呼吸链电子漏在细胞凋亡中的作用

实验证明细胞色素c具有很强的抗氧化功能,在线粒体中氧化态的细胞色素c直接清除O2·-,还原态的细胞色素c清除H2O2.由于呼吸链传递电子合成ATP的同时,总有少部分电子从呼吸链底物端的复合物Ⅰ和Ⅲ漏出,而且漏出的电子首先使氧分子还原成O2·- ,然后O2·-歧化成H2O2,所以细胞色素c清除O2·-和H2O2的功能使呼吸链出现了两条电子漏旁路.细胞色素c通过这两条电子漏路径实现其控制线粒体中O2·-和H2O2水平的功能.根据两条电子漏旁路都是O2·-代谢路径的事实,引进了线粒体自由基代谢的概念,并从自由基代谢失调的角度探讨了呼吸链电子漏在细胞凋亡中的作用.     

线粒体膜间隙蛋白在细胞凋亡中的作用

线粒体除了作为细胞内的“能量工厂”外,在控制细胞凋亡中起主导作用。细胞凋亡时,线粒体膜通透性增加,释放可溶性线粒体膜间隙蛋白质,进一步破坏细胞结构。在这些致死性蛋白质中,有些(cytc、Smac／DIABLO、Omi／HtrA2等)能够激活caspases,另一些(endo G、AIF、Omi/HtrA2等)则以非caspase依赖的方式发挥作用。多种线粒体因子参与细胞凋亡,强化了细胞器在凋亡控制中的核心作用。     

磷脂对琥珀酸-细胞色素c还原酶的作用

琥珀酸细胞色素c还原酶除去90％以上的磷脂后活力丧失约95％。将去脂琥珀酸细胞色素c还原酶与磷脂和辅酶Q_2保温,可恢复其活性。活力恢复程度依赖于磷脂的组成。当磷脂酰胆碱(PC):心磷脂(CL):磷脂酰乙醇胺(PE)=2:2:1时活力恢复最高,比大豆磷脂的效果更为明显,单组分PC,PE或CL恢复活力较差。与酶蛋白紧密结合的CL和PC在活力可逆恢复中有重要作用。     

Minireview: The NADH: Ubiquinone Oxidoreductase (Complex I) of the Mammalian Respiratory Chain and the cAMP Cascade

Recent work has revealed cAMP-dependent phosphorylation of the 18-kDa IP subunit of the mammalian complex I of the respiratory chain, encoded by the nuclear NDUFS4 gene (chromosome 5). Phosphorylation of this protein has been shown to take place in fibroblast cultures in vivo, as well as in isolated mitochondria, which in addition to the cytosol also contain, in the inner-membrane matrix fraction, a cAMP-dependent protein kinase. Mitochondria appear to have a Ca²⁺-inhibited phosphatase, which dephosphorylates the 18-kDa phosphoprotein. In fibroblast and myoblast cultures cAMP-dependent phosphorylation of the 18-kDa protein is associated with potent stimulation of complex I and overall respiratory activity with NAD-linked substrates. Mutations in the human NDUFS4 gene have been found, which in the homozygous state are associated with deficiency of complex I and fatal neurological syndrome. In one case consisting of a 5 bp duplication, which destroyed the phosphorylation site, cAMP-dependent activation of complex I was abolished in the patient's fibroblast cultures. In another case consisting of a nonsense mutation, leading to termination of the protein after only 14 residues of the putative mitochondria targeting peptide, a defect in the assembly of complex I was found in fibroblast cultures.     

Inhibition of Mitochondrial ATP Generation by Nitric Oxide Switches Apoptosis to Necrosis

Under pathological conditions, the mode of cell death, apoptosis or necrosis, is relevant for the subsequent fate of the tissue. Cell demise may be shaped by endogenous mediators such as nitric oxide (NO) which interfere with subroutines of the death program. Here we show that apoptosis of Jurkat cells elicited by either staurosporine (STS) or anti-CD95 antibodies in glucose-free medium is converted to necrosis by NO donors. In the presence of NO, release of mitochondrial cytochrome c was delayed and activation of execution caspases was prevented. Stimulated cells died nonetheless. The switch in the mode of cell death was due to NO-dependent failure of mitochondrial energy production. Restoration of intracellular ATP by glucose supplementation recovered the cells' ability to activate caspases and undergo apoptosis. In this system, the apoptosis/necrosis conversion promoted by NO was not mediated by cyclic guanosine monophosphate-dependent mechanisms, poly-(ADP-ribose)-polymerase (PARP) activation, or inhibition of caspases due to S-nitrosylation and glutathione depletion. In contrast, depleting intracellular ATP with rotenone, an inhibitor of mitochondrial complex I mimicked the effect of NO. The findings presented here suggest that NO can decide the shape of cell death by lowering intracellular ATP below the level required to allow the coordinated execution of apoptosis.     

