Cultivation in Glucose-Deprived Medium Stimulates Mitochondrial Biogenesis and Oxidative Metabolism in HepG2 Hepatoma Cells

2002 ◽  
Vol 383 (2) ◽  
pp. 283-290 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Weber ◽  
D. Ridderskamp ◽  
M. Alfert ◽  
S. Hoyer ◽  
R.J. Wiesner

Abstract In order to test the hypothesis that an imbalance between energy requirement and energy supply regulates mitochondrial genes and ultimately mitochondrial biogenesis, energy supply was challenged in HepG2 cells by withdrawal of glucose from the culture medium, making the cells exclusively dependent on mitochondrial ATP production. Such cells showed a 2-fold increase of cytochrome c oxidase activity, elevated levels of mitochondrial DNA, mitochondrial DNA encoded mRNAs and proteins, as well as the nuclear encoded mitochondrial transcription factor A. Lactate production was significantly reduced and glutamine was consumed as an alternative substrate for oxidative metabolism. Longterm adapted cells formed exclusively monolayers, while they normally grow in multilayers forming tumor spheroids. Also, longterm adapted cells proliferated significantly faster. No differences for the ATP/ADP ratio were observed, indicating that this is not the primary signal initiating the adaptative processes. These results show that mitochondrial biogenesis and oxidative metabolism are stimulated in HepG2 cells grown in the absence of fermentable glucose, probably in order to compensate for the diminished supply of glycolytic ATP.

1990 ◽  
Vol 258 (6) ◽  
pp. F1608-F1615 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. G. Dickman ◽  
L. J. Mandel

The effects of inhibition of mitochondrial energy production at various points along the respiratory chain on glycolytic lactate production and transport function were examined in a suspension of purified rabbit renal proximal tubules. Paradoxically, partial blockage at site 3 by hypoxia (1% O2) induced lactate production, whereas total site 3 blockage by anoxia (0% O2) failed to stimulate glycolysis. Compared with anoxia, hypoxic tubules exhibited greater preservation of ATP and K+ contents during O2 deprivation and more fully recovered oxidative metabolism and transport function during reoxygenation. The mitochondrial site 1 inhibitor rotenone and the uncoupler carbonyl cyanide-p-trifluorome-thoxyphenylhydrazone (FCCP) were equipotent stimuli for lactate production, whereas the site 2 inhibitor antimycin A failed to stimulate glycolysis despite a 90% inhibition of O2 consumption. Compared with antimycin A, treatment with rotenone or FCCP resulted in less cell injury [measured by lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release] and greater preservation of cell K+ and ATP contents. 2-Deoxyglucose blocked lactate production by 50% in the presence of rotenone and increased LDH release, suggesting that glycolytic ATP is partially protective. Addition of ouabain during rotenone treatment reduced lactate production by 50%, indicating that glycolytic ATP can be used to fuel the Na pump when mitochondrial ATP production is inhibited. We conclude that 1) proximal tubules can generate lactate during inhibition of oxidative metabolism by hypoxia, rotenone, or FCCP; 2) mitochondrial inhibition is not obligatorily linked to activation of glycolysis, since neither anoxia nor antimycin A stimulate lactate production; 3) when ATP can be produced through anaerobic glycolysis it serves to protect cell viability and transport function during respiratory inhibition.


2009 ◽  
Vol 417 (3) ◽  
pp. 717-726 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Paula Pereira Da Silva ◽  
Tatiana El-Bacha ◽  
Nattascha Kyaw ◽  
Reinaldo Sousa Dos Santos ◽  
Wagner Seixas Da-Silva ◽  
...  

