title: Mitochondrial dysfunction in neurodegenerative diseases and cancer.
abstract: Mitochondria are important integrators of cellular function and therefore affect the homeostatic balance of the cell. Besides their important role in producing adenosine triphosphate through oxidative phosphorylation, mitochondria are involved in the control of cytosolic calcium concentration, metabolism of key cellular intermediates, and Fe/S cluster biogenesis and contributed to programmed cell death. Mitochondria are also one of the major cellular producers of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Several human pathologies, including neurodegenerative diseases and cancer, are associated with mitochondrial dysfunction and increased ROS damage. This article reviews how dysfunctional mitochondria contribute to Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, and several human cancers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: Michelle Barbi
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: de Moura
authors.forename: Lucas Santana
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: dos Santos
authors.forename: Bennett
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Van Houten
mesh_terms: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D006816:Huntington Disease / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism; D028361:Mitochondrial Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism; D009154:Mutation; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate