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Multiple non-aggregatory functions of human platelets (PLT) are widely acknowledged, yet their functional examination is limited mainly due to a lack of standardized isolation and analytic methods. Platelet apheresis (PA) is an established clinical method for PLT isolation aiming at the treatment of bleeding diathesis in severe thrombocytopenia. On the other hand, density gradient centrifugation (DC) is an isolation method applied in research for the analysis of the mitochondrial metabolic profile of oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) in PLT obtained from small samples of human blood. We studied PLT obtained from 29 healthy donors by high-resolution respirometry for comparison of PA and DC isolates. ROUTINE respiration and electron transfer capacity of living PLT isolated by PA were significantly higher than in the DC group, whereas plasma membrane permeabilization resulted in a 57% decrease of succinate oxidation in PA compared to DC. These differences were eliminated after washing the PA platelets with phosphate buffer containing 10 mmol·L−1 ethylene glycol-bis (2-aminoethyl ether)-N,N,N′,N′-tetra-acetic acid, suggesting that several components, particularly Ca2+ and fuel substrates, were carried over into the respiratory assay from the serum in PA. A simple washing step was sufficient to enable functional mitochondrial analysis in subsamples obtained from PA. The combination of the standard clinical PA isolation procedure with PLT quality control and routine mitochondrial OXPHOS diagnostics meets an acute clinical demand in biomedical research of patients suffering from thrombocytopenia and metabolic diseases.

Measurement of oxygen consumption of cultured cells is widely used for diagnosis of mitochondrial diseases, drug testing, biotechnology, and toxicology. Fibroblasts are cultured in monolayers, but physiological measurements are carried out in suspended or attached cells. We address the question whether respiration differs in attached versus suspended cells using multiwell respirometry (Agilent Seahorse XF24) and high-resolution respirometry (Oroboros O2k), respectively. Respiration of human dermal fibroblasts measured in culture medium was baseline-corrected for residual oxygen consumption and expressed as oxygen flow per cell. No differences were observed between attached and suspended cells in ROUTINE respiration of living cells and LEAK respiration obtained after inhibition of ATP synthase by oligomycin. The electron transfer capacity was higher in the O2k than in the XF24. This could be explained by a limitation to two uncoupler titrations in the XF24 which led to an underestimation compared to multiple titration steps in the O2k. A quantitative evaluation of respiration measured via different platforms revealed that short-term suspension of fibroblasts did not affect respiratory activity and coupling control. Evaluation of results obtained by different platforms provides a test for reproducibility beyond repeatability. Repeatability and reproducibility are required for building a validated respirometric database.

Simple Summary Depending on the availability of nutrients and increased metabolic demands, tumor cells rearrange their metabolism to survive and, ultimately, proliferate. Here, the authors investigated the effect of succinate, a metabolite of the mitochondrial citric acid cycle, on malignant and non-malignant prostate cells. They analyzed uptake through membrane transporters and intracellular accumulation, which subsequently fuels metabolism and enhances oncogenic properties of the tumor cells. The findings shed light to the metabolic adaptations that prostate tumor cells undergo, providing a better understanding of metabolic rewiring and strategies for therapeutic intervention. Abstract Tumor cells display metabolic alterations when compared to non-transformed cells. These characteristics are crucial for tumor development, maintenance and survival providing energy supplies and molecular precursors. Anaplerosis is the property of replenishing the TCA cycle, the hub of carbon metabolism, participating in the biosynthesis of precursors for building blocks or signaling molecules. In advanced prostate cancer, an upshift of succinate-driven oxidative phosphorylation via mitochondrial Complex II was reported. Here, using untargeted metabolomics, we found succinate accumulation mainly in malignant cells and an anaplerotic effect contributing to biosynthesis, amino acid, and carbon metabolism. Succinate also stimulated oxygen consumption. Malignant prostate cells displayed higher mitochondrial affinity for succinate when compared to non-malignant prostate cells and the succinate-driven accumulation of metabolites induced expression of mitochondrial complex subunits and their activities. Moreover, extracellular succinate stimulated migration, invasion, and colony formation. Several enzymes linked to accumulated metabolites in the malignant cells were found upregulated in tumor tissue datasets, particularly NME1 and SHMT2 mRNA expression. High expression of the two genes was associated with shorter disease-free survival in prostate cancer cohorts. Moreover, in-vitro expression of both genes was enhanced in prostate cancer cells upon succinate stimulation. In conclusion, the data indicate that uptake of succinate from the tumor environment has an anaplerotic effect that enhances the malignant potential of prostate cancer cells.

Only a few studies have evaluated changes in mitochondrial function and oxidative stress associated with ultramarathon running. Invasive biopsies are needed to assess mitochondrial function of skeletal muscle, which may not be well tolerated by some individuals. Platelets (PLTs) as a metabolically highly active and homogenous cell population were suggested as a potentially valuable surrogate to investigate mitochondrial function. Thus, this study was aimed to evaluate mitochondrial function of PLTs and its association with individual race performance and markers of oxidative stress, muscle damage and renal dysfunction. Race performance and mitochondrial function (high-resolution respirometry, HRR) of PLTs using different substrates inducing ROUTINE, LEAK, N-pathway control state (Complex I linked oxidative phosphorylation; CI, OXPHOS), NS-pathway control state (CI + II linked OXPHOS and electron transfer pathway; ET), S-pathway control state (CII linked ET) as well as parameters of oxidative stress and antioxidant capacity, and markers of muscle and renal injury were assessed in eight male ultramarathon runners (26–45 years) before, immediately after and 24 h after an ultramarathon race (PRE, POST, and REC). Ultramarathon running induced an increase in LEAK O2 flux of PLT mitochondria and slight, largely non-significant changes in the oxidant/antioxidant balance. Levels of creatine kinase (CK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), blood urea nitrogen, and creatinine were all significantly elevated POST and remained high in REC. There were inverse correlations between race time and N-linked substrate state PRE-POST, and changes in CK and LDH levels were significantly related to PLT mitochondrial LEAK and N-linked respiration PRE. Although race-related changes in respirometry parameters of PLT mitochondria were rather small, a somewhat more pronounced increase in the relative N-linked respiration in faster runners might suggest PLT CI as indicator of physical fitness. The higher PLT LEAK PRE and diminished increase of CK during the race may represent a prophylactic preconditioning and the slight but non-significant elevation of the antioxidant potential post-race as a protective consequence of the race-related oxidative stress and potential threat to the kidney. Our findings point toward an interrelationship between mitochondrial function of PLTs, individual fitness levels and extreme physical and metal stresses, which stimulates further research.

The identification of novel physiological regulators that stimulate energy expenditure through brown adipose tissue (BAT) activity in substrate catalysis is of utmost importance to understand and treat metabolic diseases. Myoglobin (MB), known to store or transport oxygen in heart and skeletal muscles, has recently been found to bind fatty acids with physiological constants in its oxygenated form (i.e., MBO2). Here, we investigated the in vivo effect of MB expression on BAT activity. In particular, we studied mitochondrial function and lipid metabolism as essential determinants of energy expenditure in this tissue. We show in a MB-null (MBko) mouse model that MB expression in BAT impacts on the activity of brown adipocytes in a twofold manner: i) by elevating mitochondrial density plus maximal respiration capacity, and through that, by stimulating BAT oxidative metabolism along with the organelles` uncoupled respiration; and ii) by influencing the free fatty acids pool towards a palmitate-enriched composition and shifting the lipid droplet (LD) equilibrium towards higher counts of smaller droplets. These metabolic changes were accompanied by the up-regulated expression of thermogenesis markers UCP1, CIDEA, CIDEC, PGC1-α and PPAR-α in the BAT of MB wildtype (MBwt) mice. Along with the emergence of the “browning” BAT morphology, MBwt mice exhibited a leaner phenotype when compared to MBko littermates at 20 weeks of age. Our data shed novel insights into MB's role in linking oxygen and lipid-based thermogenic metabolism. The findings suggest potential new strategies of targeting the MB pathway to treat metabolic disorders related to diminishing energy expenditure.

Fuel substrate supply and oxidative phosphorylation are key determinants of muscle performance. Numerous studies of mammalian mitochondria are carried out (i) with substrate supply that limits electron flow, and (ii) far below physiological temperature. To analyze potentially implicated biases, we studied mitochondrial respiratory control in permeabilized mouse myocardial fibers using high-resolution respirometry. The capacity of oxidative phosphorylation at 37 °C was nearly two-fold higher when fueled by physiological substrate combinations reconstituting tricarboxylic acid cycle function, compared with electron flow measured separately through NADH to Complex I or succinate to Complex II. The relative contribution of the NADH pathway to physiological respiratory capacity increased with a decrease in temperature from 37 to 25 °C. The apparent excess capacity of cytochrome c oxidase above physiological pathway capacity increased sharply under hypothermia due to limitation by NADH-linked dehydrogenases. This mechanism of mitochondrial respiratory control in the hypothermic mammalian heart is comparable to the pattern in ectotherm species, pointing towards NADH-linked mt-matrix dehydrogenases and the phosphorylation system rather than electron transfer complexes as the primary drivers of thermal sensitivity at low temperature. Delineating the link between stress and remodeling of oxidative phosphorylation is important for understanding metabolic perturbations in disease evolution and cardiac protection.

