Influence of quercetin on aging of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells induced by microgravity / 中国药理学通报

Aim To investigate the effect of quercetin on the aging model of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells established under microgravity. Methods Using 3D gyroscope, a aging model of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells was constructed, and after receiving quercetin and microgravity treatment, the anti-aging effect of the quercetin was evaluated by detecting related proteins and oxidation indexes. Results Compared to the control group, the expressions of age-related proteins p21, pi6, p53 and RB in the microgravity group significantly increased, while the expressions of cyclin D1 and lamin B1 significantly decreased, with statistical significance (P<0.05). In the microgravity group, mitochondrial membrane potential significantly decreased (P<0.05), ROS accumulation significantly increased (P <0.05), SOD content significantly decreased and MDA content significantly increased (P<0.05). Compared to the microgravity group, the expressions of age-related proteins p21, pi6, p53 and RB in the quercetin group significantly decreased, while the expressions of cyclin D1 and lamin B1 significantly increased, with statistical significance (P<0.05). In the quercetin group, mitochondrial membrane potential significantly increased (P<0.05), ROS accumulation significantly decreased (P<0.05), SOD content significantly increased and MDA content significantly decreased (P<0.05). Conclusions Quercetin can resist oxidation, protect mitochondrial function and normal cell cycle, thus delaying the aging of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells induced by microgravity.

Mitochondria-specific near-infrared photoactivation of peroxynitrite upconversion luminescent nanogenerator for precision cancer gas therapy

Gas therapy is emerging as a highly promising therapeutic strategy for cancer treatment. However, there are limitations, including the lack of targeted subcellular organelle accuracy and spatiotemporal release precision, associated with gas therapy. In this study, we developed a series of photoactivatable nitric oxide (NO) donors NRh-R-NO (R = Me, Et, Bn, iPr, and Ph) based on an N-nitrosated upconversion luminescent rhodamine scaffold. Under the irradiation of 808 nm light, only NRh-Ph-NO could effectively release NO and NRh-Ph with a significant turn-on frequency upconversion luminescence (FUCL) signal at 740 nm, ascribed to lower N-N bond dissociation energy. We also investigated the involved multistage near-infrared-controlled cascade release of gas therapy, including the NO released from NRh-Ph-NO along with one NRh-Ph molecule generation, the superoxide anion O2⋅- produced by the photodynamic therapy (PDT) effect of NRh-Ph, and highly toxic peroxynitrite anion (ONOO‒) generated from the co-existence of NO and O2⋅-. After mild nano-modification, the nanogenerator (NRh-Ph-NO NPs) empowered with superior biocompatibility could target mitochondria. Under an 808 nm laser irradiation, NRh-Ph-NO NPs could induce NO/ROS to generate RNS, causing a decrease in the mitochondrial membrane potential and initiating apoptosis by caspase-3 activation, which further induced tumor immunogenic cell death (ICD). In vivo therapeutic results of NRh-Ph-NO NPs showed augmented RNS-potentiated gas therapy, demonstrating excellent biocompatibility and effective tumor inhibition guided by real-time FUCL imaging. Collectively, this versatile strategy defines the targeted RNS-mediated cancer therapy.

