阿司匹林增加高脂喂养Wistar大鼠胰岛素敏感性和Mfn2mRNA的表达

目的 研究阿司匹林对高脂喂养Wistar大鼠胰岛素敏感性和线粒体功能的影响。方法 24只Wistar大鼠,♂,分为对照组(NC)、高脂组(HF)和阿司匹林组(AF)(n=8),喂养8周后,以高胰岛素-正常葡萄糖钳夹测定大鼠胰岛素敏感性,取空腹血清测定大鼠谷草转氨酶(ALT)、谷丙转氨酶(AST)、高密度脂蛋白(HDL-C)、甘油三酯(TG)、空腹血糖(FBS),空腹胰岛素(FINS)的水平;将大鼠肝脏组织进行固定、包埋、切片和HE染色,观察肝脏组织学变化;取肝脏组织,测定肝糖原含量;提取肝细胞线粒体并分离线粒体超氧化物歧化酶,测定线粒体超氧化物歧化酶活性(SOD),以及提取肝组织总RNA,应用RT-PCR测定肝脏组织Mfn2 mRNA的表达。结果 与NC组大鼠比较,HF组大鼠肝脏指数、TG、FBS、ALT、AST、INS明显升高(P<0.05),GIR和SOD显著降低(P<0.05),肝脏组织Mfn2 mRNA表达显著降低,肝细胞体积增大,胞质中有脂滴空泡;AF组大鼠上述各指标差异无统计学意义,显微结构无显著变化。结论 阿司匹林可以改善高脂诱导的胰岛素抵抗及抑制脂肪肝的形成,这一作用可能是部分通过促进肝细胞Mfn2表达、改善线粒体功能实现的。     

Toxicity of thallium on isolated rat liver mitochondria: The role of oxidative stress and MPT pore opening

Thallium(I) is a highly toxic heavy metal; however, up to now, its mechanisms are poorly understood. The authors' previous studies showed that this compound could induce reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation, reduced glutathione (GSH) oxidation, membrane lipid peroxidation, and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) collapse in isolated rat hepatocyte. Because the liver is the storage site of thallium, it seems that the liver mitochondria are one of the important targets for hepatotoxicity. In this investigation, the effects of thallium on mitochondria were studied to investigate its mechanisms of toxicity. Mitochondria were isolated from rat liver and incubated with different concentrations of thallium (25–200 µM). Thallium(I)‐treated mitochondria showed a marked elevation in oxidative stress parameters accompanied by MMP collapse when compared with the control group. These results showed that different concentrations of thallium (25–200 µM) induced a significant (P < 0.05) increase in mitochondrial ROS formation, ATP depletion, GSH oxidation, mitochondrial outer membrane rupture, mitochondrial swelling, MMP collapse, and cytochrome c release. In general, these data strongly supported that the thallium(I)‐induced liver toxicity is a result of the disruptive effect of this metal on the mitochondrial respiratory complexes (I, II, and IV), which are the obvious causes of metal‐induced ROS formation and ATP depletion. The latter two events, in turn, trigger cell death signaling via opening of mitochondrial permeability transition pore and cytochrome c expulsion. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 30: 232–241, 2015.     

Increased mitochondrial function downstream from KDM5A histone demethylase rescues differentiation in pRB-deficient cells

The retinoblastoma tumor suppressor protein pRb restricts cell growth through inhibition of cell cycle progression. Increasing evidence suggests that pRb also promotes differentiation, but the mechanisms are poorly understood, and the key question remains as to how differentiation in tumor cells can be enhanced in order to diminish their aggressive potential. Previously, we identified the histone demethylase KDM5A (lysine [K]-specific demethylase 5A), which demethylates histone H3 on Lys4 (H3K4), as a pRB-interacting protein counteracting pRB''s role in promoting differentiation. Here we show that loss of Kdm5a restores differentiation through increasing mitochondrial respiration. This metabolic effect is both necessary and sufficient to induce the expression of a network of cell type-specific signaling and structural genes. Importantly, the regulatory functions of pRB in the cell cycle and differentiation are distinct because although restoring differentiation requires intact mitochondrial function, it does not necessitate cell cycle exit. Cells lacking Rb1 exhibit defective mitochondria and decreased oxygen consumption. Kdm5a is a direct repressor of metabolic regulatory genes, thus explaining the compensatory role of Kdm5a deletion in restoring mitochondrial function and differentiation. Significantly, activation of mitochondrial function by the mitochondrial biogenesis regulator Pgc-1α (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ-coactivator 1α; also called PPARGC1A) a coactivator of the Kdm5a target genes, is sufficient to override the differentiation block. Overexpression of Pgc-1α, like KDM5A deletion, inhibits cell growth in RB-negative human cancer cell lines. The rescue of differentiation by loss of KDM5A or by activation of mitochondrial biogenesis reveals the switch to oxidative phosphorylation as an essential step in restoring differentiation and a less aggressive cancer phenotype.     

