title: EtBr-induced selective degradation of mitochondria occurs via autophagy.
abstract: Recent studies have implicated autophagy in numerous cellular responses to stress. During the establishment of human lung cancer cell lines without mitochondrial DNA, a significant depopulation of mitochondria occurred that was accompanied by the loss of the mitochondrial membrane potential. Notably, we observed autophagy in ethidium bromide (EtBr)-induced mitochondrial degradation. In the present study, we confirmed the involvement of autophagy in mitochondrial degradation after exposure to a low concentration of EtBr. Lung cancer cells undergoing mitochondrial autophagy exhibited a slower growth rate in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, the degradation was mediated by the class III phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)-Beclin-1 complex. These findings indicate that autophagy is responsible for EtBr‑induced mitochondrial degradation via the PI3K‑Beclin-1 signaling pathway.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400037, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Yide
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Minghui
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Zongchang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D001343:Autophagy / Q000187:drug effects*; D000071186:Beclin-1; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D004996:Ethidium / Q000633:toxicity*; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000633:toxicity*; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D053078:Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial / Q000187:drug effects*; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D016688:Mice, Inbred NOD; D016513:Mice, SCID; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D023041:Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
chemical_list: D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; C491997:BECN1 protein, human; D000071186:Beclin-1; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; D004996:Ethidium