Antioxidant defence systems and generation of reactive oxygen species in osteosarcoma cells with defective mitochondria: effect of selenium.

Mitochondrial diseases originate from mutations in mitochondrial or nuclear genes encoding for mitochondrial proteome. Neurogenic muscle weakness, ataxia and retinitis pigmentosa (NARP) syndrome is associated with the T8993G transversion in ATP6 gene which results in substitution at the very conservative site in the subunit 6 of mitochondrial ATP synthase. Defects in the mitochondrial respiratory chain and the ATPase are considered to be accompanied by changes in the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). This study aimed to elucidate effects of selenium on ROS and antioxidant system of NARP cybrid cells with 98% of T8993G mutation load. We found that selenium decreased ROS generation and increased the level and activity of antioxidant enzymes such as glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and thioredoxin reductase (TrxR). Therefore, we propose selenium to be a promising therapeutic agent not only in the case of NARP syndrome but also other diseases associated with mitochondrial dysfunctions and oxidative stress.

[Diseases caused by mutations in mitochondrial DNA]. / Choroby spowodowane mutacjami w mitochondrialnym DNA.

Mitochondrial diseases associated with mutations within mitochondrial genome are a subgroup of metabolic disorders since their common consequence is reduced metabolic efficiency caused by impaired oxidative phophorylation and shortage of ATP. Although the vast majority of mitochondrial proteins (approximately 1500) is encoded by nuclear genome, mtDNA encodes 11 subunits of respiratory chain complexes, 2 subunits of ATP synthase, 22 tRNAs and 2 rRNAs. Up to now, more than 250 pathogenic mutations have been described within mtDNA. The most common are point mutations in genes encoding mitochondrial tRNAs such as 3243A-->G and 8344T-->G that cause, respectively, MELAS (mitochondrial encephalopathy, lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes) or MIDD (maternally-inherited diabetes and deafness) and MERRF (myoclonic epilepsy with ragged red fibres) syndromes. There have been also found mutations in genes encoding subunits of ATP synthase such as 8993T-->G substitution associated with NARP (neuropathy, ataxia and retinitis pigmentosa) syndrome. It is worth to note that mitochondrial dysfunction can also be caused by mutations within nuclear genes coding for mitochondrial proteins.

The inhibitory effect of diphenyltin on gap junctional intercellular communication in HEK-293 cells is reduced by thioredoxin reductase 1.

Organotins display high biological activity and are toxic to animals and humans. Besides carcinogenic effects, they have been shown to have highly immunotoxic and/or neurotoxic activity; however, the molecular mechanism of their toxicity is not fully understood. The ability of chemicals to inhibit communication via gap junctions has been associated with their toxicological properties. The aim of this study was to determine whether diphenyltin (DPhT) affects the gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC) and whether thioredoxin reductase (TrxR1) is involved in the regulation of this process. We found that DPhT inhibits GJIC in HEK-293 cells. The inhibition of GJIC depends on the activation of PKC delta and is associated with the induction of Cx43 phosphorylation at Ser262. Moreover, we found that GJIC inhibited by DPhT in HEK-293 cells is fully re-established as a result of TrxR1 overexpression.

Selenite activates the ATM kinase-dependent DNA repair pathway in human osteosarcoma cells with mitochondrial dysfunction.

Mitochondrial dysfunction and reactive oxygen species (ROS) induced oxidative damage are implicated in the pathogenesis of several human diseases. Based on our previous findings that ROS level was higher in human osteosarcoma cybrids--Neuropathy, Ataxia and Retinitis Pigmentosa (NARP) and was reduced by selenite treatment, this study was designed to elucidate the effects of selenite administration on oxidative and nitrosative damage to lipids, proteins and DNA. Oxidative and nitrosative damage to lipids and proteins was not increased in NARP cybrids or mitochondrial DNA-lacking Rho0 cells (displaying mitochondrial dysfunction) when compared with control WT cells. However, we found the enhanced formation of DNA double-strand breaks based on the level of histone γH2AX (phosphorylated at Ser 139), which is known to be phosphorylated by ATM (Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated) kinase in response to DNA damage. Selenite increased the activity of ATM kinase in NARP cybrids and Rho0 cells without concomitant increase in levels of histone γH2AX. Activation of the ATM kinase-dependent DNA repair pathway triggered by selenite could not be associated with enhanced DNA damage but might rather result from selenite-induced activation of ATM-dependent DNA repair mechanisms which could account for protective effects of this agent.

Effects of 1-Methylnicotinamide (MNA) on Exercise Capacity and Endothelial Response in Diabetic Mice.

1-Methylnicotinamide (MNA), which was initially considered to be a biologically inactive endogenous metabolite of nicotinamide, has emerged as an anti-thrombotic and anti-inflammatory agent with the capacity to release prostacyclin (PGI2). In the present study, we characterized the effects of MNA on exercise capacity and the endothelial response to exercise in diabetic mice. Eight-week-old db/db mice were untreated or treated with MNA for 4 weeks (100 mg·kg-1), and their exercise capacity as well as NO- and PGI2-dependent response to endurance running were subsequently assessed. MNA treatment of db/db mice resulted in four-fold and three-fold elevation of urine concentrations of MNA and its metabolites (Met-2PY + Met-4PY), respectively (P<0.01), but did not affect HbA1c concentration, fasting glucose concentration or lipid profile. However, insulin sensitivity was improved (P<0.01). In MNA-treated db/db mice, the time to fatigue for endurance exercise was significantly prolonged (P<0.05). Post-exercise Δ6-keto-PGF1α (difference between mean concentration in the sedentary and exercised groups) tended to increase, and post-exercise leukocytosis was substantially reduced in MNA-treated animals. In turn, the post-exercise fall in plasma concentration of nitrate was not affected by MNA. In conclusion, we demonstrated for the first time that MNA improves endurance exercise capacity in mice with diabetes, and may also decrease the cardiovascular risk of exercise.

