Genetic deletion of the mitochondrial deacetylase sirtuin-3 (Sirt3) results in increased mitochondrial superoxide, a tumor permissive environment, and mammary tumor development. MnSOD contains a nutrient- and ionizing radiation (IR)-dependent reversible acetyl-lysine that is hyperacetylated in Sirt3−/− livers at 3 months of age. Livers of Sirt3−/− mice exhibit decreased MnSOD activity, but not immunoreactive protein, relative to wild-type livers. Re-introduction of wild-type, but not deacetylation null Sirt3, into Sirt3−/− MEFs deacetylated lysine and restored MnSOD activity. Site-directed mutagenesis of MnSOD lysine 122 to an arginine, mimicking deacetylation (lenti-MnSODK122-R), increased MnSOD activity when expressed in MnSOD−/− MEFs, suggesting acetylation directly regulates function. Furthermore, infection of Sirt3−/− MEFs with lenti-MnSODK122-R inhibited in vitro immortalization by an oncogene (Ras), inhibited IR-induced genomic instability, and decreased mitochondrial superoxide. Finally, IR was unable to induce MnSOD deacetylation or activity in Sirt3−/− livers and these irradiated livers displayed significant IR-induced cell damage and micro-vacuolization in their hepatocytes.

A fundamental observation in biology is that mitochondrial function, as measured by increased reactive oxygen species (ROS), changes significantly with age, suggesting a potential mechanistic link between the cellular processes governing longevity and mitochondrial metabolism homeostasis. In addition, it is well established that altered ROS levels are observed in multiple age-related illnesses including carcinogenesis, neurodegenerative, fatty liver, insulin resistance, and cardiac disease, to name just a few. Manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) is the primary mitochondrial ROS scavenging enzyme that converts superoxide to hydrogen peroxide, which is subsequently converted to water by catalase and other peroxidases. It has recently been shown that MnSOD enzymatic activity is regulated by the reversible acetylation of specific, evolutionarily conserved lysine(s) in the protein. These results, suggest for the first time, that the mitochondria contain bidirectional post-translational signaling networks, similar to that observed in the cytoplasm and nucleus, and that changes in lysine acetylation alter MnSOD enzymatic activity. In addition, these new results demonstrate that the mitochondrial anti-aging or fidelity / sensing protein, SIRT3, responds to changes in mitochondrial nutrient and/or redox status to alter the enzymatic activity of specific downstream targets, including MnSOD that adjusts and/or maintains ROS levels as well as metabolic homeostatic poise.

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Mechanisms governing inducible resistance to ionizing radiation in untransformed epithelial cells pre-exposed to low-dose ionizing radiation (LDIR; V10 cGy) are not well understood. The present study provides evidence that preexposure to 10 cGy X-rays increases clonogenic survival of mouse skin JB6P+ epithelial cells subsequently exposed to 2 Gy doses of ;-rays. To elucidate the molecular pathways of LDIR-induced adaptive radioresistance, the transcription factor nuclear factor-KB (NF-KB) and a group of NF-KBrelated proteins [i.e., p65, manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD), phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase, cyclin B1, and 14-3-3Z] were identified to be activated as early as 15 min after LDIR. Further analysis revealed that a substantial amount of both 14-3-3Z and cyclin B1 accumulated in the cytoplasm at 4 to 8 h when cell survival was enhanced. The nuclear 14-3-3Z and cyclin B1 were reduced and increased at 4 and 24 h, respectively, after LDIR. Using YFP-fusion gene expression vectors, interaction between 14-3-3Z and cyclin B1 was visualized in living cells, and LDIR enhanced the nuclear translocation of the 14-3-3Z/cyclin B1 complex. Treatment of JB6P+ cells with the NF-KB inhibitor IMD-0354 suppressed LDIR-induced expression of MnSOD, 14-3-3Z, and cyclin B1 and diminished the adaptive radioresistance. In addition, treatment with small interfering RNA against mouse MnSOD was shown to inhibit the development of LDIR-induced radioresistance. Together, these results show that NF-KB, MnSOD, 14-3-3Z, and cyclin B1 contribute to LDIR-induced adaptive radioresistance in mouse skin epithelial cells. [Cancer Res 2007;67(7):3220-8]