Research progress on mitochondria regulating anti-tumor immunity / 浙江大学学报·医学版

Tumor cells adaptively reforge their metabolism to meet the demands of energy and biosynthesis. Mitochondria, pivotal organelles in the metabolic reprogramming of tumor cells, contribute to tumorigenesis and cancer progression significantly through various dysfunctions in both tumor and immune cells. Alterations in mitochondrial dynamics and metabolic signaling pathways exert crucial regulatory influence on the activation, proliferation, and differentiation of immune cells. The tumor microenvironment orchestrates the activation and functionality of tumor-infiltrating immune cells by reprogramming mitochondrial metabolism and inducing shifts in mitochondrial dynamics, thereby facilitating the establishment of a tumor immunosuppressive microenvironment. Stress-induced leakage of mitochondrial DNA contributes multifaceted regulatory effects on anti-tumor immune responses and the immunosuppressive microenvironment by activating multiple natural immune signals, including cGAS-STING, TLR9, and NLRP3. Moreover, mitochondrial DNA-mediated immunogenic cell death emerges as a promising avenue for anti-tumor immunotherapy. Additionally, mtROS, a crucial factor in tumorigenesis, drives the formation of tumor immunosuppressive microenvironment by changing the composition of immune cells within the tumor microenvironment. This review focuses on the intrinsic relationship between mitochondrial biology and anti-tumor immune responses from multiple angles. We expect to explore the core role of mitochondria in the dynamic interplay between the tumor and the host, in order to facilitate the development of targeted mitochondrial strategies for anti-tumor immunotherapy.

Xihuangwan Inhibits Mitochondrial Energy Metabolism in Ovarian Cancer Cells / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo study the effect of Xihuangwan extract on mitochondrial energy metabolism in ovarian cancer SKOV3 and HEY cells and to explore the underlying mechanism. MethodSKOV3 and HEY cells were cultured in vitro and treated with different concentrations （0， 5， 10， 15， 20 g·L-1） of Xihuangwan extract. Methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium （MTT） was used to examine the viability of SKOV3 and HEY cells treated with Xihuangwan extract. The adenosine-triphosphate （ATP） levels in SKOV3 and HEY cells were measured by kit. Flow cytometry was employed to measure the content of reactive oxygen species （ROS） in cells. Western blot was employed to determine the protein levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ co-activator 1α （PGC1α）， transcription factor A， mitochondrial （TFAM）， translocase of outer mitochondrial membrane 20 （TOMM20）， and aplasia Ras homologue member Ⅰ （ARHⅠ） in SKOV3 and HEY cells. Mito-Tracker Green staining was used to observe the morphological changes of mitochondria in SKOV3 and HEY cells. ResultCompared with blank group， Xihuangwan extract treatment for 24， 48 h inhibited the viability of SKOV3 and HEY cells in a concentration-dependent manner （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with blank group， Xihuangwan extract （10， 15， 20 g·L-1） groups presented lowered ATP levels （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and the 20 g·L-1 Xihuangwan extract group had lower ATP level than the 10 and 15 g·L-1 Xihuangwan extract groups （P<0.05）. Compared with blank group， Xihuangwan extract increased the content of ROS in SKOV3 and HEY cells in a concentration-dependent manner （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and the 20 g·L-1 Xihuangwan extract group had higher ROS content than the 10 g·L-1 Xihuangwan extract group （P<0.05）. Compared with blank group， Xihuangwan extract up-regulated the expression level of ARHⅠ protein in SKOV3 and HEY cells in a concentration-dependent manner （P<0.01）， and the expression levels of ARHⅠ protein was higher in the 20 g·L-1 Xihuangwan extract group than in the 10 and 15 g·L-1 Xihuangwan extract groups （P<0.05）. Compared with the blank group， Xihuangwan extract down-regulated the protein levels of PGC1α， TFAM， and TOMM20 in SKOV3 and HEY cells in a concentration-dependent manner （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and the protein levels of TFAM and TOMM20 in the HEY cells treated with 20 g·L-1 Xihuangwan extract were lower than those in the HEY cells treated with 10， 15 g·L-1 Xihuangwan extract （P<0.05）. Compared with the blank group， 20 g·L-1 Xihuangwan extract decreased the Mito-Tracker fluorescence intensity of SKOV3 and HEY cells （P<0.05）. ConclusionXihuangwan can compromise the mitochondrial function of ovarian cancer SKOV3 and HEY cells and reduce cell energy metabolism to inhibit the proliferation of SKOV3 and HEY cells by up-regulating ARHⅠ and inhibiting PGC1α/TFAM signaling axis.

