The effect of mitochondrially targeted anticancer agents on mitochondrial (super)complexes.

The mitochondrial respiratory chain is organized into dynamic high molecular weight complexes that associate to form supercomplexes. The function of these SCs is to minimize the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated during electron transfer within them and to efficiently transfer electrons to complex IV. These supra-molecular structures as well as whole mitochondria are stress-responsive and respond to mitochondrially targeted anti-cancer agent by destabilization and induction of massive production of ROS leading to apoptosis. We have recently developed mitochondrially targeted anti-cancer agents epitomized by the mitochondrially targeted analogue of the redox-silent compound vitamin E succinate, which belongs to the group of agents that kill cancer cells via their mitochondria-destabilizing activity, referred to as mitocans. To understand the molecular mechanism of the effect of such agents, the use of native blue gel electrophoresis and clear native electrophoresis coupled with in-gel activity assays, are methods of choice. The relevant methodology is described in this chapter.

Mitochondrial complex II, a novel target for anti-cancer agents.

With the arrival of the third millennium, in spite of unprecedented progress in molecular medicine, cancer remains as untamed as ever. The complexity of tumours, dictating the potential response of cancer cells to anti-cancer agents, has been recently highlighted in a landmark paper by Weinberg and Hanahan on hallmarks of cancer [1]. Together with the recently published papers on the complexity of tumours in patients and even within the same tumour (see below), the cure for this pathology seems to be an elusive goal. Indisputably, the strategy ought to be changed, searching for targets that are generally invariant across the landscape of neoplastic diseases. One such target appears to be the mitochondrial complex II (CII) of the electron transfer chain, a recent focus of research. We document and highlight this particularly intriguing target in this review paper and give examples of drugs that use CII as their molecular target. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Respiratory complex II: Role in cellular physiology and disease.