Glucocorticoid Deflazacort Normalizes the Ultrastructure of Skeletal Muscles and the State of the Colon Microbiota in Dystrophin-Deficient Mice.

We studied the effect of enteral administration of the glucocorticoid deflazacort (DFC, 1.2 mg/kg per day, 28 days) on the state of skeletal muscles and tissue ultrastructure, as well as the composition of the colon microbiota in dystrophin-deficient mdx mice. DFC has been shown to reduce the intensity of degeneration/regeneration cycles in muscle fibers of mdx mice. This effect of DFC was accompanied by normalization of the size of sarcomeres of skeletal muscles of mdx mice, improvement of the ultrastructure of the subsarcolemmal population of mitochondria, and an increase in the number of organelles, as well as normalization of the number of contact interactions between the sarcoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria. In addition, DFC had a corrective effect on the colon microbiota of mdx mice, which manifested in an increase in the number of the Bifidobacterium genus microorganisms and a decrease in the level of E. coli with reduced enzymatic activity.

Uridine Administration Promotes Normalization of Heart Mitochondrial Function in Dystrophin-Deficient Mice and Decreases Tissue Fibrosis.

The work shows the effect of the metabolic modulator uridine on the functioning and ultrastructure of heart mitochondria in dystrophin-deficient mdx mice. Intraperitoneal administration of uridine (30 mg/kg/day for 28 days) improved K+ transport and increased its content in the heart mitochondria of mdx mice to the level of wild-type animals. This was accompanied by a significant decrease in the level of malondialdehyde and an increase in the number of mitochondria in the heart of mdx mice. At the same time, uridine did not affect the hyperfunctionality of mitochondria in mdx mice, which manifested in an increase in the calcium retention capacity. Nevertheless, we noted that uridine causes a significant decrease in the level of fibrosis in the heart of mdx mice, which attested to a positive effect of therapy.

Effect of Alisporivir on Calcium Ion Transport and Mitophagy in Skeletal Muscle and Heart Mitochondria in Dystrophin-Deficient Mice.

We studied the effect of the mitochondrial calcium-dependent pore (MPT pore) inhibitor alisporivir (5 mg/kg per day for 4 weeks) on the parameters of calcium ion transport and the intensity of mitophagy in mitochondria of the heart and skeletal muscles of dystrophin-deficient C57BL/10ScSn-mdx mice. Alisporivir increased the rate of calcium uptake by skeletal muscle mitochondria of mdx mice, which was accompanied by changes in the level of the MCU and MCUb subunits of the calcium uniporter. At the same time, the intensity of calcium uniport in the heart mitochondria did not change. Alisporivir was found to reduce the expression of Pink1 and Parkin genes regulating the intensity of mitophagy in skeletal muscles of mdx mice, but did not affect the expression of these genes in the heart. This effect of alisporivir was accompanied by fragmentation and a decrease in the mean size of organelles. Possible mitochondrion-related mechanisms of the protective effect of alisporivir on the skeletal muscle and heart cells are discussed.

Effect of Dapagliflozin on the Functioning of Rat Liver Mitochondria In Vitro.

We studied the effect of a new hypoglycemic compound dapagliflozin on the functioning of rat liver mitochondria. Dapagliflozin in concentrations of 10-20 µM had no effect on the parameters of respiration and oxidative phosphorylation of rat liver mitochondria. Increasing dapagliflozin concentration to 50 µM led to a significant inhibition of mitochondrial respiration in states 3 and 3UDNP. Dapagliflozin in this concentration significantly reduced calcium retention capacity of rat liver mitochondria. These findings indicate a decline in the resistance of rat liver mitochondria to induction of Ca2+-dependent mitochondrial permeability transition pore. In a concentration of 10 µM, dapagliflozin significantly decreases the rate of H2O2 formation in rat liver mitochondria, which attested to an antioxidant effect of this compound. Possible mitochondrion-related mechanisms of the protective action of dapagliflozin on liver cells are discussed.

Comparative Study of Functional Changes in Heart Mitochondria in Two Modes of Epinephrine Exposure Modeling Myocardial Injury in Rats.

