title: Tocopheryl quinones and mitochondria.
abstract: In the past, the role of tocopherols and tocopheryl hydroquinones as antioxidants in mitochondria has been examined. However, structural properties of tocopherols and tocopheryl quinones (arrangement of polar/apolar moieties) have also been recognized as being crucial for the selective transport of RRR-alpha-congeners compared with other tocopherols in the cell, suggesting that these properties might be generally important for the binding of vitamin E-related compounds to proteins and enzymes in mitochondria. Therefore, direct modulation of mitochondrial activities, such as bioenergetics, production of reactive oxygen species and apoptosis, not exclusively related to the redox activity of these compounds is increasingly studied. This overview focuses on the influence of alpha-/gamma-tocopheryl quinones and their parent alpha-/gamma-tocopherols on mitochondrial functions, including formation of tocopheryl quinones, their analytical aspects, their potential as alternative substrates and their inhibitory activity for some mitochondrial functions. It is shown that the understanding of how tocopheryl quinones and tocopherols interfere with mitochondrial functions on the molecular level is still incomplete and that a better comprehension requires further research activities.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Pharmacology and Toxicology Unit, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria. Lars.Gille@vetmeduni.ac.at
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gille
authors.forename: Katrin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Staniek
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rosenau
authors.forename: J Catharina
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Duvigneau
authors.forename: Andrey V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Kozlov
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004579:Electron Transport; D004583:Electrons; D005609:Free Radicals / Q000378:metabolism; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006801:Humans; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D024505:Tocopherols / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D005609:Free Radicals; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; C066323:tocopheroxy radical; D014810:Vitamin E; C002421:tocopherylquinone; D024505:Tocopherols