Effect of a disintegrin and metalloprotease 17 deletion on production of reactive oxygen species and mitochondrial function in nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells / 中国生物制品学杂志

@#Objective To investigate the effects of a disintegrin and metalloproteinase 17(ADAM17) deletion on the production of reactive oxygen species(ROS) and mitochondrial function in nasopharyngeal carcinoma(NPC) cells.Methods Three groups of ADAM1 7 interfering plasmid ADAM17 shRNA and empty plasmid ADAM17-shRNA-NC were transfected into NPC cell line(CNE1) and detected for the interference efficiency by RT-PCR and Western blot to select shRNA with the best interference effect for the follow-up experiments.The cell proliferation was detected by CCK-8 assay,while the cell growth by clone formation test,the apoptosis and changes in mitochondrial membrane potential(MMP) by flow cytometry,the level of mitochondrial oxidative damage product ROS by fluorescence microscope,the contents of oxidative stress markers MDA and SOD by malondialdehyde(MDA) kit and superoxide dismutase(SOD) kit and the expression of mitochondrial damage markers Bax/Bcl-2,cleaved-caspase 9/caspase 9,cleaved-caspase 3/caspase 3 and c-Myc by Western blot.Results ADAM17-shRNA2 group showed the best interference effect.Compared with shRNA-NC group,the proliferation rate of cell in ADAM17-shRNA 2 group decreased significantly(t=8.964,P=0.036);the number of colonies were significantly reduced(t=10.351,P=0.014);the number of apoptosis increased significantly(t=11.25,P=0.008);the fluorescence intensity representing ROS level in cells increased obviously;the mitochondrial membrane potential decreased significantly(t=9.233,P=0.013);the SOD content decreased(t=7.233,P=0.034) and MDA content increased(t=7.415,P=0.038) significantly;the levels of Bax/Bcl-2,cleaved-caspase 9/caspase 9 and cleaved-caspase 3/caspase 3 significantly increased(t=8.985,9.021 and 7.789,P=0.023,0.011 and 0.031,respectively),while the expression of c-Myc proteins significantly decreased(t=10.352,P=0.004).Conclusion Interfering with ADAM1 7 induced SOD decrease and MDA increase by promoting oxidation,thereby alleviating oxidative damage of cell membrane,which also promoted the expression level of ROS in mitochondrion,reduced MMP,inhibited cell proliferation in vitro,and promoted apoptosis.

Regulation of Mitochondrial Quality Control in Treatment of Diabetic Kidney Disease by Traditional Chinese Medicine： A Review / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Diabetic kidney disease （DKD） is characterized by the hyperfiltration and albuminuria in the early phase which are followed by progressive renal function decline， renal tubular epithelial cell hypertrophy， and tubulointerstitial fibrosis. Thus， it is one of the leading causes of chronic kidney diseases. The currently available therapies mainly aim to control the primary diseases and reduce the risk of kidney injury. Based on syndrome differentiation， traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） relieves the symptoms by excreting water and alleviating edema and eliminates the root cause by tonifying deficiency and supplementing the original Qi， thereby showing therapeutic effect and delaying the progression of DKD. It excels in comprehensively regulating the constitution of patients with little side effects. Among the Zang-fu organs， kidney takes the second place in the content of mitochondria which participate in the metabolism of water and fluid and are the foundation of kidney Yin and kidney Yang. Mitochondria are energy producers within a cell， which carry out cellular respiration， produce reactive oxygen species， and generate adenosine triphosphate by oxidative phosphorylation. Mitochondrial quality control （MQC） is an effective way to maintain mitochondrial dynamic balance， whose imbalances， such as mitochondrial oxidative stress， mitophagy， mitochondrial dynamic changes， and abnormal calcium regulation， are related to the occurrence and development of DKD. It is generally believed that the destruction of mitochondrial structure in the case of metabolic disorder is the main cause of the disease. In recent years， TCM has attracted the attention of both Chinese and foreign researchers for the unique advantages of treating both symptoms and root cause at the same time and multi-target synergy in the treatment of DKD. However， the specific mechanism is still unclear. It has been frequently verified that mitochondria may be one of the targets of TCM in the treatment of DKD. At the moment， no review on the treatment of DKD by TCM through the intervention of MQC is available. Therefore， this paper aims to summarize the research on TCM treatment of DKD by regulating MQC in the past 10 years， which is expected to provide a new direction for the treatment of DKD by TCM.