On The Mechanism Of One-Electron Reduction Of Quinones By Microsomal Flavin Enzymes: The Kinetic Analysis Between Cytochrome B5 And Menadione

Univalent oxidation-reduction reactions coupled with the menadione (MK)/menadione semiquinone (MK' ^-) system were investigated by using microsomal Ravin enzymes. NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reduc-tase gave a dynamic equilibrium of oxidation-reduction of cytochrome b, in the presence of menadione (MK), the level of which depended on the concentration of O₂ and superoxide dismutase. The data suggest that the superoxide and menadione radicals are involved as an active intermediate in this system. The overall reaction at steady state appears to be composed of four main reactions, eqs. 2-5. and eqs. 2 and 4 are in equilibrium     

The Response Difference of Mitochondria in Recalcitrant Antiaris toxicaria Axes and Orthodox Zea mays Embryos to Dehydration Injury

Long-term preservation of recalcitrant seeds is very difficult because the physiological basis on their desiccation sensitivity is poorly understood. Survival of Antiaris toxicaria axes rapidly decreased and that of immature maize embryos very slowly decreased with dehydration. To understand their different responses to dehydration, we examined the changes in mitochondria activity during dehydration. Although activities of cytochrome （Cyt） c oxidase and malate dehydrogenase of the A. toxicaria axis and maize embryo mitochondria decreased with dehydration, the parameters of maize embryo mitochondria were much higher than those of A. toxicaria, showing that the damage was more severe for the A. toxicaria axis mitochondria than for those of maize embryo. The state I and III respiration of the A. toxicaria axis mitochondria were higher than those of maize embryo, the former rapidly decreased, and the latter slowly decreased with dehydration. The proportion of Cyt c pathway to state III respiration for the A. toxicaria axis mitochondria was low and rapidly decreased with dehydration, and the proportion of alternative oxidase pathway was high and slightly increased with dehydration. In contrast, the proportion of Cyt c pathway for maize embryo mitochondria was high, and that of alternative oxidase pathway was low. Both pathways decreased slowly with dehydration.     

Alpha-Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide Can Reverse The Catabolic Influence Of UHMWPE Particles On RANKL Expression In Primary Human Osteoblasts

Background and purpose: A linkage between the neurotransmitter alpha-calcitonin gene-related peptide (alpha-CGRP) and particle-induced osteolysis has been shown previously. The suggested osteoprotective influence of alpha-CGRP on the catabolic effects of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) particles is analyzed in this study in primary human osteoblasts. Methods: Primary human osteoblasts were stimulated by UHMWPE particles (cell/particle ratios 1:100 and 1:500) and different doses of alpha-CGRP (10^-7 M, 10^-9 M, 10^-11 M). Receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL) and osteoprotegerin (OPG) mRNA expression and protein levels were measured by RT-PCR and Western blot. Results: Particle stimulation leads to a significant dose-dependent increase of RANKL mRNA in both cell-particle ratios and a significant down-regulation of OPG mRNA in cell-particle concentrations of 1:500. A significant depression of alkaline phosphatase was found due to particle stimulation. Alpha-CGRP in all tested concentrations showed a significant depressive effect on the expression of RANKL mRNA in primary human osteoblasts under particle stimulation. Comparable reactions of RANKL protein levels due to particles and alpha-CGRP were found by Western blot analysis. In cell-particle ratios of 1:100 after 24 hours the osteoprotective influence of alpha-CGRP reversed the catabolic effects of particles on the RANKL expression. Interpretation: The in-vivo use of alpha-CGRP, which leads to down-regulated RANKL in-vitro, might inhibit the catabolic effect of particles in conditions of particle induced osteolysis.     

The dual role of oxygen in avocado fruit respiration: Kinetic analysis and computer modelling of diffusion-affected respiratory oxygen isotherms

Abstract. Oxygen plays a dual role in affecting the rate of respiration of avocado fruit ( Persea americana Mill, cv. Hass). The respiration rate v. oxygen concentration curve for steady state avocado fruit respiration is biphasic. The curve becomes monophasic, however, when measured under conditions of rapidly changing oxygen concentration in a closed circulating system. The results are interpreted as indicating that oxygen at relatively high concentrations modulates respiration independent of its interaction with the terminal oxidase—presumably cytochrome oxidase.
A computer model is presented which takes into account the effect of diffusion barriers on the kinetics of oxygen utilization as a function of concentration in avocado fruit. The model is used to make predictions concerning the apparent K _m of the terminal oxidase or oxidases in avocado fruit. It is concluded that the apparent K _m of the terminal oxidase of uninhibited avocado fruit is that of cytochrome oxidase, and that the alternative, cyanide-resistant oxidase of avocado fruit does not contribute appreciably to the uninhibited respiration of preclimacteric or climacteric avocado fruit.