The main features that are commonly attributed to mitochondria consist of the regulation of cell proliferation, ATP generation, cell death and metabolism. However, recent scientific advances reveal that the intrinsic dynamicity of the mitochondrial compartment also plays a central role in proinflammatory signaling, identifying these organelles as a central platform for the control of innate immunity and the inflammatory response. Thus, mitochondrial dysfunctions have been related to severe chronic inflammatory disorders. Strategies aimed at reestablishing normal mitochondrial physiology could represent both preventive and therapeutic interventions for various pathologies related to exacerbated inflammation. Here, we explore the current understanding of the intricate interplay between mitochondria and the innate immune response in specific inflammatory diseases, such as neurological disorders and cancer.

Mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) are fundamental in the control of cell physiology regulating several signal transduction pathways. They continuously communicate exchanging messages in their contact sites called MAMs (Mitochondria-Associated Membranes). MAMs are specific microdomains acting as a platform for the sorting of vital and dangerous signals.In recent years increasing evidence reported that multiple scaffold proteins and regulatory factors localize to this subcellular fraction suggesting MAMs as hotspot signaling domains. In this review we describe the current knowledge about MAMs' dynamics and processes, which provided new correlations between MAMs' dysfunctions and human diseases. Infact, MAMs machinery is strictly connected with several pathologies, like neurodegeneration, diabetes and mainly cancer. These pathological events are characterized by alterations in the normal communication between ER and mitochondria, leading to deep metabolic defects that contribute to the progression of the diseases.MFN2 defining it as a ER-mitochondria tether whose ablation decreases interorganellar juxtaposition and communication (Naon et al., 2016). This topic is still controversial with opposite results (Filadi et al., 2017) which allow for further considerations about MFN2 functions. Another protein complex whose function is to modulate ER-mitochondria juxtaposition is the complex formed by inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptors (IP3Rs), the voltage-dependent anion channel (VDAC) and the OMM chaperone Grp75 as described in Figure 1 (Szabadkai et al., 2006). This interaction is considered functional because it promotes the efficient transfer of calcium from the ER to mitochondria. In fact, silencing of Grp75 in HeLa cells abolished Ca 2+ accumulation in mitochondria, highlighting chaperone-mediated conformational coupling between the IP3R and mitochondrial machinery. Nevertheless, a recent study of Bartok et al. reveals a non-canonical and structural role for the IP3Rs independently from calcium flux (Bartok et al., 2019).They display that IP3Rs are required for maintaining ER-mitochondrial contacts. Recently, a study of the Transglutaminase type 2 (TG2) interactome showed an enzymatic interaction with GRP75 in the MAM fraction (D'Eletto et al., 2018). In fact, silencing of the TG2-GRP75 complex leads to an increase in the interaction between IP3R-3 and GRP75, a reduction in the number of ER-mitochondria contact sites, impairment of ER-mitochondrial Ca 2+ flux and an altered MAM proteome profile. Furthermore, the complex formed between ER vesicle-associated membrane protein-associated protein B (VAPB) and PTPIP51 regulates the modulation of Ca 2+ homeostasis by MAMs (De Vos et al., 2012).

Although mitochondria play a multifunctional role in cancer progression and Ca2+ signaling is remodeled in a wide variety of tumors, the underlying mechanisms that link mitochondrial Ca2+ homeostasis with malignant tumor formation and growth remain elusive. Here, we show that phosphorylation at the N‐terminal region of the mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU) regulatory subunit MICU1 leads to a notable increase in the basal mitochondrial Ca2+ levels. A pool of active Akt in the mitochondria is responsible for MICU1 phosphorylation, and mitochondrion‐targeted Akt strongly regulates the mitochondrial Ca2+ content. The Akt‐mediated phosphorylation impairs MICU1 processing and stability, culminating in reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and tumor progression. Thus, our data reveal the crucial role of the Akt‐MICU1 axis in cancer and underscore the strategic importance of the association between aberrant mitochondrial Ca2+ levels and tumor development.

The divalent cation calcium (Ca2+) is considered one of the main second messengers inside cells and acts as the most prominent signal in a plethora of biological processes. Its homeostasis is guaranteed by an intricate and complex system of channels, pumps, and exchangers. In this context, by regulating cellular Ca2+ levels, mitochondria control both the uptake and release of Ca2+. Therefore, at the mitochondrial level, Ca2+ plays a dual role, participating in both vital physiological processes (ATP production and regulation of mitochondrial metabolism) and pathophysiological processes (cell death, cancer progression and metastasis). Hence, it is not surprising that alterations in mitochondrial Ca2+ (mCa2+) pathways or mutations in Ca2+ transporters affect the activities and functions of the entire cell. Indeed, it is widely recognized that dysregulation of mCa2+ signaling leads to various pathological scenarios, including cancer, neurological defects and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). This review summarizes the current knowledge on the regulation of mCa2+ homeostasis, the related mechanisms and the significance of this regulation in physiology and human diseases. We also highlight strategies aimed at remedying mCa2+ dysregulation as promising therapeutical approaches.

Aberrations in mitochondrial Ca 2+ homeostasis have been associated with different pathological conditions, including neurological defects, cardiovascular diseases, and, in the last years, cancer. With the recent molecular identification of the mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU) complex, the channel that allows Ca 2+ accumulation into the mitochondrial matrix, alterations in the expression levels or functioning in one or more MCU complex members have been linked to different cancers and cancer-related phenotypes. In this review, we will analyze the role of the uniporter and mitochondrial Ca 2+ derangements in modulating cancer cell sensitivity to death, invasiveness, and migratory capacity, as well as cancer progression in vivo. We will also discuss some critical points and contradictory results to highlight the consequence of MCU complex modulation in tumor development.