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Global Translational Medicine Mitochondria and ferroptotic cell death
Tumor cells, in particular, may trigger adaptive metabolic mGPx4 expression. Conversely, SK-Hep1 ρ0 cells were
responses, including upregulation of the PPP and glycolysis, susceptible to RSL3-induced ferroptosis, which suppresses
to defend against ferroptosis. Exploiting these metabolic GPx4. In SK-Hep1 ρ+ cells or cells treated with RSL3 and
vulnerabilities, such as changes in glucose metabolism erastin, there was an accumulation of cellular ROS and
and the reliance on Gln for metabolic compensation, may oxidized lipids, whereas erastin-treated SK-Hep1 ρ0 cells
offer new therapeutic avenues for inducing ferroptosis and did not exhibit such accumulation. The action of RSL3 and
disrupting redox homeostasis, thereby providing novel erastin on xCT on the plasma membrane led to increased
therapeutic options for tumor treatments. 15 ROS and lipids peroxidation in SK-Hep1 ρ+ cells. The
The mitochondria serve as the primary organelle in inhibition of SK-Hep1 ρ+ cell death by erastin or a high
both anabolic and catabolic processes. The breakdown dosage of RSL3 was observed on mitochondrial ROS
of Gln, which is crucial for ferroptosis, is facilitated by quenching, indicating a crucial function of mitochondrial
enzymes such as glutamate dehydrogenase, glutamate ROS in ferroptosis. Compared to DecylQ, a non-targeting
oxaloacetate transaminase 2, glutaminase, and glutamate equivalent, the concentration of MitoQ, a mitochondrial
pyruvate transaminase. This process produces substrates ROS quencher, required to reduce ferroptosis induced
for lipid synthesis and the TCA cycle. During ferroptosis, by erastin or RSL3, was more than 20 times lower.
alpha-ketoglutarate and subsequent TCA metabolites can Furthermore, a VDAC inhibitor significantly reduced the
serve as substitutes for Gln. ACSF2 and CS regulate fatty accumulation of mitochondria ROS, total peroxidized
acid activation and synthesis, respectively, providing lipid lipids, and mitochondrial peroxidized lipids, along with the
precursors necessary for lipid oxidation. The cysteine/ ferroptosis of SK-Hep1 ρ+ cells induced by erastin or RSL3.
glutamate antiporter system Xc , which imports cysteine This finding supports the involvement of mitochondrial
-
for the production of GSH, is restrained by ferroptosis events in ferroptotic death and the role of VDAC in the
inducers. Ferroptotic cell death-causing lipid peroxides mitochondrial steps of ferroptosis induced by erastin
are eliminated by GPX4 through GSH supplementation. or RSL3. In addition, mitochondrial ROS quenchers
The amount of iron present in the cytosol is linked to prevented sorafenib-induced mitochondrial ROS and
iron absorption, storage, utilization, and efflux from cells, mitochondrial peroxidized lipid accumulation while also
processes controlled by iron regulatory proteins such as suppressing the sorafenib-induced ferroptosis of SK-Hep1
ferritin, FPN1, and TfR1. Mitochondrial iron absorption ρ+ cells. According to these findings, it is suggested that
is also mediated by voltage-dependent anion channels SK-Hep1 ρ0 cells may be immune to ferroptosis due to
(VDACs). Through the mitochondrial iron transporter overexpression of mGPx4, and mitochondrial processes
mitoferrin, cytosolic iron enters the mitochondrial matrix, may play a decisive role in determining the ultimate
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where it is primarily used to produce heme and Fe/S destiny of the cell.
clusters, some of which are deposited in mitochondrial Due to their altered morphology, mitochondria are
ferritin. Lipid peroxidation and ROS accumulation recognized as essential players in both the initiation and
are induced by increased labile iron buildup in the execution of ferroptosis. Mitochondrial involvement
mitochondria. The mitochondrial inner membrane ATP- significantly influences ferroptosis in a number of
binding cassette (ABC) transporter ABCB7 exports the pathological conditions, including cancers, heart diseases,
Fe/S-cluster complex produced by the mitochondrial ISC and neurological disorders. Further exploration of the
(Fe/S cluster assembly) system into the cytosol, where it interplay between ferroptosis and mitochondria in
matures further in the cytosolic Fe/S protein assembly conditions such as diabetes, liver diseases, and renal
(CIA) system. NEET proteins, localized to the outer disorders is imperative. Future studies should focus
mitochondrial membrane, mediate the import and export on investigating mitochondria-targeted approaches as
of iron and sulfur ions, facilitating the mobilization of 2Fe- potential therapeutic therapies for conditions associated
2S clusters to cytosolic apo-acceptor proteins. In addition, with ferroptosis. 18
the formation of mitochondrial Fe/S proteins uses the Fe/S Eukaryotic cells require metabolic flexibility to respond
cluster. 4
to changes in their environment. Mammalian cells exhibit
In a study involving SK-Hep1 ρ0 cells, there was an remarkable flexibility in maintaining cellular energy
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increase in the expression of mitochondrial-type GPX4 homeostasis across diverse circumstances, including
(mGPX4), while other types of GPX4 remained neurodegenerative diseases, due to their capacity to
unchanged. SK-Hep1 ρ0 cells exhibited resistance to transition from mitochondrial respiration to aerobic
ferroptosis induced by erastin, which blocks the cystine- glycolysis. In neurodegenerative research, ferroptosis,
glutamate exchanger (xCT) channel, likely due to high a form of cell death induced by redox imbalance, is
Volume 3 Issue 2 (2024) 6 https://doi.org/10.36922/gtm.2208