Melatonin antagonizes the intrinsic pathway of apoptosis via mitochondrial targeting of Bcl-2

Abstract:  We have recently shown that melatonin antagonizes damage-induced apoptosis by interaction with the MT-1/MT-2 plasma membrane receptors. Here, we show that melatonin interferes with the intrinsic pathway of apoptosis at the mitochondrial level. In response to an apoptogenic stimulus, melatonin allows mitochondrial translocation of the pro-apoptotic protein Bax, but it impairs its activation/dimerization The downstream apoptotic events, i.e. cytochrome c release, caspase 9 and 3 activation and nuclear vesiculation are equally impaired, indicating that melatonin interferes with Bax activation within mitochondria. Interestingly, we found that melatonin induces a strong re-localization of Bcl-2, the main Bax antagonist to mitochondria, suggesting that Bax activation may in fact be antagonized by Bcl-2 at the mitochondrial level. Indeed, we inhibit the melatonin anti-apoptotic effect (i) by silencing Bcl-2 with small interfering RNAs, or with small-molecular inhibitors targeted at the BH3 binding pocket in Bcl-2 (i.e. the one interacting with Bax); and (ii) by inhibiting melatonin-induced Bcl-2 mitochondrial re-localization with the MT1/MT2 receptor antagonist luzindole. This evidence provides a mechanism that may explain how melatonin through interaction with the MT1/MT2 receptors, elicits a pathway that interferes with the Bcl-2 family, thus modulating the cell life/death balance.     

Diverse mechanisms underlying the regulation of ion channels by carbon monoxide

Carbon monoxide (CO) is firmly established as an important, physiological signalling molecule as well as a potent toxin. Through its ability to bind metal-containing proteins, it is known to interfere with a number of intracellular signalling pathways, and such actions can account for its physiological and pathological effects. In particular, CO can modulate the intracellular production of reactive oxygen species, NO and cGMP levels, as well as regulate MAPK signalling. In this review, we consider ion channels as more recently discovered effectors of CO signalling. CO is now known to regulate a growing number of different ion channel types, and detailed studies of the underlying mechanisms of action are revealing unexpected findings. For example, there are clear areas of contention surrounding its ability to increase the activity of high conductance, Ca²⁺-sensitive K⁺ channels. More recent studies have revealed the ability of CO to inhibit T-type Ca²⁺ channels and have unveiled a novel signalling pathway underlying tonic regulation of this channel. It is clear that the investigation of ion channels as effectors of CO signalling is in its infancy, and much more work is required to fully understand both the physiological and the toxic actions of this gas. Only then can its emerging use as a therapeutic tool be fully and safely exploited.

Linked Articles

This article is part of a themed section on Pharmacology of the Gasotransmitters. To view the other articles in this section visit http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/bph.2015.172.issue-6     

A trivalent approach for determining in vitro toxicology: Examination of oxime K027

Unforeseen toxic effects contribute to compound attrition during preclinical evaluation and clinical trials. Consequently, there is a need to correlate in vitro toxicity to in vivo and clinical outcomes quickly and effectively. We propose an expedited evaluation of physiological parameters in vitro that will improve the ability to predict in vivo toxicity of potential therapeutics. By monitoring metabolism, mitochondrial physiology and cell viability, our approach provides insight to the extent of drug toxicity in vitro. To implement our approach, we used human hepatocellular carcinoma cells (HepG2) and neuroblastoma cells (SH‐SY5Y) to monitor hepato‐ and neurotoxicity of the experimental oxime K027. We utilized a trivalent approach to measure metabolism, mitochondrial stress and induction of apoptosis in 96‐well formats. Any change in these three areas may suggest drug‐induced toxicity in vivo. K027 and pralidoxime, an oxime currently in clinical use, had no effect on glycolysis or oxygen consumption in HepG2 and SH‐SY5Y cells. Similarly, these oximes did not induce oxidant generation nor alter mitochondrial membrane potential. Further, K027 and pralidoxime failed to activate effector caspases, and these oximes did not alter viability. The chemotherapeutic agent, docetaxel, negatively affected metabolism, mitochondrial physiology and viability. Our studies present a streamlined high‐throughput trivalent approach for predicting toxicity in vitro, and this approach reveals that K027 has no measurable hepatotoxicity or neurotoxicity in vitro, which correlates with their in vivo data. This approach could eliminate toxic drugs from consideration for in vivo preclinical evaluation faster than existing toxicity prediction panels and ultimately prevent unnecessary experimentation. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

线粒体源性硫化氢及其对线粒体功能的影响

作为继一氧化氮(NO)和一氧化碳(CO)之外的第三个气体信号分子,硫化氢(H_2S)被证实具有舒张血管、保护神经系统、调节昼夜节律以及抗衰老等多种生物学效应。近来研究发现,细胞质中除了由胱硫醚-β-合酶(CBS)和胱硫醚-γ-裂解酶(CGL或CSE)介导的H_2S合成方式之外,还存在独立的线粒体途径的H_2S合成方式。已有报道证实线粒体靶向的H_2S供体AP39和AP123较经典的无机盐供体NaHS显示出更强的细胞保护作用和更少的细胞毒性,揭示了线粒体源性H_2S作用的特殊性。本文重点介绍线粒体中H_2S的生成与代谢、H_2S对线粒体功能的影响以及新型线粒体靶向H_2S供体的研究进展,以期对H_2S的功能提供更加全面的认识。