The parameters of coupled respiration and transport of calcium ions in mitochondria isolated from the heart of rats were studied in two modes of exposure to epinephrine for modelling myocardial damage. In 24 h after injection of 1.5 mg/kg epinephrine to rats, we observed a decrease in the efficiency of oxidative phosphorylation in heart mitochondria in the presence of both NADH- and FADH-dependent respiratory substrates. Increasing the epinephrine dose and exposure (2 mg/kg, 72 h) led to a more pronounced decrease in the ADP/O coefficient when succinate was used as a substrate, which indicated a predominant decrease in the activity of complex II of the respiratory chain. The injection of epinephrine in the two modes resulted in a decrease in the rate of calcium entry in rat heart mitochondria, but had no effect on mitochondrial calcium retention capacity, which reflects the resistance of the organelles to the induction of the Са2+-dependent pore. These findings suggest that both cardiomyopathy models in rats can be used to study the effectiveness of pharmacological therapy using mitochondria-targeted agents.

Comparison of cyclosporin variants B-E based on their structural properties and activity in mitochondrial membranes.

Cyclosporins B, C, D, and E were characterized by NMR spectroscopy, and backbone flexibility was studied by molecular dynamics simulation. Structures of the molecules were characterized by nuclear Overhauser effect spectroscopy, which revealed that the studied peptides have many common features. Molecular dynamics simulation showed that the backbone of cyclosporin E is relatively more rigid than in other peptides. Calcium-dependent swelling of liver mitochondria under the influence of four considered compounds was also investigated. Three of them were found to have the activity similar to cyclosporin A, inhibiting opening of the mitochondrial pore at concentrations within 100-300 nM. However, cyclosporin E did not show any biological effect at concentrations up to 1 µM. Results of this study agree with the idea on the correlation between the peptide chain flexibility and its bioavailability.

Structural and Functional Features of Ca2+ Transport Systems in Liver Mitochondria of Rats with Experimental Hyperthyroidism.

We analyzed structural and functional features of the main mitochondrial Ca2+-transporting systems, mitochondrial Ca2+ uniporter complex (MCUC) and Ca2+-dependent cyclosporin A-sensitive mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPT pore), in rats with hyperthyroid state. It was found that, the rate of Ca2+ accumulation by rat liver mitochondria in this pathology increases by 1.3 times, which can be associated with higher level of the channel-forming subunit of the uniporter MCU and lower content of dominant-negative subunit of this complex MCUb. At the same time, the level of the regulatory subunit MICU1 remained unchanged. It was shown that calcium retention capacity of liver mitochondria in rats with experimental hyperthyroidism decreased by 2 times in comparison with the control, which attested to reduced resistance of liver mitochondria of hyperthyroid rats to induction of the MPT pore. The observed changes are consistent with the data on increased amount of cyclophilin D, a mitochondrial matrix peptidyl-prolyl isomerase that is known to modulate the MPT pore opening and expression of the Ppif gene that encodes mitochondrial cyclophilin D in rats with experimental hyperthyroidism.

Mitochondrial Ca2+ Transport: Mechanisms, Molecular Structures, and Role in Cells.

Mitochondria are among the most important cell organelles involved in the regulation of intracellular calcium homeostasis. During the last decade, a number of molecular structures responsible for the mitochondrial calcium transport have been identified including the mitochondrial Ca2+ uniporter (MCU), Na+/Ca2+ exchanger (NCLX), and Ca2+/H+ antiporter (Letm1). The review summarizes the data on the structure, regulation, and physiological role of such structures. The pathophysiological mechanism of Ca2+ transport through the cyclosporine A-sensitive mitochondrial permeability transition pore is discussed. An alternative mechanism for the mitochondrial pore opening, namely, formation of the lipid pore induced by saturated fatty acids, and its role in Ca2+ transport are described in detail.

[The influence of spermine on Ca(2+)-dependent permeability transition in mitochondria and liposomes induced by palmitic and α,Ω-hexadecanedioic acids].

The effect of spermine on Ca(2+)-dependent permeability transition in mitochondria and liposomes induced by palmitic and α,Ω-hexadecanedioic acid was studied. It has been shown that spermine inhibited the cyclosporin A-insensitive mitochondrial swelling induced by palmitic acid and Ca2+ and α,Ω-hexadecanedioic acid and Ca2+. 100 µM spermine did not influence the mitochondrial respiration in state V2 and the respiration stimulated by palmitic acid, α,Ω-hexadecanedioic acid and Ca2+. Pre-incubation of liposomes with 100 µM spermine resulted in the inhibition of palmitic acid/Ca(2+)- and α,Ω-hexadecanedioic acid/Ca(2+)-induced release of the fluorescent dye sulforhodamine B from liposomes. At the same time, spermine added to fatty acids-contained membranes of liposomes stimulated Ca(2+)-dependent release of sulforhodamine B from liposomes. It was shown that an addition of spermine to liposomes resulted in a significant increase in z-potential of liposomal membranes (from -39.8 mV to -18.6 mV). A possible mechanism of spermine influence on palmitic acid/Ca(2+)- and α,Ω-hexadecanedioic acid/Ca(2+)-induced permeability transition in mitochondria and liposomes is discussed.