Regulation of Neuro-Microenvironment on Mitochondrial Mass of Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cells / 中国实验血液学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To study the effects of the neuro-microenvironment on the mass of mitochondria in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPC), and to understand the potential mechanisms how nerve regulates HSPC.@*METHODS@#6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) and capsaicin were used to interfere with the function of sympathetic nerve and nociceptive nerve in mitochondria-GFP reporter mice, respectively. The fluorescence intensity of GFP in bone marrow and spleen was measured by flow cytometry. The GFP median fluorescence intensity (MFI) of HSPC in normal bone marrow and spleen was analyzed and compared. The changes of the mitochondrial mass in HSPCs in each group after denervation were compared.@*RESULTS@#Hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) had the highest mito-GFP MFI in steady-state (49 793±1 877), and the mito-GFP MFI gradually decreased during the differentiation of HSCs. Compared with control group, pharmaceutical nociceptive denervation significantly increased the mito-GFP MFI of bone marrow multipotent progenitor-1 (MPP1, 50 751±420 vs 44 020±510) and LKS- cells (15 673±65 vs 13 979±103); pharmaceutical sympathetic denervation significantly reduced the mito-GFP MFI of bone marrow LKS+ cells (21 667±351 vs 29 249±973).@*CONCLUSION@#Sympathetic and nociceptive nerves can regulate the mass of mitochondria in HSPC and affect the function of HSPCs.

Analysis of circRNA expression profile and functional enrichment of myocardial mitochondria in mice with diabetic cardiomyopathy / 西安交通大学学报(医学版)

【Objective】 To explore the differential expression and functional analysis of circRNA from myocardial mitochondria in diabetes cardiomyopathy (DCM) mice. 【Methods】 The DCM mice model was established in 16-week-old db/db mice, and C57BL/KsJ mice were used as controls. RNA was extracted from the myocardium of two groups of mice, high-throughput sequencing was used to screen mitochondrial circRNA differentially expressed in the two groups, RT-qPCR was used to verify the sequencing results of the first 10 circRNAs with significant differential expression, and functional enrichment analysis was performed on the differentially expressed circRNA target genes, and miRNA target prediction software was used to analyze the circRNA-miRNA co-expression network. 【Results】 There were 147 mitochondrial circRNAs differentially expressed in the myocardium of DCM mice, including 89 highly expressed and 58 low expressed. The expression pattern of differentially expressed circRNAs in tissues was consistent with those of sequencing results. The enrichment analysis of GO and KEGG showed that the differentially expressed circRNA target genes were mainly enriched in cGMP/PKG, glucagon pathways, which were related to mitochondrial energy metabolism and cardiac hypertrophy. circRNA-miRNA co-expression analysis found that the most significantly up-regulated circRNA, chrM:1207-1536+, was associated with miR-491-3p, miR-99a-3p, and miR-99b-3p, and the most significantly down-regulated circRNA, chrM:1453-3205+, was associated with miR-181b-1-3p, miR-181b-2-3p, and miR-672-5p. 【Conclusion】 Compared to the control mice, there is differential expression of circRNAs in myocardial mitochondria of DCM mice. The differentially expressed circRNAs may interact with the corresponding miRNA to affect myocardial fibrosis and hypertrophy through regulation of energy metabolism, apoptosis and other pathways, thus participating in the pathogenesis of DCM.

