Alterations of oxidative phosphorylation in tumour cells were originally believed to have a causative role in cancerous growth. More recently, mitochondria have again received attention with regards to neoplasia, largely because of their role in apoptosis and other aspects of tumour biology. The mitochondrial genome is particularly susceptible to mutations because of the high level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in this organelle, coupled with a low level of DNA repair. However, no detailed analysis of mitochondrial DNA in human tumours has yet been reported. In this study, we analysed the complete mtDNA genome of ten human colorectal cancer cell lines by sequencing and found mutations in seven (70%). The majority of mutations were transitions at purines, consistent with an ROS-related derivation. The mutations were somatic, and those evaluated occurred in the primary tumour from which the cell line was derived. Most of the mutations were homoplasmic, indicating that the mutant genome was dominant at the intracellular and intercellular levels. We showed that mitochondria can rapidly become homogeneous in colorectal cancer cells using cell fusions. These findings provide the first examples of homoplasmic mutations in the mtDNA of tumour cells and have potential implications for the abnormal metabolic and apoptotic processes in cancer.

No abstract

Lucigenin is most noted for its wide use as a chemilu

No abstract

Understanding the molecular pathway(s) of antioxidant gene regulation is of crucial importance for developing antioxidant-inducing agents for the intervention of oxidative cardiac disorders. Accordingly, this study was undertaken to determine the role of Nrf2 signaling in the basal expression as well as the chemical inducibility of endogenous antioxidants and phase 2 enzymes in cardiac fibroblasts. The basal expression of a scope of key cellular antioxidants and phase 2 enzymes was significantly lower in cardiac fibroblasts derived from Nrf2

The growth-stimulatory actions of tumor necrosis factor ␣ (TNF-␣) after partial hepatectomy (PH) are difficult to reconcile with its well-established role in the genesis of liver injury. The lethal actions of TNF are thought to involve the induction of oxidant production by mitochondria. It is not known if TNF initiates mitochondrial oxidant production after PH. Furthermore, if this potentially toxic response follows PH, it is not clear how hepatocytes defend themselves sufficiently so that replication, rather than death, occurs. These studies test the hypothesis that TNF does increase mitochondrial oxidant production after PH but that these oxidants primarily promote the induction of antioxidant defenses in regenerating hepatocytes.

The myelotoxicity, including leukemia, associated with benzene exposure has been attributed to the further activation of benzene-derived metabolites. In a previous study, we observed that (Cu(II) strongly mediates the oxidation of hydroquinone (HQ) producing benzoquinone (BQ) and H2O2 through Cu(II)/Cu(I) redox mechanism. Since copper exists in the nucleus and is closely associated with chromosomes and DNA, in this study we investigated whether this chemical--metal redox system induces strand breaks in phi X-174 RFI plasmid DNA. In the presence of micromolar concentrations of Cu(II) and HQ, both single and double strand breaks were induced, whereas HQ, Cu(II), H2O2 or BQ alone at the employed concentrations elicited no significant damage to DNA. The HQ/Cu(II) system was at least twice as efficient as a H2O2/Cu(II) system at inducing DNA strand breaks. Of Cu(II), Fe(III), Mn(II), Cd(II) and Zn(II), only HQ/Cu(II) induced extensive DNA strand breaks. Among HQ, 1,2,4-benzenetriol (BT), catechol and phenol, HQ/Cu(II) and BT/Cu(II) were the two most efficient DNA cleaving systems. The presence of bathocuproinedisulfonic acid (BCS) or catalase prevented the HQ/Cu(II)-induced DNA strand breaks. In addition, the HQ/Cu(II)-induced DNA strand breaks could be completely blocked by reduced glutathione and dithiothreitol, but not by L-cysteine. The interaction of L-cysteine with copper in the absence of HQ induced significant DNA strand breaks with the same pattern of DNA strand breaks as that of HQ/Cu(II) plus L-cysteine. In contrast to the HQ/Cu(II) system, a HQ/myeloperoxidase (MPO)/H2O2 system did not induce any DNA strand breaks, and furthermore, the presence of MPO inhibited the HQ/Cu(II)-induced DNA strand breaks. When DNA pretreated with Cu(II) was exposed to HQ, DNA strand breaks were formed that could be prevented by BCS or catalase, indicating that DNA-bound copper can undergo redox cycling in the presence of HQ, generating H2O2. Similar to the H2O2/Cu(II) system, the HQ/Cu(II)-induced DNA strand breaks could not be efficiently inhibited by hydroxyl radical scavengers but could be protected by singlet oxygen scavengers, indicating that the localized generation of singlet oxygen or a singlet oxygen-like entity, possibly a copper-peroxide complex, rather than free hydroxyl radical probably plays a role in the HQ/Cu(II)-induced DNA strand breaks. The above results suggest that macromolecule-associated copper and reactive oxygen generation may be important factors in the mechanism of HQ-induced DNA damage in target cells.

No abstract