[Impact of biologically important anions on reactive oxygen species formation in water under the effect of non-ionizing physical agents].

The influence of biologically relevant anions (succinate, acetate, citrate, chloride, bicarbonate, hydroorthophosphate, dihydroorthophosphate, nitrite, nitrate) on the formation of hydrogen peroxide and hydroxyl radicals in water was studied under the effect of non-ionizing radiation: heat, laser light with a wavelength of 632.8 nm, corresponding to the maximum absorption of molecular oxygen, and electromagnetic radiation of extremely high frequencies. It has been established that various anions may both inhibit the formation of reactive oxygen species and increase it. Bicarbonate and sulfate anions included in the biological fluids' and medicinal mineral waters have significant, but opposite effects on reactive oxygen species production. Different molecular mechanisms of reactive oxygen species formation are considered under the action of the investigated physical factors involving these anions, which may influence the biological processes by signal-regulatory manner and provide a healing effect in physical therapy.

[Study of the mechanisms of cytotoxic effect of uranyl nitrate].

The mechanisms of cytotoxic effect of uranyl nitrate were studied. It was shown that uranyl nitrate induced HEp-2 cell death, mainly by necrotic way. In the experiments in vitro, uranyl nitrate caused an appearance of 8-oxoguanine in DNA, indicating the induction of oxidative stress. The experiments with isolated rat liver mitochondria revealed that 1 mM uranyl nitrate decreased the respiration rates of mitochondria in state 3 and DNP-induced respiration. At the same time, uranyl nitrate had no influence on the opening of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore and decreased the rate of formation of H2O2 by mitochondria. Possible molecular mechanisms of uranyl-induced necrosis are discussed.

[The mirochondrial lipid palmitate/Ca2+-induced pore and its possible role in a degradation of nervous cells].

The subject of the review is a new type of mitochondrial pore--a pore which has lipid nature and is induced by palmitic acid and Ca2+. The review considers molecular mechanisms of its formation and regulation, conditions of its opening in biological membranes and the role in physiological and pathophysiological processes. Also discussed is involvement of the lipid pore in glutamate-induced degradation of nervous cells.

[Mitochondria and hepatotoxicity of ethanol].

The current understanding of the effects of alcohol intoxication on the basic mitochondrial functions has been presented. Both, the direct toxic effect of ethanol on biological membranes and various cellular systems and the toxicity of acetaldehyde and reactive oxygen species (the products of ethanol oxidation) are discussed, with emphasis on the effect of ethanol on the basic functions of mitochondria and Ca(2+)-dependent mitochondrial permeability transition. Based on the available experimental data, it is demonstrated that acute alcohol intoxication causes a global mitochondrial dysfunction in the liver, resulting in considerable disturbance of the whole cellular metabolism. Alcohol poisoning of the liver leads to a decreased ability of cells to withstand oxidative stress, to support the synthesis of vital metabolic intermediates (e.g., methyl groups), as well as to produce urea from ammonia, due to a decreased permeability of the outer membrane and impaired exchange of substrates between the cytoplasm and the mitochondrial matrix. This review emphasizes the role of the voltage-dependent anion channels of the outer mitochondrial membrane in ethanol-mediated disturbances of basic mitochondrial functions and its consequences for the entire cell metabolism in the liver.

[Effect of cholesterol on the formation of palmitate/Ca(2+)-activated pore in mitochondria and liposomes].

The influenc of cholesterol on the formation of the mitochondrial cyclosporin A (CsA)-insensitive palmitate/Ca(2+)-activated pore has been studied. It has been established that increasing the cholesterol level in mitochondrial membranes results in an increase in the of rate of mitochondrial swelling induced by palmitic acid (> or = 20 microM) and Ca2+ (30 microM). This effect is not related to changes in the functional activity of organelles since cholesterol did not influence the mitochondrial respiration in different metabolic states. At the same time, it was shown that the palmitate/Ca(2+)-induced permeabilization of cholesterol-containing azolectin liposomes was Stronger than that of azolectin liposomes. It was found that, in the liposomal membrane, the Ca(2+)-induced phase separation of palmitic acid into distinct membrane domains takes place. The presence of cholesterol in membranes increases the extent of segregation.

