Rate Of Oxidative Phosphorylation Research Articles

Mitochondrial DNA content is not related with pregnancy but with euploidy

Introduction Altered levels of mitochondrial DNA were found to be associated with female age, aneuploidy and implantation potential ( Fragouli et al., 2015 ). The quantity of mtDNA was found to be significantly higher in embryos from older women and in aneuploid embryos. Blastocysts that successfully implanted tended to contain lower mtDNA quantities than those failing to implant (below the threshold of 0.003). The aim of our study was to correlate the mitochondrial DNA content with female age, euploidy and the subcategories of aneuploidy (monosomies, trisomies and mosaics). Material and Methods This observational study was based on 2494 embryos belonging to 483 patients (mean female age: 35.7) applying for preimplantation genetic screening (PGS) due to advanced maternal age (>37), a history of abnormal fetal karyotype or structural abnormalities. Good or top-quality blastocysts (at least 4BB) were biopsied and analyzed by next generation sequencing (NGS) (PGM platform, ThermoFisher). 1084 embryos were euploid and 1157 aneuploid, of which 404 were pure monosomic(s), 315 pure trisomic(s), 438 diagnosed with mixed monosomies and trisomies and 253 mosaics. Results Female age was not found to be correlated with the mitochondrial DNA content (p=0.27). However, the mitochondrial DNA content tends to increase with age (correlation coefficient, R=0.02). Although implanted embryos had an increased level of mitochondrial DNA content, it did not reach statistical significance either and no threshold could be established (p=0.33). Nevertheless, when euploid blastocysts were compared with aneuploids, the mitochondrial DNA content was found to be significantly decreased in euploids (p Conclusions Mitochondrial DNA content was not found as being a biomarker of successful implantation. However, it is related with euploidy in this series of 2494 embryos as euploid blastocysts had a decreased level of mitochondrial DNA. The quiet embryo hypothesis postulates that a low oxidative phosphorylation rate from the zygote to the morula stage limits reactive oxygen species production thus maximizing viability, a postulation that may be extended to euploid blastocysts.

Ataxia-Telangiectasia Mutated is located in cardiac mitochondria and impacts oxidative phosphorylation

The absence of Ataxia-Telangiectasia mutated protein kinase (ATM) is associated with neurological, metabolic and cardiovascular defects. The protein has been associated with mitochondria and its absence results in mitochondrial dysfunction. Furthermore, it can be activated in the cytosol by mitochondrial oxidative stress and mediates a cellular anti-oxidant response through the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP). However, the precise location and function of ATM within mitochondria and its role in oxidative phosphorylation is still unknown. We show that ATM is found endogenously within cardiac myocyte mitochondria under normoxic conditions and is consistently associated with the inner mitochondrial membrane. Acute ex vivo inhibition of ATM protein kinase significantly decreased mitochondrial electron transfer chain complex I-mediated oxidative phosphorylation rate but did not decrease coupling efficiency or oxygen consumption rate during β-oxidation. Chemical inhibition of ATM in rat cardiomyoblast cells (H9c2) significantly decreased the excited-state autofluorescence lifetime of enzyme-bound reduced NADH and its phosphorylated form, NADPH (NAD(P)H; 2.77 ± 0.26 ns compared to 2.57 ± 0.14 ns in KU60019-treated cells). This suggests an interaction between ATM and the electron transfer chain in the mitochondria, and hence may have an important role in oxidative phosphorylation in terminally differentiated cells such as cardiomyocytes.

Design of a multi-sensor platform for integrating extracellular acidification rate with multi-metabolite flux measurement for small biological samples

