Metastatic TNBC is closely associated with a fused mitochondrial morphology and a glycolytic and lipogenic metabolism.

Mitochondria modify their function and morphology to satisfy the bioenergetic demand of the cells. Cancer cells take advantage of these features to sustain their metabolic, proliferative, metastatic, and survival necessities. Understanding the morphological changes to mitochondria in the different grades of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) could help to design new treatments. Consequently, this research explored mitochondrial morphology and the gene expression of some proteins related to mitochondrial dynamics, as well as proteins associated with oxidative and non-oxidative metabolism in metastatic and non-metastatic TNBC. We found that mitochondrial morphology and metabolism are different in metastatic and non-metastatic TNBC. In metastatic TNBC, there is overexpression of genes related to mitochondrial dynamics, fatty-acid metabolism, and glycolysis. These features are accompanied by a fused mitochondrial morphology. By comparison, in non-metastatic TNBC, there is a stress-associated mitochondrial morphology with hyperfragmented mitochondria, accompanied by the upregulated expression of genes associated with the biogenesis of mitochondria; both of which are characteristics related to the higher production of reactive oxygen species observed in this cell line. These differences between metastatic and non-metastatic TNBC should provide a better understanding of metastasis and contribute to the development of improved specific and personalized therapies for TNBC.

Glucolipotoxicity-induced Oxidative Stress is Related to Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Apoptosis of Pancreatic ß-cell.

Glucolipotoxicity-induced oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction of pancreatic ß-cells are some of the mechanisms that have been related to the low insulin secretion and cell death during diabetes development. In early or non-chronic stages, the pancreatic ß-cells respond to hyperglycemia or hyperlipidemia, stimulating insulin secretion. However, the chronic effect of both leads to glucolipotoxicity, which induces constant overstimulation of pancreatic ß-cells, a condition that leads to cell death by apoptosis. The mechanism described, at this moment, is the accelerated mitochondrial dysfunction triggered by the high production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) due to excess nutrients. At first, mitochondria respond to over-nutrition accelerating oxygen consumption and consequently increasing the ATP synthesis. A permanent increase of ATP/ADP ratio leads to a constant inhibition of K+ ATP-channel and, therefore, a continuous insulin secretion accompanied by an increase in ROS. Finally, ROS accumulation compromises mitochondrial function due to the uncontrolled oxidation of proteins, lipids, and DNA generating functional alterations such as a drop of membrane potential, deregulation of mitochondrial dynamics, low rate of ATP synthesis and consequently the cell death. This review aims to describe the effect of glucolipotoxicity- induced oxidative stress and its relationship with mitochondrial dysfunction in ß-cell during type 2 diabetes development.

A single session of physical activity restores the mitochondrial organization disrupted by obesity in skeletal muscle fibers.

BACKGROUND: Several studies have proved that physical activity (PA) regulates energetic metabolism associated with mitochondrial dynamics through AMPK activation in healthy subjects. Obesity, a condition that induces oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and low AMPK activity leads to mitochondrial fragmentation. However, few studies describe the effect of PA on mitochondrial dynamics regulation in obesity. AIM: The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of a single session of PA on mitochondrial dynamics regulation as well as its effect on mitochondrial function and organization in skeletal muscles of obese rats (Zucker fa/fa). MAIN METHODS: Male Zucker lean and Zucker fa/fa rats aged 12 to 13 weeks were divided into sedentary and subjected-to-PA (single session swimming) groups. Gastrocnemius muscle was dissected into isolated fibers, mitochondria, mRNA, and total proteins for their evaluation. KEY FINDINGS: The results showed that PA increased the Mfn-2 protein level in the lean and obese groups, whereas Drp1 levels decreased in the obese group. OMA1 protease levels increased in the lean group and decreased in the obese group. Additionally, AMPK analysis parameters (expression, protein level, and activity) did not increase in the obese group. These findings correlated with the partial restoration of mitochondrial function in the obese group, increasing the capacity to maintain the membrane potential after adding calcium as a stressor, and increasing the transversal organization level of the mitochondria analyzed in isolated fibers. SIGNIFICANCE: These results support the notion that obese rats subjected to PA maintain mitochondrial function through mitochondrial fusion activation by an AMPK-independent mechanism.

The 8-oxo-deoxyguanosine glycosylase increases its migration to mitochondria in compensated cardiac hypertrophy.

Cardiac hypertrophy is a compensatory mechanism maladapted because it presents an increase in the oxidative stress which could be associated with the development of the heart failure. A mechanism proposed is by mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) oxidation, which evolved to a vicious cycle because of the synthesis of proteins encoded in the genome is committed. Therefore, the aim of the present work was to evaluate the mtDNA damage and enzyme repairing the 8-oxo-deoxyguanosine glycosylase mitochondrial isoform 1-2a (OGG1-2a) in the early stage of compensated cardiac hypertrophy induced by abdominal aortic constriction (AAC). Results showed that after 6 weeks of AAC, hearts presented a compensated hypertrophy (22%), with an increase in the cell volume (35%), mitochondrial mass (12%), and mitochondrial membrane potential (94%). However, the increase of oxidative stress did not affect mtDNA most probably because OGG1-2a was found to increase 3.2 times in the mitochondrial fraction. Besides, mitochondrial function was not altered by the cardiac hypertrophy condition but in vitro mitochondria from AAC heart showed an increased sensibility to stress induced by the high Ca2+ concentration. The increase in the oxidative stress in compensated cardiac hypertrophy induced the OGG1-2a migration to mitochondria to repair mtDNA oxidation, as a mechanism that allows maintaining the cardiac function in the compensatory stage.