Protocols for High-Resolution FluoRespirometry of intact cells, permeabilized cells, permeabilized muscle fibers, isolated mitochondria, and tissue homogenates offer sensitive diagnostic tests of integrated mitochondrial function using standard cell culture techniques, small needle biopsies of muscle, and mitochondrial preparation methods. Multiple substrate-uncoupler-inhibitor titration (SUIT) protocols for analysis of oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) improve our understanding of mitochondrial respiratory control and the pathophysiology of mitochondrial diseases. Respiratory states are defined in functional terms to account for the network of metabolic interactions in complex SUIT protocols with stepwise modulation of coupling control and electron transfer pathway states. A regulated degree of intrinsic uncoupling is a hallmark of oxidative phosphorylation, whereas pathological and toxicological dyscoupling is evaluated as a mitochondrial defect. The noncoupled state of maximum respiration is experimentally induced by titration of established uncouplers (CCCP, FCCP, DNP) to collapse the protonmotive force across the mitochondrial inner membrane and measure the electron transfer (ET) capacity (open-circuit operation of respiration). Intrinsic uncoupling and dyscoupling are evaluated as the flux control ratio between non-phosphorylating LEAK respiration (electron flow coupled to proton pumping to compensate for proton leaks) and ET capacity. If OXPHOS capacity (maximally ADP-stimulated O

During evolution, mitochondrial DNA haplogroups of arctic populations may have been selected for lower coupling of mitochondrial respiration to ATP production in favor of higher heat production. We show that mitochondrial coupling in skeletal muscle of traditional and westernized Inuit habituating northern Greenland is identical to Danes of western Europe haplogroups. Biochemical coupling efficiency was preserved across variations in diet, muscle fiber type, and uncoupling protein-3 content. Mitochondrial phenotype displayed plasticity in relation to lifestyle and environment. Untrained Inuit and Danes had identical capacities to oxidize fat substrate in arm muscle, which increased in Danes during the 42 days of acclimation to exercise, approaching the higher level of the Inuit hunters. A common pattern emerges of mitochondrial acclimatization and evolutionary adaptation in humans at high latitude and high altitude where economy of locomotion may be optimized by preservation of biochemical coupling efficiency at modest mitochondrial density, when submaximum performance is uncoupled from VO2max and maximum capacities of oxidative phosphorylation.

Whereas mitochondria are well established as the source of ATP in oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS), it is debated if they are also the major cellular sources of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Here we describe the novel approach of combining high-resolution respirometry and fluorometric measurement of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) production, applied to mitochondrial preparations (permeabilized cells, tissue homogenate, isolated mitochondria). The widely used H2O2 probe Amplex Red inhibited respiration in intact and permeabilized cells and should not be applied at concentrations above 10 µM. H2O2 fluxes were generally less than 1% of oxygen fluxes in physiological substrate and coupling states, specifically in permeabilized cells. H2O2 flux was consistently highest in the Complex II-linked LEAK state, reduced with CI&amp, II-linked convergent electron flow and in mitochondria respiring at OXPHOS capacity, and were further diminished in uncoupled mitochondria respiring at electron transfer system capacity. Simultaneous measurement of mitochondrial respiration and H2O2 flux requires careful optimization of assay conditions and reveals information on mitochondrial function beyond separate analysis of ROS production.