Rates of cellular oxygen consumption (OCR) and extracellular acidification (ECAR) are widely used proxies for mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) and glycolytic rate in cell metabolism studies. However, ECAR can result from both oxidative metabolism (carbonic acid formation) and glycolysis (lactate release), potentially leading to erroneous conclusions about metabolic substrate utilization. Co-measurement of extracellular glucose and lactate flux along with OCR and ECAR can improve the accuracy and provide better insight into cellular metabolic processes but is currently not feasible with any commercially available instrumentation. Herein, we present a miniaturized multi-sensor platform capable of real-time monitoring of OCR and ECAR along with extracellular lactate and glucose flux for small biological samples such as single equine embryos. This multiplexed approach enables validation of ECAR resulting from OXPHOS versus glycolysis, and expression of metabolic flux ratios that provide further insight into cellular substrate utilization. We demonstrate expected shifts in embryo metabolism during development and in response to OXPHOS inhibition as a model system for monitoring metabolic plasticity in very small biological samples. Furthermore, we also present a preliminary interference analysis of the multi-sensor platform to allow better understanding of sensor interference in the proposed multi-sensor platform. The capability of the platform is illustrated with measurements of multi-metabolites of single-cell equine embryos for assisted reproduction technologies. However, this platform has a wide potential utility for analyzing small biological samples such as single cells and tumor biopsies for immunology and cancer research applications.

Cardiac Specific Knockout of p53 Decreases ER Stress-Induced Mitochondrial Damage.

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress contributes to cardiovascular disease including heart failure. Interactions between the ER and mitochondria during ER stress can impair the mitochondrial respiratory chain and increase cell injury. p53 is a tumor suppressor protein that regulates apoptosis. p53 contributes to the regulation of mitochondrial and ER interactions, especially during the progression of ER stress. The knockout (KO) of p53 leads to decreased injury in hearts following ischemia-reperfusion. We asked if KO of p53 can protect mitochondria during the induction of ER stress and decrease cell injury. Floxed p53 mice were crossed with mice carrying an α-myosin heavy chain cre to generate cardiac specific p53 KO mice. Thapsigargin (THAP) was used to induce ER stress in wild type (WT) and p53 KO mice. Mice were euthanized after 48 h THAP treatment. Cardiac mitochondria were isolated for functional measurement. TUNEL staining was used to assess myocyte death. In WT mice, THAP treatment decreased the rate of oxidative phosphorylation using pyruvate + malate as complex I substrates compared to vehicle-treated control. Complex I activity was also decreased in the THAP-treated WT mice. The rate of oxidative phosphorylation and complex I activity were not altered in THAP-treated p53 KO mice. The content of pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) α1 subunit was decreased in THAP-treated WT mice but not in p53 KO mice. ER stress led to a release of cytochrome c and apoptosis inducing factor from mitochondria into cytosol in WT but not in KO mice. Knockout of p53 also preserved mitochondrial bcl-2 content in THAP-treated mice. In WT mice, THAP treatment markedly increased cell death compared to vehicle treated hearts. In contrast, cell injury was decreased in THAP-treated p53 KO mice compared to corresponding wild type. Thus, KO of p53 decreased cell injury by protecting mitochondria during the ER stress.

A JAK1 Selective Kinase Inhibitor and Tofacitinib Affect Macrophage Activation and Function

Janus kinases (JAKs) mediate cytokine signaling involved in inflammatory bowel disease. The pan-JAK inhibitor tofacitinib has shown efficacy in the treatment of ulcerative colitis. However, concerns regarding adverse events due to their wide spectrum inhibition fueled efforts to develop selective JAK inhibitors. Given the crucial role of myeloid cells in intestinal immune homeostasis, we evaluated the effect of pan-JAK and selective JAK inhibitors on pro- and anti-inflammatory macrophage polarization and function (M1/M2) and in experimental colitis. Murine bone marrow-derived macrophages or human monocytes were treated using JAK1 and JAK3 selective inhibitors (JAK1i;JAK3i) and tofacitinib and were evaluated by transcriptional, functional, and metabolic analyses. In vivo, oral administration of JAK1i and tofacitinib (10 or 30 mg/kg) was tested in both acute and acute rescue dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) colitis. Both tofacitinib and JAK1i but not JAK3i effectively inhibited STAT1 phosphorylation and interferon gamma-induced transcripts in M1 polarized macrophages. Strikingly, transcriptional profiling suggested a switch from M1 to M2 type macrophages, which was supported by increased protein expression of M2-associated markers. In addition, both inhibitors enhanced oxidative phosphorylation rates. In vivo, JAK1i and tofacitinib did not protect mice from acute DSS-induced colitis but ameliorated recovery from weight loss and disease activity during acute rescue DSS-induced colitis at the highest dose. JAK1i and tofacitinib but not JAK3i induce phenotypical and functional characteristics of anti-inflammatory macrophages, suggesting JAK1 as the main effector pathway for tofacitinib in these cells. In vivo, JAK1i and tofacitinib modestly affect acute rescue DSS-induced colitis.