Effect of Gupi Xiaoji Decoction on mitochondrial structure and function of human hepatoma cell line HepG2 / 中国药理学通报

Aim To observe the effect of Gupi Xiaoji Decoction (GPXJY) on the structure and function of mitochondria of human hepatoma cell HepG2 cells and explore its possible mechanism. Methods CCK8 was used to detect cell proliferation, Mito-Tracker Green fluorescence staining was used to observe the mitochondrial structure, flow cytometry was used to detect the membrane potential, Elisa was used to detect the ATP content, fluoroscopic electron microscopy was used to observe the microstructure changes, and high-content screening(HCS) was used to detect the related proteins. Results Fluorescence staining showed that GPXJY damaged the mitochondria of HepG2 cells and decreased the content of ATP. The results of flow cytometry showed that GPXJY could reduce the mitochondrial membrane potential of HepG2 cells. The results of electron microscope showed that GPXJY made the mitochondria of cancer cells swell and so on. HCS found that GPXJY significantly reduced the average fluorescence intensity of Bcl-2 in HepG2 cells, and significantly increased the average fluorescence intensity of apoptosis promoting proteins Bax, cytochrome-c, caspase-3 and cleaved-caspase-3, which was statistically significant. Conclusion GPXJY can regulate the structure and function of mitochondria in HepG2 cells.

Relationship Between NLRP3 Inflammatory Corpuscles and Chronic Atrophic Gastritis Based on "Spleen-mitochondrion Correlation" / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Chronic atrophic gastritis （CAG） is a common and intractable disease in the digestive system characterized by the reduction or disappearance of gastric mucosal glands. The intestinal metaplasia or dysplasia in CAG is called precancerous lesion， which greatly increases the risk of cancerization. Dysactivation of nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor protein 3 （NLRP3） inflammatory corpuscles can release a large number of inflammatory factors， induce inflammatory cascade reactions， and participate in the process of many diseases. As reported， the dysactivation of NLRP3 inflammatory corpuscles can cause long-term chronic inflammatory infiltration of gastric mucosa and induce the development of CAG. Mitochondrial dysfunction plays an important role in the activation of NLRP3 inflammatory corpuscles. The accumulation of reactive oxygen species （ROS） produced by mitochondrial dysfunction is the key to activating NLRP3 inflammatory corpuscles. Professor LIU Youzhang put forward the theory of "spleen-mitochondrion correlation"， which holds that the spleen mainly transports water and grains， generates qi and blood， transports nutrients to the whole body， and supplies energy and materials needed by the body. Adenosine triphosphate （ATP） generated by mitochondria through the circulation of tricarboxylic acid is the main energy source of the human body. The view that both of them serve as human energy processing plants coincides in terms of physiology. Pathologically， spleen deficiency is associated with mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation dysfunction. Pathological products such as dampness， turbidity， phlegm， and blood stasis due to failure in transportation because of spleen deficiency are consistent with metabolites generated by mitochondrial dysfunction. Based on the theory of "spleen-mitochondrion correlation"， this study discussed the pathogenesis of CAG in traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）， analyzed the relationship between NLRP3 inflammatory corpuscles and the pathogenesis of CAG， and proposed that the activation of NLRP3 inflammatory corpuscles by mitochondrial dysfunction was the modern biological basis of the pathogenesis of spleen deficiency in CAG. The spleen-strengthening method may be related to improving the mitochondrial function and inflammatory response of patients with CAG and alleviating the damage of gastric mucosa， providing a new idea for TCM in the prevention and treatment of CAG.

Research progress in mitochondrial gene editing technology / 浙江大学学报·医学版

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations result in a variety of genetic diseases. As an emerging therapeutic method, mtDNA editing technology recognizes targets more based on the protein and less on the nucleic acid. Although the protein recognition type mtDNA editing technology represented by zinc finger nuclease technology, transcription activator like effector nuclease technology and base editing technology has made some progress, the disadvantages of complex recognition sequence design hinder further popularization. Gene editing based on nucleic acid recognition by the CRISPR system shows superiority due to the simple structure, easy design and modification. However, the lack of effective means to deliver nucleic acids into mitochondria limits application in the field of mtDNA editing. With the advances in the study of endogenous and exogenous import pathways and the deepening understanding of DNA repair mechanisms, growing evidence shows the feasibility of nucleic acid delivery and the broad application prospects of nucleic acid recognition type mtDNA editing technology. Based on the classification of recognition elements, this article summarizes the current principles and development of mitochondrial gene editing technology, and discusses its application prospects.