3-BrPA (3-bromopyruvate) is an alkylating agent with anti-tumoral activity on hepatocellular carcinoma. This compound inhibits cellular ATP production owing to its action on glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation; however, the specific metabolic steps and mechanisms of 3-BrPA action in human hepatocellular carcinomas, particularly its effects on mitochondrial energetics, are poorly understood. In the present study it was found that incubation of HepG2 cells with a low concentration of 3-BrPA for a short period (150 μM for 30 min) significantly affected both glycolysis and mitochondrial respiratory functions. The activity of mitochondrial hexokinase was not inhibited by 150 μM 3-BrPA, but this concentration caused more than 70% inhibition of GAPDH (glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase) and 3-phosphoglycerate kinase activities. Additionally, 3-BrPA treatment significantly impaired lactate production by HepG2 cells, even when glucose was withdrawn from the incubation medium. Oxygen consumption of HepG2 cells supported by either pyruvate/malate or succinate was inhibited when cells were pre-incubated with 3-BrPA in glucose-free medium. On the other hand, when cells were pre-incubated in glucose-supplemented medium, oxygen consumption was affected only when succinate was used as the oxidizable substrate. An increase in oligomycin-independent respiration was observed in HepG2 cells treated with 3-BrPA only when incubated in glucose-supplemented medium, indicating that 3-BrPA induces mitochondrial proton leakage as well as blocking the electron transport system. The activity of succinate dehydrogenase was inhibited by 70% by 3-BrPA treatment. These results suggest that the combined action of 3-BrPA on succinate dehydrogenase and on glycolysis, inhibiting steps downstream of the phosphorylation of glucose, play an important role in HepG2 cell death.


2011 ◽  
Vol 286 (12) ◽  
pp. 10605-10617 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adeel Safdar ◽  
Jonathan P. Little ◽  
Andrew J. Stokl ◽  
Bart P. Hettinga ◽  
Mahmood Akhtar ◽  
...  

Endurance exercise is known to induce metabolic adaptations in skeletal muscle via activation of the transcriptional co-activator peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ co-activator 1α (PGC-1α). PGC-1α regulates mitochondrial biogenesis via regulating transcription of nuclear-encoded mitochondrial genes. Recently, PGC-1α has been shown to reside in mitochondria; however, the physiological consequences of mitochondrial PGC-1α remain unknown. We sought to delineate if an acute bout of endurance exercise can mediate an increase in mitochondrial PGC-1α content where it may co-activate mitochondrial transcription factor A to promote mtDNA transcription. C57Bl/6J mice (n = 12/group; ♀ = ♂) were randomly assigned to sedentary (SED), forced-endurance (END) exercise (15 m/min for 90 min), or forced endurance +3 h of recovery (END+3h) group. The END group was sacrificed immediately after exercise, whereas the SED and END+3h groups were euthanized 3 h after acute exercise. Acute exercise coordinately increased the mRNA expression of nuclear and mitochondrial DNA-encoded mitochondrial transcripts. Nuclear and mitochondrial abundance of PGC-1α in END and END+3h groups was significantly higher versus SED mice. In mitochondria, PGC-1α is in a complex with mitochondrial transcription factor A at mtDNA D-loop, and this interaction was positively modulated by exercise, similar to the increased binding of PGC-1α at the NRF-1 promoter. We conclude that in response to acute altered energy demands, PGC-1α re-localizes into nuclear and mitochondrial compartments where it functions as a transcriptional co-activator for both nuclear and mitochondrial DNA transcription factors. These results suggest that PGC-1α may dynamically facilitate nuclear-mitochondrial DNA cross-talk to promote net mitochondrial biogenesis.


2011 ◽  
Vol 435 (2) ◽  
pp. 519-528 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian E. Sansbury ◽  
Daniel W. Riggs ◽  
Robert E. Brainard ◽  
Joshua K. Salabei ◽  
Steven P. Jones ◽  
...  

During cardiac remodelling, the heart generates higher levels of reactive species; yet an intermediate ‘compensatory’ stage of hypertrophy is associated with a greater ability to withstand oxidative stress. The mechanisms underlying this protected myocardial phenotype are poorly understood. We examined how a cellular model of hypertrophy deals with electrophilic insults, such as would occur upon ischaemia or in the failing heart. For this, we measured energetics in control and PE (phenylephrine)-treated NRCMs (neonatal rat cardiomyocytes) under basal conditions and when stressed with HNE (4-hydroxynonenal). PE treatment caused hypertrophy as indicated by augmented atrial natriuretic peptide and increased cellular protein content. Hypertrophied myocytes demonstrated a 2.5-fold increase in ATP-linked oxygen consumption and a robust augmentation of oligomycin-stimulated glycolytic flux and lactate production. Hypertrophied myocytes displayed a protected phenotype that was resistant to HNE-induced cell death and a unique bioenergetic response characterized by a delayed and abrogated rate of oxygen consumption and a 2-fold increase in glycolysis upon HNE exposure. This augmentation of glycolytic flux was not due to increased glucose uptake, suggesting that electrophile stress results in utilization of intracellular glycogen stores to support the increased energy demand. Hypertrophied myocytes also had an increased propensity to oxidize HNE to 4-hydroxynonenoic acid and sustained less protein damage due to acute HNE insults. Inhibition of aldehyde dehydrogenase resulted in bioenergetic collapse when myocytes were challenged with HNE. The integration of electrophile metabolism with glycolytic and mitochondrial energy production appears to be important for maintaining myocyte homoeostasis under conditions of increased oxidative stress.


