title: Intra- and intercellular distribution of mitochondrial probes and changes after treatment with MDR modulators.
abstract: Fluorescent probes are currently used to evaluate the mitochondrial transmembrane potential in situ. However, in parallel experiments using the probes JC-1 and TMRM in different cell types (human astrocytes, HEp-2, Vero, KB, and HeLa cells), we found that the distribution of JC-1 and TMRM is highly variable not only in different cell types but also in different cells of the same cell type, a condition that has never been documented until our work. This phenomenon depends on a hidden, widespread multidrug resistance (MDR) phenotype that can be recognized only by comparative assays with MDR inhibitors (progesterone, verapamil, and cyclosporin A) and represents a serious risk of error in the evaluation of the mitochondrial potential.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cytomorphology, University of Cagliari, Italy. gdiaz@unica.it
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Diaz
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Diana
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Falchi
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gremo
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pani
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Batetta
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dessì
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Isola
mesh_terms: D020168:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018432:Drug Resistance, Multiple; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D006801:Humans; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D011374:Progesterone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014700:Verapamil / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D020168:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D011374:Progesterone; D016572:Cyclosporine; D014700:Verapamil