HPV, tumour metabolism and novel target identification in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

BackgroundMetabolic changes in tumour cells are used in clinical imaging and may provide potential therapeutic targets. Human papillomavirus (HPV) status is important in classifying head and neck cancers (HNSCC), identifying a distinct clinical phenotype; metabolic differences between these HNSCC subtypes remain poorly understood.MethodsWe used RNA sequencing to classify the metabolic expression profiles of HPV+ve and HPV−ve HNSCC, performed a meta-analysis on FDG-PET imaging characteristics and correlated results with in vitro extracellular flux analysis of HPV−ve and HPV+ve HNSCC cell lines. The monocarboxylic acid transporter-1 (MCT1) was identified as a potential metabolic target and tested in functional assays.ResultsSpecific metabolic profiles were associated with HPV status, not limited to carbohydrate metabolism. There was dominance of all energy pathways in HPV-negative disease, with elevated expression of genes associated with glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation. In vitro analysis confirmed comparative increased rates of oxidative phosphorylation and glycolysis in HPV-negative cell lines. PET SUV(max) scores however were unable to reliably differentiate between HPV-positive and HPV-negative tumours. MCT1 expression was significantly increased in HPV-negative tumours, and inhibition suppressed tumour cell invasion, colony formation and promoted radiosensitivity.ConclusionHPV-positive and negative HNSCC have different metabolic profiles which may have potential therapeutic applications.

Melatonin and Docosahexaenoic Acid Decrease Proliferation of PNT1A Prostate Benign Cells via Modulation of Mitochondrial Bioenergetics and ROS Production.

Prostate cancer development has been associated with changes in mitochondrial activity and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Melatonin (MLT) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) have properties to modulate both, but their protective role, mainly at early stages of prostate cancer, remains unclear. In this study, the effects of MLT and DHA, combined or not, on PNT1A cells with regard to mitochondria bioenergetics, ROS production, and proliferation-related pathways were examined. Based on dose response and lipid accumulation assays, DHA at 100 μM and MLT at 1 μM for 48 h were chosen. DHA doubled and MLT reduced (40%) superoxide anion production, but coincubation (DM) did not normalize to control. Hydrogen peroxide production decreased after MLT incubation only (p < 0.01). These alterations affected the area and perimeter of mitochondria, since DHA increased whereas MLT decreased, but such hormone has no effect on coincubation. DHA isolated did not change the oxidative phosphorylation rate (OXPHOS), but decreased (p < 0.001) the mitochondrial bioenergetic reserve capacity (MBRC) which is closely related to cell responsiveness to stress conditions. MLT, regardless of DHA, ameliorated OXPHOS and recovered MBRC after coincubation. All incubations decreased AKT phosphorylation; however, only MLT alone inhibited p-mTOR. MLT increased p-ERK1/2 and, when combined to DHA, increased GSTP1 expression (p < 0.01). DHA did not change the testosterone levels in the medium, whereas MLT alone or coincubated decreased by about 20%; however, any incubation affected AR expression. Moreover, incubation with luzindole revealed that MLT effects were MTR1/2-independent. In conclusion, DHA increased ROS production and impaired mitochondrial function which was probably related to AKT inactivation; MLT improved OXPHOS and decreased ROS which was related to AKT/mTOR dephosphorylation, and when coincubated, the antiproliferative action was related to mitochondrial bioenergetic modulation associated to AKT and ERK1/2 regulation. Together, these findings point to the potential application of DHA and MLT towards the prevention of proliferative prostate diseases.

Calcium phosphate precipitation inhibits mitochondrial energy metabolism.