Mitochondrion ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 240
Author(s):  
Deborah L. Croteau ◽  
Anne-Cécile V. Bayne ◽  
Chandrika Canugovi ◽  
Scott Maynard ◽  
Nadja de Souza-Pinto ◽  
...  

2001 ◽  
Vol 90 (1) ◽  
pp. 389-396 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joe W. Gordon ◽  
Arne A. Rungi ◽  
Hidetoshi Inagaki ◽  
David A. Hood

Mitochondrial transcription factor A (Tfam) is a nuclear-encoded gene product that is imported into mitochondria and is required for the transcription of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). We hypothesized that conditions known to produce mitochondrial biogenesis in skeletal muscle would be preceded by an increase in Tfam expression. Therefore, rat muscle was stimulated (10 Hz, 3 h/day). Tfam mRNA levels were significantly elevated (by 55%) at 4 days and returned to control levels at 14 days. Tfam import into intermyofibrillar (IMF) mitochondria was increased by 52 and 61% ( P < 0.05) at 5 and 7 days, respectively. This corresponded to an increase in the level of import machinery components. Immunoblotting data indicated that IMF Tfam protein content was increased by 63% ( P < 0.05) at 7 days of stimulation. This was associated with a 49% ( P < 0.05) increase in complex formation at the mtDNA promoter and a 65% ( P< 0.05) increase in the levels of a mitochondrial transcript, cytochrome- c oxidase (COX) subunit III. Similarly, COX enzyme activity was elevated by 71% ( P < 0.05) after 7 days of contractile activity. These results indicate that early events in mitochondrial biogenesis include increases in Tfam mRNA, followed by accelerations in mitochondrial import and increased Tfam content, which correspond with increased binding to the mtDNA promoter region. This was accompanied by increased mitochondrial transcript levels and elevated COX activity. These data support the role of Tfam as a regulatory protein involved in contractile activity-induced mitochondrial biogenesis.


1993 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 1951-1961
Author(s):  
M A Parisi ◽  
B Xu ◽  
D A Clayton

Human mitochondrial transcription factor A is a 25-kDa protein that binds immediately upstream of the two major mitochondrial promoters, thereby leading to correct and efficient initiation of transcription. Although the nature of yeast mitochondrial promoters is significantly different from that of human promoters, a potential functional homolog of the human transcriptional activator protein has been previously identified in yeast mitochondria. The importance of the yeast protein in yeast mitochondrial DNA function has been shown by inactivation of its nuclear gene (ABF2) in Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells resulting in loss of mitochondrial DNA. We report here that the nuclear gene for human mitochondrial transcription factor A can be stably expressed in yeast cells devoid of the yeast homolog protein. The human protein is imported efficiently into yeast mitochondria, is processed correctly, and rescues the loss-of-mitochondrial DNA phenotype in a yeast abf2 strain, thus functionally substituting for the yeast protein. Both human and yeast proteins affect yeast mitochondrial transcription initiation in vitro, suggesting that the two proteins may have a common role in this fundamental process.


2014 ◽  
Vol 115 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Amabel M Orogo ◽  
Dieter A Kubli ◽  
Anne N Murphy ◽  
Åsa B Gustafsson

Activation and participation of cardiac progenitor cells (CPCs) in regeneration are critical for effective repair in the wake of pathologic injury. Stem cell activation and commitment involve increased energy demand and mitochondrial biogenesis. To date, little attention has been paid to the importance of mitochondria in CPC survival, proliferation and differentiation. CPC function is reduced with age but the underlying mechanism is still unclear. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is more susceptible to oxidative attacks than nuclear DNA due to its proximity to the mitochondrial respiratory chain and lack of protective histone-like proteins. With age, mtDNA accumulates mutations that can impair mitochondrial respiration and increase ROS production. In this study, we examined the effects of accumulating mtDNA mutations on CPC proliferation and survival. We have found that incubation of uncommitted c-kit+ CPCs in differentiation medium increased mitochondrial mass and expansion of the mitochondrial network, which correlated with increased cell size and expression of cardiac lineage commitment markers. Differentiation activated mitochondrial biogenesis, increased mtDNA copy number, and enhanced oxidative capacity and cellular ATP levels in CPCs. To investigate the effect of mtDNA mutations and aging on CPC survival and function, we utilized a mouse model in which a mutation in the mtDNA polymerase γ (POLG m/m ) leads to accumulation of mtDNA mutations, mitochondrial dysfunction, and accelerated aging. Isolated CPCs from hearts of 2-month old POLG m/m mice had reduced proliferation and were more susceptible to oxidative stress and chemotherapeutic agents compared to WT CPCs. The majority of POLG m/m CPCs contained fragmented mitochondria as shown by immunostaining. Incubation in differentiation medium resulted in fewer GATA-4 positive POLG m/m CPCs compared to WT CPCs. The reduced differentiation in these POLG m/m CPCs correlated with reduced PGC-1α expression and OXPHOS protein levels, suggesting that mitochondrial biogenesis is impaired. These data demonstrate that mitochondria play a critical role in CPC function, and accumulation of mtDNA mutations impairs CPC function and reduces their repair potential.


2003 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 1085-1094 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leanne Wilson-Fritch ◽  
Alison Burkart ◽  
Gregory Bell ◽  
Karen Mendelson ◽  
John Leszyk ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT White adipose tissue is an important endocrine organ involved in the control of whole-body metabolism, insulin sensitivity, and food intake. To better understand these functions, 3T3-L1 cell differentiation was studied by using combined proteomic and genomic strategies. The proteomics approach developed here exploits velocity gradient centrifugation as an alternative to isoelectric focusing for protein separation in the first dimension. A 20- to 30-fold increase in the concentration of numerous mitochondrial proteins was observed during adipogenesis, as determined by mass spectrometry and database correlation analysis. Light and electron microscopy confirmed a large increase in the number of mitochondrion profiles with differentiation. Furthermore, mRNA profiles obtained by using Affymetrix GeneChips revealed statistically significant increases in the expression of many nucleus-encoded mitochondrial genes during adipogenesis. Qualitative changes in mitochondrial composition also occur during adipose differentiation, as exemplified by increases in expression of proteins involved in fatty acid metabolism and of mitochondrial chaperones. Furthermore, the insulin sensitizer rosiglitazone caused striking changes in mitochondrial shape and expression of selective mitochondrial proteins. Thus, although mitochondrial biogenesis has classically been associated with brown adipocyte differentiation and thermogenesis, our results reveal that mitochondrial biogenesis and remodeling are inherent to adipose differentiation per se and are influenced by the actions of insulin sensitizers.


1994 ◽  
Vol 267 (2) ◽  
pp. R590-R595 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. E. Nilsson ◽  
P. Hylland ◽  
C. O. Lofman

The crucian carp (Carassius carassius) has the rare ability to survive prolonged anoxia, indicating an extraordinary capacity for glycolytic ATP production, especially in a highly energy-consuming organ like the brain. For the brain to be able to increase its glycolytic flux during anoxia and profit from the large liver glycogen store, an increased glucose delivery from the blood would be expected. Nevertheless, the effect of anoxia on brain blood flow in crucian carp has never been studied previously. We have used epireflection microscopy to directly observe and measure blood flow rate on the brain surface (optic lobes) during normoxia and anoxia in crucian carp. We have also examined the possibility that adenosine participates in the regulation of brain blood flow rate in crucian carp. The results showed a 2.16-fold increase in brain blood flow rate during anoxia. A similar increase was seen after topical application of adenosine during normoxia, while adenosine was without effect during anoxia. Moreover, superfusing the brain with the adenosine receptor blocker aminophylline inhibited the effect of anoxia on brain blood flow rate, clearly suggesting a mediatory role of adenosine in the anoxia-induced increase in brain blood flow rate.


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