Although polychlorinated biphenyl (PCBs) production, and new uses for PCBs, was halted in the 1970s in the United States, PCBs continue to be used in closed systems and persist in the environment, accumulating in fatty tissues. PCBs are efficacious inducers of drug metabolism and may increase oxidative events and alter many other biochemical and morphologic parameters within cells and tissues. The goal of the present study was to evaluate the effects of a single, very low dose of PCB 126 (3,3′,4,4′,5-pentachlorobiphenyl), a coplanar, dioxin-like PCB congener and aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) agonist, on the redox status, metals homeostasis, antioxidant enzymes, and cellular morphology. To examine these parameters, male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed a purified AIN-93 basal diet containing 0.2 ppm selenium for two weeks, then administered a single i.p. injection of corn oil (5 ml/kg body weight) or 1 μmol PCB 126/kg body weight (326 μg/kg body weight) in corn oil. Rats were maintained on the diet for an additional two weeks before being euthanized. This dose of PCB 126 did not later feed intake or growth, but significantly increased liver weight (42%) and hepatic microsomal cytochrome P-450 (CYP1A) enzyme activities (10-40-fold increase). Hepatic zinc, selenium, and glutathione levels were significantly decreased 15%, 30%, and 20%, respectively, by PCB 126. These changes were accompanied by a 25% decrease in selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase activity. In contrast, hepatic copper levels were increased 40% by PCB 126. PCB 126-induced pathology was characterized by hepatocellular hypertrophy and mild steatosis in the liver and a mild decrease in cortical T-cells in the thymus. This controlled study in rats fed a purified diet shows that even a single, very low dose of PCB 126 that did not alter feed intake or growth, significantly perturbed redox and metals homeostasis and antioxidant and enzyme levels in rodent liver.

Objective Determine whether repeatedly overloading healthy cartilage disrupts mitochondrial function in a manner similar to that associated with osteoarthritis pathogenesis. Methods We exposed normal articular cartilage on bovine osteochondral explants to 1 day or 7 consecutive days of cyclic axial compression (0.25 or 1.0 MPa, 0.5 Hz, 3 hours) and evaluated effects on chondrocyte viability, ATP concentration, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, indicators of oxidative stress, respiration, and mitochondrial membrane potential. Results Neither 0.25 nor 1.0 MPa cyclic compression caused extensive chondrocyte death, macroscopic tissue damage, or overt changes in stress-strain behavior. After one day of loading, differences in respiratory activities between the 0.25 and 1.0 MPa groups were minimal; after 7 loading days, however, respiratory activity and ATP levels were suppressed in the 1.0 MPa group relative to the 0.25 MPa group, an effect prevented with pretreatment with 10 mM N-acetylcysteine. These changes were accompanied by increased proton leakage and decreases in mitochondrial membrane potential as well as by increased ROS formation indicated by dihydroethidium staining and glutathione oxidation. Conclusion Repeated overloading leads to chondrocyte oxidant-dependent mitochondrial dysfunction. This mitochondrial dysfunction may contribute to destabilization of cartilage during various stages of OA in distinct ways by disrupting chondrocyte anabolic responses to mechanical stimuli.

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A unique feature of human alveolar macrophages is their prolonged survival in the face of a stressful environment. We have shown previously that the ERK MAPK is constitutively active in these cells and is important in prolonging cell survival. This study examines the role of the ERK pathway in maintaining mitochondrial energy production. The data demonstrate that ATP levels in alveolar macrophages depend on intact mitochondria and optimal functioning of the electron transport chain. Significant levels of MEK and ERK localize to the mitochondria and inhibition of ERK activity induces an early and profound depletion in cellular ATP coincident with a loss of mitochondrial transmembrane potential. The effect of ERK suppression on ATP levels was specific, since it did not occur with PI3K/Akt, p38, or JNK suppression. ERK inhibition led to cytosolic release of mitochondrial proteins and caspase activation. Both ERK inhibition and mitochondrial blockers induced loss of plasma membrane permeability and cell death. The cell death induced by ERK inhibition had hallmarks of both apoptotic (caspase activation) and necrotic (ATP loss) cell death. By blocking ERK inhibition-induced reactive oxygen species, caspase activation was prevented, although necrotic pathways continued to induce cell death. This suggests that mitochondrial dysfunction caused by ERK inhibition generates both apoptotic and necrotic cell death-inducing pathways. As a composite, these data demonstrate a novel mitochondrial role for ERK in maintaining mitochondrial membrane potential and ATP production in human alveolar macrophages.