Traditional Chinese Medicine Treats Ulcerative Colitis by Intervening in Mitochondrial Quality Control： A Review / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Ulcerative colitis （UC）， a chronic inflammatory bowel disease with the accumulation of colorectal mucosa and submucosa， has a risk of developing into cancer. In recent years， the incidence of UC has been on the rise worldwide. However， its pathogenesis has not been fully elucidated by modern medicine， and even the remission rate of the latest drugs is lower than 50%， which seriously affects the patients' work and quality of life. Mitochondria， as the "power station" of eukaryotic cells， are involved in a variety of physiological processes such as the production of reactive oxygen species and the production of adenosine triphosphate by oxidative phosphorylation， and their dysfunction can lead to a series of diseases. Mitochondrial quality control （MQC） is an important way to maintain the stability of mitochondrial form， quantity， and quality. Studies have shown that MQC disorders characterized by low mitochondrial biogenesis， excessive mitochondrial oxidative stress， mitochondrial autophagy defects， mitochondrial dynamics disorders， and calcium regulation abnormalities are closely related to the occurrence and development of UC. Although progress has been achieved in the treatment of UC by traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） which can regulated MQC in a multi-pathway and multi-target manner in recent years， a review on the treatment of UC by TCM via the intervention in MQC remains to be carried out. Therefore， this paper summarized the TCM treatment of UC by regulating MQC， aiming to provide new ideas for the clinical treatment of UC by TCM.

Research progress on the relationship between thyroid hormone and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis / 中国临床药理学与治疗学

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic progressive disease with unknown etiology, which is characterized by scarring of lung parenchyma, leading to reduced quality of life and premature death. At present, some studies have confirmed that hypothyroidism (HT) may play a role in the development of fibrosis. Many animal experiments have proved that thyroid hormone (TH) can inhibit pulmonary fibrosis by regulating glucose metabolism, improving mitochondrial function and inhibiting inflammation. This paper summarizes the correlation between TH and IPF, and deeply understands the relationship between TH and IPF, in order to have new treatment strategies for IPF in the future.

Molecular mechanism and treatment of pulmonary fibrosis / 中国临床药理学与治疗学

Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is a chronic progressive interstitial lung disease. The pathogenesis of PF is not yet clear. The two anti fibrosis drugs approved for IPF treatment, nidanib and pirfenidone, have been proved to reduce the decline of pulmonary function of pF, but both have side effects. So far, there is no obvious and effective treatment to prevent the progress of pF. Therefore, this review focuses on the different cells, molecular mechanisms involved in PF and the current treatment progress of PF, so as to provide theoretical support for a better understanding of these cells, molecular mechanisms and drug development and application in PF.

Echinacoside promotes mitochondrial biosynthesis and inhibition of myocardial apoptosis by up-regulating the PGC-1/NFR signaling pathway / 西安交通大学学报(医学版)