Early studies have shown that moderate levels of calcium overload can cause lower oxidative phosphorylation rates. However, the mechanistic interpretations of these findings were inadequate. And while the effect of excessive calcium overload on mitochondrial function is well appreciated, there has been little to no reports on the consequences of low to moderate calcium overload. To resolve this inadequacy, mitochondrial function from guinea pig hearts was quantified using several well-established methods including high-resolution respirometry and spectrofluorimetry and analyzed using mathematical modeling. We measured key mitochondrial variables such as respiration, mitochondrial membrane potential, buffer calcium, and substrate effects for a range of mitochondrial calcium loads from near zero to levels approaching mitochondrial permeability transition. In addition, we developed a computer model closely mimicking the experimental conditions and used this model to design experiments capable of eliminating many hypotheses generated from the data analysis. We subsequently performed those experiments and determined why mitochondrial ADP-stimulated respiration is significantly lowered during calcium overload. We found that when calcium phosphate levels, not matrix free calcium, reached sufficient levels, complex I activity is inhibited, and the rate of ATP synthesis is reduced. Our findings suggest that calcium phosphate granules form physical barriers that isolate complex I from NADH, disrupt complex I activity, or destabilize cristae and inhibit NADH-dependent respiration.

Threshold effect in the H2O2 production of skeletal muscle mitochondria during fasting and refeeding.

Under nutritional deprivation, the energetic benefits of reducing mitochondrial metabolism are often associated with enhanced harmful pro-oxidant effects and a subsequent long-term negative impact on cellular integrity. However, the flexibility of mitochondrial functioning under stress has rarely been explored during the transition from basal non-phosphorylating to maximal phosphorylating oxygen consumption. Here, we experimentally tested whether ducklings (Cairina moschata), fasted for 6 days and subsequently refed for 3 days, exhibited modifications to their mitochondrial fluxes, i.e. oxygen consumption, ATP synthesis, reactive oxygen species generation (ROS) and associated ratios, such as the electron leak (% ROS/O) and the oxidative cost of ATP production (% ROS/ATP). This was carried out at different steady-state rates of oxidative phosphorylation in both pectoralis (glycolytic) and gastrocnemius (oxidative) muscles. Fasting induced a decrease in the rates of oxidative phosphorylation and maximal ROS release. These changes were completely reversed by 3 days of refeeding. Yet, the fundamental finding of the present study was the existence of a clear threshold in ROS release and associated ratios, which remained low until a low level of mitochondrial activity was reached (30-40% of maximal oxidative phosphorylation activity).

Natural Killer Cells Integrate Signals Received from Tumour Interactions and IL2 to Induce Robust and Prolonged Anti-Tumour and Metabolic Responses.

Natural Killer (NK) cells are lymphocytes with an important role in anti-tumour responses. NK cells bridge the innate and adaptive arms of the immune system; they are primed for immediate anti-tumour function but can also have prolonged actions alongside the adaptive T cell response. However, the key signals and cellular processes that are required for extended NK cell responses are not fully known. Herein we show that murine NK cell interaction with tumour cells induces the expression of CD25, the high affinity IL2 receptor, rendering these NK cells highly sensitive to the T cell-derived cytokine IL2. In response to IL2, CD25high NK cells show robust increases in metabolic signalling pathways (mTORC1, cMyc), nutrient transporter expression (CD71, CD98), cellular growth and in NK cell effector functions (IFNγ, granzyme B). Specific ligation of an individual activating NK cell receptor, NK1.1, showed similar increases in CD25 expression and IL2-induced responses. NK cell receptor ligation and IL2 collaborate to induce mTORC1/cMyc signalling leading to high rates of glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) and prolonged NK cell survival. Disrupting mTORC1 and cMyc signalling in CD25high tumour interacting NK cells prevents IL2-induced cell growth and function and compromises NK cell viability. This study reveals that tumour cell interactions and T cell-derived IL2 cooperate to promote robust and prolonged NK cell anti-tumour metabolic responses.