[The role of a mitochondrial palmitate/Ca(2+)-activated pore in palmitate-induced apoptosis].

Evidence for the possible involvement of the mitochondrial cyclosporin A-insensitive palmitate/Ca(2+)-activated pore in the apoptotic process is presented. It has been established that the opening of palmitate/Ca(2+)-activated pore results in high-amplitude swelling of mitochondria and the release of apoptosis-induced factor from organelles. These processes are accompanied by a transitory small decrease of membrane potential, which recovers in 1 min. The possible role of palmitate/Ca(2+)-activated pore in the induction of palmitate-activated apoptosis is discussed.

Effect of several flavonoid-containing plant preparations on activity of mitochondrial ATP-dependent potassium channel.

Flavonoid-containing plant preparations (water soluble extracts of Pentaphylloides fruticosa [Extralife], Emblica officinalis Gaerth [Amla], and Bergenia crassifolia [Bergenia]) produced a dose-dependent and tissue-specific effect on activity of mitochondrial ATP-dependent potassium channel. The effect of these preparations was biphasic (activation and inhibition). The activating effect of Extralife was one order of magnitude higher than that of Amla and Bergenia and was observed in a wider concentration range. The activating effect of preparations was abolished by inhibitors of the mitochondrial ATP-dependent potassium channel, which attested to specificity of their influence on mitochondrial channel. Under in vivo conditions, the antihypoxic effect of Extralife was partially abolished by mitochondrial ATP-dependent potassium channel inhibitor 5-hydroxydecanoate.

Possible mechanism for formation and regulation of the palmitate-induced cyclosporin A-insensitive mitochondrial pore.

The mechanism of the palmitate-induced opening of the mitochondrial Ca2+-dependent cyclosporin A (CsA)-insensitive pore was studied, as well as the influence on this process of well-known modulators of the CsA-sensitive Ca2+-dependent pore. Palmitic acid, which can bind Ca2+ with high affinity, induced the cyclosporin A-insensitive swelling of mitochondria, whereas palmitoleic and 2-bromopalmitic acids, which have no such affinity for Ca2+, failed to induce the pore opening. The palmitate-induced Ca2+-dependent swelling of mitochondria was not affected by a well-known inhibitor of the CsA-sensitive pore (ADP) and an activator of this pore (inorganic phosphate, P(i)). However, this swelling was inhibited by physiological concentrations of ATP ([I]50 = 1.3 mM), but 100 microM ATP increased by 30% the rate of mitochondria swelling if Ca2+ had been added earlier. The effects of ATP (inhibition and activation) manifested themselves from different sides of the inner mitochondrial membrane. Mg2+ inhibited the palmitate-induced Ca2+-dependent swelling of mitochondria with [I]50 = 0.8 mM. It is concluded that palmitic acid induces the opening of the CsA-insensitive pore due to its ability for complexing with Ca2+. A possible mechanism of the pore formation and the influence of some modulators on this process are discussed.

Effect of ethanol on the palmitate-induced uncoupling of oxidative phosphorylation in liver mitochondria.

The effect of ethanol on the uncoupling activity of palmitate and recoupling activities of carboxyatractylate and glutamate was studied in liver mitochondria at various Mg2+ concentrations and medium pH values (7.0, 7.4, and 7.8). Ethanol taken at concentration of 0.25 M had no effect on the uncoupling activity of palmitic acid in the presence of 2 mM MgCl2 and decreased the recoupling effects of carboxyatractylate and glutamate added to mitochondria either just before or after the fatty acid. However, ethanol did not modify the overall recoupling effect of carboxyatractylate and glutamate taken in combination. The effect of ethanol decreased as medium pH was decreased to 7.0. Elevated concentration of Mg2+ (up to 8 mM) inhibits the uncoupling effect of palmitate. Ethanol eliminates substantially the recoupling effect of Mg2+ under these conditions, but does not influence the recoupling effects of carboxyatractylate and glutamate. It is inferred that ADP/ATP and aspartate/glutamate antiporters are involved in uncoupling function as single uncoupling complex with the common fatty acid pool. Fatty acid molecules gain the ability to migrate under the action of ethanol: from ADP/ATP antiporter to aspartate/glutamate antiporter on addition of carboxyatractylate and in opposite direction on addition of glutamate. Possible mechanisms of fatty acid translocation from one transporter to another are discussed.