【Objective】 To investigate the effects of echinacoside （ECH） on mitochondrial biosynthesis and cardiomyocytes’ apoptosis in heart failure （HF） and to explore its related mechanisms. 【Methods】 The experimental animals were divided into three groups： the rat model of HF （HF） was induced by intraperitoneal injection of ISO， and pre-treated with ECH by intraperitoneal injection （ECH） and nomal control （ctrl group）. Cardiac function was detected by echocardiography after 2 weeks of treatment. The ultrastructure of myocardium was observed by transmission electron microscopy and the mitochondrial density and vacuolation rate were analyzed. The expressions of apoptosis-associated proteins were evaluated by Western blotting， and genes related to mitochondrial biosynthesis were examined by Real-time PCR. 【Results】 ECH increased 1eft ventricular ejection fraction （LVEF） and 1eft ventricular fraction shortening （LVFS）， but decreased 1eft ventricular end-systolic diameter （LVEDs） and 1eft ventrieular end-diastolic diameter （LVEDd） when compared to HF group （P<0.01） and improved cardiac function. The myocardial ultrastructure was significantly improved by ECH， the density of regular shapes of mitochondria was increased， and the percentage of vacuolated rate was reduced by ECH （P<0.01）. The expression of anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 was upregulated and that of pro-apoptotic protein Bax was downregulated in ECH group. The mRNA of mitochondrial biosynthesis related genes PGC-1， NFR-1， NFR-2 and TFAM was significantly upregulated in ECH group. 【Conclusion】 ECH promotes mitochondrial biosynthesis and inhibits cardiomyocytes’ apoptosis by up-regulating PGC-1/NFR signaling pathway， thus improving cardiac function.

Phospholipid remodeling and Parkinson's disease / 药学学报

The remodeling of phospholipid includes two processes: deacylation and reacylation. It realizes the conversion of nascent phospholipids to mature phospholipids by changing the length and types of fatty acids at specific sites of phospholipids, which is a key step in phospholipid metabolism. Phospholipids are not only the basic components of biological membranes, but also participate in the transduction of many molecular signals in cells. Therefore, phospholipid remodeling disorders can affect the structure and function of cell membranes, as well as the activity of membrane proteins, causing a series of intricate signaling cascades, and finally lead to many pathological changes including neurodegeneration. This paper reviews the basic process of phospholipid remodeling and the involvement of its key enzymes, calcium independent group VIA phospholipase A2 (iPLA2β), peroxiredoxin 6 (PRDX6), calcium independent group VIB phospholipase A2 (iPLA2γ) as well as acyl-CoA lysocardiolipin acyltransferase 1 (ALCAT1) in the pathology of Parkinson's disease. The mutations in the gene encoding iPLA2β, PLA2G6, have been widely reported to be directly related to hereditary Parkinson disease-14 (PARK14). Here we focus on the molecular mechanism of iPLA2β in the development of Parkinson's disease, mainly involving phospholipid fatty acid metabolism disorders, mitochondrial physiology abnormalities and α-synuclein aggregate formation and other aspects, which will help to understand the role of phospholipid remodeling in Parkinson's disease, and provide new clues for the development of new Parkinson's disease diagnosis and treatment strategies.

Association between mitochondrial dysfunction and hepatocellular carcinoma / 临床肝胆病杂志

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a type of tumor with a high incidence rate, a low rate of early diagnosis, and poor prognosis, and its development and progression involve many factors. As an important organelle in cells, mitochondria is the "energy factory" of cells and is one of the main sites for the production of reactive oxygen species in vivo, and it also participates in the regulation of cell apoptosis. There are varying degrees of changes in mitochondrial membrane, oxidation respiratory chain, mitochondrial dynamics, mitochondrial DNA, and mitochondrial calcium homeostasis during the development and progression of HCC, and such changes may affect the progression of HCC. This article systematically elaborates on the association between mitochondria and HCC, so as to provide a new direction for the diagnosis and treatment of HCC.

Is the mitochondrion a promising drug target in trypanosomatids?

The trypanosomatids Trypanosoma brucei, Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania spp. are etiological agents of important neglected tropical diseases, affecting millions of people worldwide, and the drugs available for these diseases present several limitations. Novel efficient and nontoxic drugs are necessary as an alternative to the current chemotherapy. The unique mitochondrion of trypanosomatids and its peculiar features turn this organelle a potential drug target. Several phenotypic studies describe the damage in the parasite mitochondrial ultrastructure, but the molecular target is unknown. Few reports demonstrated the electron transport system (ETS) as a target due to the high similarities to mammalian orthologues, hence ETS is not a good candidate for drug intervention. On the other hand, antioxidant enzymes, such as trypanothione reductase, and an alternative oxidase (AOX) seem to be interesting targets; however no high active inhibitors were developed up to now. Finally, due to the remarkable differences to mammalian machinery, together with the high biological importance for the parasite survival, the mitochondrial import system stands out as a very promising target in trypanosomatids. Archaic translocase of the outer membrane (ATOM) and translocase of the inner membrane (TIM) complexes, which mediate both protein and tRNA import, composed by specific subunits of these parasites, could be excellent candidates, deserving studies focused on the development of specific drugs.