SIRT3 Sumoylation Contributes to Chemoresistance in AML

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a clonal disease originated from a rare population of malignant hematopoietic cells, called leukemic stem cells (LSCs), which is not only often resistant to standard chemotherapies, but also the major cause of relapse and eventual death of AML patients. The five-year survival of AML keeps as low as 27% for the last few decades. LSCs possess unique metabolism profiles such as higher rates of oxidative phosphorylation, and dependence on fatty acid oxidation for survival, which is distinct from normal hematopoietic cells, and, as a consequence, relatively low level of reactive oxygen species (ROS), a critical regulator for stemness maintenance. Therefore, targeting mitochondrial metabolism, especially ROS, may be a promising strategy to improve chemotherapy outcome for AML.We have previously found in hepatocarcinoma cells that SUMOylation is one of the important post-translational modifications for a variety of cellular proteins, and is capable of regulating the enzymatic activity of some key mitochondrial enzymes involved in the metabolic control, one example of which is SIRT3, a NAD+-dependent protein deacetylase. SIRT3 is reported to influence cellular metabolism and downregulate ROS generation by deacetylating mitochondrial anti-oxidant enzymes. The targets of SIRT3 include superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2), manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) and isocitrate dehydrogenase 2 (IDH2), which have been shown closely related to leukemogenesis. Since sophisticated regulation of ROS production is required for the maintenance of LSCs, we reproduced SUMOylation of SIRT3, and investigated its role in the mitochondrial metabolism in AML. In fact, SIRT3 SUMOylation at lysine 288 was also found in AML cells.To reveal the consequences of SIRT3 SUMOylation in AML, we constructed a plasmid expressing SIRT3-K288R that fails to be SUMOylated in AML cells. As a result, AML cells expressing SIRT3-K288R protected AML cells from as shown by apoptotic assays and quantitation of activated caspase 3 via reduction of not only total but also mitochondrial ROS production under chemotherapeutic agent-induced cell death comparing to those transfected with vector or overexpressing wild type SIRT3.To further investigate the role of SIRT3 de-SUMOylation in AML, we examined the influence of mitochondrial metabolism and anti-oxidant enzymes by SIRT3-K288R. SIRT3-K288R significantly downregulated the acetylation of mitochondrial anti-oxidant enzymes, such as SOD2, leading to decreased NADP/NADPH ratio and increased GSH/GSSG ratio. SIRT3 de-SUMOylation enhanced OCR but impaired ECAR under both basic and cytarabine treated conditions. We analyzed 18 primary AML samples to evaluate the correlation among SIRT3 SUMOylation, ROS level and chemoresistance. As we expected, low level of SIRT3 SUMOylation correlates with low cellular ROS level in both bulk AML and CD34+CD38- AML stem cells, and less sensitivity to cytarabine.Furthermore, MV4-11 cells bearing control vector, wild type SIRT3 or SIRT3-K288R were engrafted in NSG mice. Cytarabine was administered to the xenografts to evaluate the chemoresistance in these cell line-derived xenograft (CDX) mouse models. Consistent to the in vitro data, SIRT3-K288R reduced total and mitochondrial ROS in vivo, resulted in enhanced leukemogenesis and impaired survival.Taken together, our study showed that SIRT3 can be SUMOylated in AML. De-SUMOylation enhances SIRT3 deacetylase activity, and contribute to the chemoresistance of AML cells via altered mitochondrial metabolism and reduced ROS generation. Thus, SIRT3 and its de-SUMOylase can be utilized as potential therapeutic targets to improve AML chemotherapy. DisclosuresNo relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Extracellular Flux Assays to Determine Oxidative Phosphorylation and Glycolysis in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Cells.

Extracellular flux assays are conducted using seahorse XF96 analyzer. They are used to calculate oxygen consumption rate which is to determine mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation and extracellular acidification rate which is a measure of glycolysis. Collectively, these assays are used to assess the metabolic phenotype of a cell. Up to four drugs can be loaded and tested in the XF cartridges used in the assay and their effect on cells could be determined. While adherent cell lines are easy to use for this assay, suspension cultures or primary cells are difficult to use. In the following sections, we describe the methodology for this assay for CLL cells in suspension cultures and CLL-stroma cocultures.

Unique pattern of neutrophil migration and function during tumor progression.

Although neutrophils have been linked to the formation of the pre-metastatic niche, the mechanism of their migration to distant uninvolved tissues has remained elusive. We report that bone marrow neutrophils from mice with early-stage cancers exhibited much more spontaneous migration to tissues. These cells lacked immunosuppressive activity but had elevated rates of oxidative phosphorylation and glycolysis, and much more production of ATP. Their enhanced spontaneous migration was mediated by the binding of ATP to purinergic receptors. In ectopic tumor models and the late stages of cancers, bone marrow neutrophils demonstrated potent immunosuppressive activity. However, these cells had metabolic and migratory activity indistinguishable from that of control neutrophils. A similar pattern of migration was observed in neutrophils and polymorphonuclear myeloid-derived suppressor cells from patients with cancer. These results elucidate the dynamic changes that neutrophils undergo in cancer and demonstrate the mechanism of neutrophils’ contribution to early tumor dissemination.