Running performance at high running velocities is impaired but V'O(2max) and peripheral endothelial function are preserved in IL-6⁻/⁻ mice.

It has been reported that IL-6 knockout mice (IL-6⁻/⁻) possess lower endurance capacity than wild type mice (WT), however the underlying mechanism is poorly understood. The aim of the present work was to examine whether reduced endurance running capacity in IL-6⁻/⁻ mice is linked to impaired maximal oxygen uptake (V'O(2max)), decreased glucose tolerance, endothelial dysfunction or other mechanisms. Maximal running velocity during incremental running to exhaustion was significantly lower in IL-6⁻/⁻ mice than in WT mice (13.00±0.97 m·min⁻¹ vs. 16.89±1.15 m·min⁻¹, P<0.02, respectively). Moreover, the time to exhaustion during running at 12 m·min⁻¹ in IL-6⁻/⁻ mice was significantly shorter (P<0.05) than in WT mice. V'O(2max) in IL-6⁻/⁻ (n = 20) amounting to 108.3±2.8 ml·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹ was similar as in WT mice (n = 22) amounting to 113.0±1.8 ml·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹, (P = 0.16). No difference in maximal COX activity between the IL-6⁻/⁻ and WT mice in m. soleus and m. gastrocnemius was found. Moreover, no impairment of peripheral endothelial function or glucose tolerance was found in IL-6⁻/⁻ mice. Surprisingly, plasma lactate concentration during running at 8 m·min⁻¹ as well at maximal running velocity in IL-6⁻/⁻ mice was significantly lower (P<0.01) than in WT mice. Interestingly, IL-6⁻/⁻ mice displayed important adaptive mechanisms including significantly lower oxygen cost of running at a given speed accompanied by lower expression of sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca²âº-ATPase and lower plasma lactate concentrations during running at submaximal and maximal running velocities. In conclusion, impaired endurance running capacity in IL-6⁻/⁻ mice could not be explained by reduced V'O(2max), endothelial dysfunction or impaired muscle oxidative capacity. Therefore, our results indicate that IL-6 cannot be regarded as a major regulator of exercise capacity but rather as a modulator of endurance performance. Furthermore, we identified important compensatory mechanism limiting reduced exercise performance in IL-6⁻/⁻ mice.

Effect of selenite on basic mitochondrial function in human osteosarcoma cells with chronic mitochondrial stress.

Mitochondrial chronic stress that originates from defective mitochondria is implicated in a growing list of human diseases. To enhance understanding of pathophysiology of chronic mitochondrial dysfunction we investigated human osteosarcoma cells with 2 types of chronic stress: corresponding to the mutation in ATP synthase subunit 6 encoded by mtDNA (NARP syndrome-mild stress) and to a total lack of mtDNA (Rho0 cells-heavy stress). We previously found that selenium influenced mitochondrial stress response and lowered ROS production. Therefore, in this study effect of selenite on other mitochondrial parameters was investigated. We showed that presence of selenium improved survival of starved cells, modified organization of mitochondrial network in NARP cybrids and decreased cytosolic calcium level in NARP and Rho0 cells. Selenium did not affect mitochondrial membrane potential, ATP level, activity of ATP synthase and activity of complex II of the respiratory chain.

NARP mutation and mtDNA depletion trigger mitochondrial biogenesis which can be modulated by selenite supplementation.

The importance of mitochondrial biogenesis in the pathogenesis of mitochondrial diseases has been widely recognised but little is known about it with regard to NARP (Neuropathy, Ataxia and Retinitis Pigmentosa) syndrome. Since such knowledge would contribute to the understanding of the pathogenesis of this disease, we designed a study to provide comprehensive overview of mitochondrial biogenesis in cybrid cells harboring NARP mutation (8993T>G). We also used Rho0 cells with the same nuclear background to show that distinct mtDNA defects lead to distinct cellular responses irrespective of nuclear genome. Mitochondrial biogenesis is regulated by mitochondria-to-nucleus (retrograde) communication which depends on intracellular signaling pathways sensitive to ROS. Since we previously found that selenite lowered ROS in NARP cybrids, we hypothesised that selenite could also modulate mitochondrial biogenesis in these cells. Although the mitochondrial mass was not changed in NARP cybrids, we showed the compensatory upregulation of respiratory chain subunits which prompted us to investigate the transcription factors that regulate their expression such as PGC-1α, NRFs, and TFAM. Selenite supplementation increased the level of NRF1 and nuclear accumulation of NRF2, but we did not detect any major changes in the levels of investigated respiratory chain proteins. These subtle changes in mitochondrial biogenesis in response to selenite treatment support the hypothesis that selenite could be considered as a potential therapeutic agent of NARP syndrome due to its antioxidant properties. Moreover, it could also be tested with regard to other mitochondrial disorders associated with ROS overproduction.