title: Mitochondrial function in glucocorticoid triggered T-ALL cells with transgenic bcl-2 expression.
abstract: Independent of apoptosis, dexamethasone induced and a decrease of respiration and citrate synthase activity per cell in cells with and without transgenic Bcl-2 expression. The reduction of respiration, however, was slightly, but statistically more pronounced in apoptotic cells compared to non-apoptotic Bcl-2 over-expressing cells. A slight cytochrome c release was detected in apoptotic cells only. Importantly, the stimulatory effect of FCCP was maintained, indicating that oxidative phosphorylation remained coupled in active mitochondria. Coupled and uncoupled respiration were reduced to almost identical degrees as the activities of the marker enzymes citrate synthase (matrix) and cytochrome c oxidase (respiratory chain). Therefore, the reduction of cellular respiration was mainly caused by a decrease in mitochondrial content per cell. The functional integrity of mitochondria was preserved, apart from the slight degree of cytochrome c release, either through a pore formed by the oligomerisation of BAK in coupled mitochondria or by permeability transition of a small fraction of injured mitochondria.
authors.affiliation: Tyrolean Cancer Research Institute, Innsbruck, Austria.
authors.forename: Kathrin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Renner
authors.forename: Reinhard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kofler
authors.forename: Erich
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gnaiger
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology; D019069:Cell Respiration / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004579:Electron Transport / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D019076:Transgenes; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D003907:Dexamethasone