Natural compounds based chemotherapeutic against Chagas disease and leishmaniasis: mitochondrion as a strategic target

Over the past years, natural products have been explored in order to find biological active substances to treat various diseases. Regarding their potential action against parasites such as trypanosomatids, specially Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania spp., much advance has been achieved. Extracts and purified molecules of several species from genera Piper, Tanacetum, Porophyllum, and Copaifera have been widely investigated by our research group and exhibited interesting antitrypanosomal and antileishmanial activities. These natural compounds affected different structures in parasites, and we believe that the mitochondrion is a strategic target to induce parasite death. Considering that these trypanosomatids have a unique mitochondrion, this cellular target has been extensively studied aiming to find more selective drugs, since the current treatment of these neglected tropical diseases has some challenges such as high toxicity and prolonged treatment time. Here, we summarise some results obtained with natural products from our research group and we further highlighted some strategies that must be considered to finally develop an effective chemotherapeutic agent against these parasites.

Role of reactive oxygen species-mediated mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis in long-term cognitive impairment induced by multiple exposures to sevoflurane in neonatal rats / 中华麻醉学杂志

Objective:To evaluate the role of reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis in long-term cognitive impairment induced by multiple exposures to sevoflurane in the neonatal rats.Methods:Sixty SPF healthy neonatal Sprague-Dawley rats, weighing 12-20 g, were divided into 3 groups ( n=20 each) using a random number table method: control group (group C), multiple exposures to sevoflurane for anesthesia group (group S) and ROS inhibitor group (group A). Group S and group A inhaled 3% sevoflurane for 2 h starting from 6, 7 and 8 days after birth, while group C inhaled air.In group A, ROS inhibitor N-acetylcysteine (NAC) 150 mg/kg was intraperitoneally injected before each anesthesia with sevoflurane.The spontaneous activity was evaluated by open field test on day 35 after birth.The cognitive function was determined by Morris water maze test on day 36 after birth.The rats were sacrificed after the end of Morris water maze test, and the hippocampal tissues were obtained for determination of the apoptosis rate of hippocampal neurons, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) (by flow cytometry) and levels of Cyt c and cleaved caspase-9 and caspase-3 (by Western blot). The expression of Bcl-2 and Bax mRNA was detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction.The ultrastructure of mitochondria in hippocampal neurons was observed with a transmission electron microscope. Results:Compared with group C, the escape latency was significantly prolonged, the number of crossing the original platform was reduced, the apoptosis rate of hippocampal neurons and levels of ROS and MMP were increased, the expression of Cyt c, cleaved caspase-9, cleaved caspase-3 and Bax mRNA was up-regulated, the expression of Bcl-2 mRNA was down-regulated, the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 was increased ( P<0.05), mitochondria were swollen, and mitochondrial cristae structure was broken in group S. Compared with group S, the escape latency was significantly shortened, the number of crossing the original platform was increased, the apoptosis rate of hippocampal neurons and levels of ROS and MMP were decreased, the expression of Cyt c, cleaved caspase-9, cleaved caspase-3 and Bax mRNA was down-regulated, the expression of Bcl-2 mRNA was up-regulated, the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 was decreased ( P<0.05), and the mitochondrial swelling and rupture of cristae structure were improved in group A. Conclusion:The mechanism by which multiple exposures to sevoflurane induce long-term cognitive impairment may be related to activating the ROS-mediated mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis in neonatal rats.