Metformin Targets Mitochondrial Glycerophosphate Dehydrogenase to Control Rate of Oxidative Phosphorylation and Growth of Thyroid Cancer In Vitro and In Vivo.

Purpose: Mitochondrial glycerophosphate dehydrogenase (MGPDH) is the key enzyme connecting oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) and glycolysis as well as a target of the antidiabetic drug metformin in the liver. There are no data on the expression and role of MGPDH as a metformin target in cancer. In this study, we evaluated MGPDH as a potential target of metformin in thyroid cancer and investigated its contribution in thyroid cancer metabolism.Experimental Design: We analyzed MGPDH expression in 253 thyroid cancer and normal tissues by immunostaining and examined its expression and localization in thyroid cancer-derived cell lines (FTC133, BCPAP) by confocal microscopy. The effects of metformin on MGPDH expression were determined by qRT-PCR and Western blot analysis. Seahorse analyzer was utilized to assess the effects of metformin on OXPHOS and glycolysis in thyroid cancer cells. We analyzed the effects of metformin on tumor growth and MGPDH expression in metastatic thyroid cancer mouse models.Results: We show for the first time that MGPDH is overexpressed in thyroid cancer compared with normal thyroid. We demonstrate that MGPDH regulates human thyroid cancer cell growth and OXPHOS rate in vitro Metformin treatment is associated with downregulation of MGPDH expression and inhibition of OXPHOS in thyroid cancer in vitro Cells characterized by high MGPDH expression are more sensitive to OXPHOS-inhibitory effects of metformin in vitro and growth-inhibitory effects of metformin in vitro and in vivoConclusions: Our study established MGPDH as a novel regulator of thyroid cancer growth and metabolism that can be effectively targeted by metformin. Clin Cancer Res; 24(16); 4030-43. ©2018 AACR.

Abstract 4884: OXPHOS: A novel target for cancer therapy in oncogene addicted tumor

Abstract Cancer cells are highly dependent on glycolysis over oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS). However, there is emerging evidence that (a) dysfunctional OXPHOS may be a major factor driving oncogene addiction and (b) feedback activation of the transcription factor STAT3 is a common surrogate survival pathway in oncogene addicted cancer cells. As such, invasive cancers exhibit enhanced oxidative phosphorylation, mitochondrial biogenesis and mitochondrial oxygen consumption rate. Therefore, inhibiting OXPHOS and STAT3 activity could have potential therapeutic implications for oncogene addicted and OXPHOS-dependent cancers. Here we report that oncogene addicted non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) cell line HCC827 and its gefitinib resistant clone and malignant melanoma cell line A375 and its vemurafanib resistant clone have significantly higher OXPHOS activity. In addition, these cells express higher level of the mitochondrial electron transport chain complex I protein (NDUFA9) and increased complex I activity as well as higher mitochondrial DNA copy number. Of note, significantly increased activity of STAT3 is detected in oncogene addicted cancer cells, and the increased mitochondrial oxygen consumption and complex I activity could be significantly inhibited by a novel small molecule inhibitor of STAT3, OPB-51602. The latter is shown to be an effect that might be independent of the STAT3 inhibitory activity of the small molecule compound. Most importantly, the novel STAT3 inhibitor showed strong activity in three different murine models of carcinogenesis as well as in patients treated with the STAT3 inhibitor. These data provide evidence that oncogene addicted cancer cells switch to OXPHOS over glycolysis and serve as proof of principle for identifying targeted new OXPHOS inhibitor in recalcitrant cancers. Citation Format: Jayshree L. Hirpara, Jie Eu Qing, Andrea Wong, Naoto Ohi, Tsunoda Takeshi, Boon Cher Goh, Shazib Pervaiz. OXPHOS: A novel target for cancer therapy in oncogene addicted tumor [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 4884.

