-cell cycle phase, and importantly, by loss of mitochondrial membrane potential. On a later time-point, caspase-9 and 3 activation were observed, resulting in cell death. For the majority of test compounds, we determined that cell toxicity was augmented in the galactose media. To investigate direct evidences on mitochondria isolated rat liver mitochondria were used. The results showed that the compounds were strong inducers of the permeability transition pore. Confirming our previous results, this work shows that the novel DMAP derivatives strongly interact with mitochondria, resulting in pro-apoptotic signaling and cell death.