title: Mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes: apoptosis sensors mutated in cancer?
abstract: Mutations in cancer cells affecting subunits of the respiratory chain (RC) indicate a central role of oxidative phosphorylation for tumourigenesis. Recent studies have suggested that such mutations of RC complexes impact apoptosis induction. We review here the evidence for this hypothesis, which in particular emerged from work on how complex I and II mediate signals for apoptosis. Both protein aggregates are specifically inhibited for apoptosis induction through different means by exploiting with protease activation and pH change, two widespread but independent features of dying cells. Nevertheless, both converge on forming reactive oxygen species for the demise of the cell. Investigations into these mitochondrial processes will remain a rewarding area for unravelling the causes of tumourigenesis and for discovering interference options.
authors.affiliation: INSERM U1037-Cancer Research Center of Toulouse (CRCT), Department of Experimental Therapeutics, Institut Claudius Regaud, Toulouse, France. lemarie.anthony@claudiusregaud.fr
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lemarie
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Grimm
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics*; D042967:Electron Transport Complex I / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D042963:Electron Transport Complex II / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism*; D009154:Mutation; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D042963:Electron Transport Complex II; D042967:Electron Transport Complex I