Abstract 2414: Interrogating cellular metabolism reveals mTORC2 as a new biomarker to stratify epidermal growth factor receptor-mutant non-small cell lung cancer

Abstract Most non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with epidermal growth factor (EGFR) mutations initially respond to EGFR tyrosine-kinase inhibitors (TKIs), but these inhibitors are only effective for approximately one year, thus limiting the benefits to patients' survival. Stratification of patients with EGFR-mutant NSCLC would help physicians personalize and optimize patient treatment plans. To this end, we hypothesized that factors residing in the tumor microenvironment play a pivotal role in the evolutionary dynamics of therapeutic response to anti-EGFR therapies. We used the Operetta® High Content Imaging System to track cell dynamics over time under different microenvironmental stresses, and we found that the growth of TKI-resistant cells is more sensitive to glucose starvation than TKI-sensitive cells. To further interrogate cellular metabolism in TKI-sensitive and resistant cells, we utilized both seahorse metabolic assays and fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy to monitor the changes in glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation of living cells. We found TKI-resistant cells have higher glycolysis and lower oxidative phosphorylation rates compared to TKI-sensitive cells. Such metabolic reprogramming rendered TKI-resistant cells with lower metabolic plasticity to cope with metabolic stress. Using both genetic and pharmacologic approaches, we then demonstrated that mTORC2 activation contributes to the different metabolic phenotypes between TKI-sensitive and resistant cells. Furthermore, gene set enrichment analysis showed that the oxidative phosphorylation gene set is significantly enriched in patients with low mTORC2 activation, and the glycolysis gene set is upregulated in patients with high mTORC2 activation, which is correlated with shorter progression-free and overall survival time in patients. Overall, these data suggest that TKI-resistant cells use and require distinct metabolic programs that can be employed to stratify EGFR-mutant NSCLC patients for treatment with EGFR-TKIs. Citation Format: Chun-Te Chiang, Nolan Ung, Alexandra N. Demetriou, Chi-Li Chiu, Niha Choudhury, Cosimo Arnesano, Scott E. Fraser, David B. Agus, Naim Matasci, Dan L. Ruderman, Shannon M. Mumenthaler. Interrogating cellular metabolism reveals mTORC2 as a new biomarker to stratify epidermal growth factor receptor-mutant non-small cell lung cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 2414.

Comparative analysis of Parkinson's disease–associated genes in mice reveals altered survival and bioenergetics of Parkin-deficient dopamine neurons

Many mutations in genes encoding proteins such as Parkin, PTEN-induced putative kinase 1 (PINK1), protein deglycase DJ-1 (DJ-1 or PARK7), leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2), and α-synuclein have been linked to familial forms of Parkinson's disease (PD). The consequences of these mutations, such as altered mitochondrial function and pathological protein aggregation, are starting to be better understood. However, little is known about the mechanisms explaining why alterations in such diverse cellular processes lead to the selective loss of dopamine (DA) neurons in the substantia nigra (SNc) in the brain of individuals with PD. Recent work has shown that one of the reasons for the high vulnerability of SNc DA neurons is their high basal rate of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS), resulting from their highly complex axonal arborization. Here, we examined whether axonal growth and basal mitochondrial function are altered in SNc DA neurons from Parkin-, Pink1-, or DJ-1-KO mice. We provide evidence for increased basal OXPHOS in Parkin-KO DA neurons and for reduced survival of DA neurons that have a complex axonal arbor. The surviving smaller neurons exhibited reduced vulnerability to the DA neurotoxin and mitochondrial complex I inhibitor MPP+, and this reduction was associated with reduced expression of the DA transporter. Finally, we found that glial cells play a role in the reduced resilience of DA neurons in these mice and that WT Parkin overexpression rescues this phenotype. Our results provide critical insights into the complex relationship between mitochondrial function, axonal growth, and genetic risk factors for PD.

Modeling Calcium‐Induced Inhibition of Oxidative Phosphorylation

Ischemic myocardium is characterized by a chronic elevation in cellular calcium concentration. In this setting, mitochondria accumulate calcium to levels that compromise their ability to synthesize ATP. Although total mitochondrial calcium can reach up to 1 M, the vast majority is presumed to be present as insoluble calcium phosphate granules. We recently reported calcium levels below thresholds that trigger mitochondrial permeability transition significantly lowers the rate of ADP‐stimulated respiration. To explain these data, we tested the following hypotheses using a novel mathematical model of cardiac mitochondrial energetics and calcium handling: i) depressed membrane potential caused by sodium/calcium cycling lowering the driving force for ATP production; ii) direct inhibition of calcium on mitochondrial processes critical for ATP production; iii) calpain activation leading to a decrease in ATP synthesis capacity; iv) depletion/reduction of available ADP for phosphorylation caused by calcium biding, incorporation into calcium phosphate granules, or net loss of adenine nucleotide. The model includes mechanistic descriptions of mitochondrial metabolism and energetics in addition to calcium uptake, sequestration, and efflux pathways. Based on the model analysis, sodium/calcium cycling lowers mitochondrial membrane potential, but does not lead to lower rates of oxidative phosphorylation. However, direct inhibition of calcium on ATP production did agree with these data. We also found that calpain activation is a possible explanation, but we experimentally ruled this mechanism out. Finally, ADP complexation with calcium did not affect the rate of oxidative phosphorylation, but net loss of nucleotides via incorporation into calcium phosphate granules or efflux out of mitochondria can explain these data. The model will be used to design further experiments to determine the most likely mechanism capable of explaining the calcium‐induced inhibition of oxidative phosphorylation.Support or Funding InformationR00‐HL121160This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.

Reduction of Reperfusion Cardiac Injury in Donation After Circulatory Death Hearts Through Modulation of Electron Transport

INTODUCTIONHeart transplantation (HT) is a valuable option to prolong life in an end stage heart failure (HF) patient, but this option is limited due to the availability of donor hearts, which currently come from brain death donors only. Expansion of the heart donor pool is urgently needed. One potential source of donor hearts is donation after circulatory death (DCD) donors. Since the DCD process involves substantial ischemia (ISC) and reperfusion (REP) injury to heart, strategies are needed to reduce cardiac injury in DCD hearts for HT.HYPOTHESISAmobarbital (AMO) give during REP decreases cardiac injury. Based on the current human DCD protocol, the duration of ISC prior to heart procurement varies from 25 to 40 min. Thus, we examined if AMO given at the onset of REP can decrease cardiac injury in DCD heart following 45 min of global ISC.METHODSAfter 45 min of ISC, DCD hearts received AMO (2 mM) at the onset of REP for 5 min followed by buffer perfusion for 55 min; or buffer perfusion only for 60 min. Cardiac injury was measured by the left ventricle (LV) infarct size. Subsarcolemmal mitochondria (SSM) and interfibrillar mitochondria(IFM) were isolated at 10 min of REP to measure calcium retention capacity (CRC, nmol calcium/mg protein) to assess mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP) opening and rate of oxidative phosphorylation (nAO/min/mg).RESULTSAMO given during REP decreased the infarct size by 35% compared to untreated hearts. AMO improved the CRC in both SSM and IFM (Table), indicating a decreased susceptibility to MPTP opening during early REP. AMO did not influence oxidative phosphorylation with either complex I (glutamate) or complex II substrates (succinate+rotenone), suggesting that the protection of AMO is not due to improved oxidative phosphorylation.CONCLUSIONModulation of mitochondrial respiration at REP is a potential strategy to decrease cardiac injury in DCD hearts through inhibition of MPTP opening.Support or Funding InformationScientist development grant (MQ) from American Heart Association, Merit Review Award ( 2IO1BX001355‐01 EJ), R21AG054975‐01 (QC)This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.

Modulation of Tumor Cell Metabolism by Laser Photochemotherapy with Cisplatin or Zoledronic Acid In Vitro.

Laser photochemotherapy is a new approach in cancer treatment using low-level laser therapy (LLLT) to enhance the effect of chemotherapy. In order to evaluate the effect of LLLT on tumor cells, HeLa cells were treated with cisplatin or zoledronic acid (ZA) followed by LLLT. Cell viability was evaluated with 2,3-bis-(2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium-5-carboxanilide assay. Oxidative phosphorylation and glycolysis were measured using extracellular flux analysis. Immunocytochemistry of heat-shock protein 70 (HSP70) and western blot analysis were performed. LLLT alone increased viability and was associated with lower oxidative phosphorylation but higher glycolysis rates. Cisplatin and ZA alone lowered cell viability, glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation. This effect was significantly enhanced in conjunction with LLLT and was accompanied by reduced oxidative phosphorylation and collapse of glycolysis. Our observations indicate that LLLT may raise the cytotoxicity of cisplatin and ZA by modulating cellular metabolism, pointing to a possible application in cancer treatment.