Protocols for High-Resolution FluoRespirometry of intact cells, permeabilized cells, permeabilized muscle fibers, isolated mitochondria, and tissue homogenates offer sensitive diagnostic tests of integrated mitochondrial function using standard cell culture techniques, small needle biopsies of muscle, and mitochondrial preparation methods. Multiple substrate-uncoupler-inhibitor titration (SUIT) protocols for analysis of oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) improve our understanding of mitochondrial respiratory control and the pathophysiology of mitochondrial diseases. Respiratory states are defined in functional terms to account for the network of metabolic interactions in complex SUIT protocols with stepwise modulation of coupling control and electron transfer pathway states. A regulated degree of intrinsic uncoupling is a hallmark of oxidative phosphorylation, whereas pathological and toxicological dyscoupling is evaluated as a mitochondrial defect. The noncoupled state of maximum respiration is experimentally induced by titration of established uncouplers (CCCP, FCCP, DNP) to collapse the protonmotive force across the mitochondrial inner membrane and measure the electron transfer (ET) capacity (open-circuit operation of respiration). Intrinsic uncoupling and dyscoupling are evaluated as the flux control ratio between non-phosphorylating LEAK respiration (electron flow coupled to proton pumping to compensate for proton leaks) and ET capacity. If OXPHOS capacity (maximally ADP-stimulated O2 flux) is less than ET capacity, the phosphorylation pathway contributes to flux control. Physiological substrate combinations supporting the NADH and succinate pathway are required to reconstitute tricarboxylic acid cycle function. This supports maximum ET and OXPHOS capacities, due to the additive effect of multiple electron supply pathways converging at the Q-junction. ET pathways with electron entry separately through NADH (pyruvate and malate or glutamate and malate) or succinate (succinate and rotenone) restrict ET capacity and artificially enhance flux control upstream of the Q-cycle, providing diagnostic information on specific ET-pathway branches. O2 concentration is maintained above air saturation in protocols with permeabilized muscle fibers to avoid experimental O2 limitation of respiration. Standardized two-point calibration of the polarographic oxygen sensor (static sensor calibration), calibration of the sensor response time (dynamic sensor calibration), and evaluation of instrumental background O2 flux (systemic flux compensation) provide the unique experimental basis for high accuracy of quantitative results and quality control in High-Resolution FluoRespirometry.

Iron is an essential co-factor for several metabolic processes, including mitochondrial respiration, and mitochondria are the major sites of iron-utilization. Cellular iron homeostasis must be tightly regulated, as intracellular iron deficiency can lead to insufficient energy production, whereas iron overload triggers ROS (reactive oxygen species) formation via the Fenton reaction. So far little is known on how iron imbalances affect mitochondrial function in vivo and the impact of the genotype on that, we studied the effects of dietary iron loading on mitochondrial respiratory capacity in liver by comparing two genetically divergent mouse strains, namely C57BL/6N and FVB mice. Both mouse strains differed in their basal iron levels and their metabolic responses to iron loading as determined by expression of iron trafficking proteins (ferritin was increased in livers of animals receiving high iron diet) as well as tissue iron content (2-fold increase, FVB p = 0.0013; C57BL/6N p = 0.0022). Dietary iron exposure caused a significant impairment of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation, especially regarding OXPHOS capacity (FVB p = 0.0006; C57BL/6N p = 0.0087) and S-ETS capacity (FVB p = 0.0281; C57BL/6N p = 0.0159). These effects were more pronounced in C57BL/6N than in FVB mice and were paralleled by an iron mediated induction of oxidative stress in mitochondria. The increased susceptibility of C57BL6/N mice to iron loading may be due to reduced expression of anti-oxidant defense mechanisms and altered iron trafficking upon dietary challenge pointing to a role of genetic modifiers for cellular and mitochondrial iron trafficking. Finally, iron-mediated induction of mitochondrial oxidative stress and reduction of oxidative phosphorylation may underlie fatigue in subjects with iron loading diseases.

The Himalayan Sherpas, a human population of Tibetan descent, are highly adapted to life in the hypobaric hypoxia of high altitude. Mechanisms involving enhanced tissue oxygen delivery in comparison to Lowlander populations have been postulated to play a role in such adaptation. Whether differences in tissue oxygen utilization (i.e., metabolic adaptation) underpin this adaptation is not known, however. We sought to address this issue, applying parallel molecular, biochemical, physiological, and genetic approaches to the study of Sherpas and native Lowlanders, studied before and during exposure to hypobaric hypoxia on a gradual ascent to Mount Everest Base Camp (5,300 m). Compared with Lowlanders, Sherpas demonstrated a lower capacity for fatty acid oxidation in skeletal muscle biopsies, along with enhanced efficiency of oxygen utilization, improved muscle energetics, and protection against oxidative stress. This adaptation appeared to be related, in part, to a putatively advantageous allele for the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor A (PPARA) gene, which was enriched in the Sherpas compared with the Lowlanders. Our findings suggest that metabolic adaptations underpin human evolution to life at high altitude, and could have an impact upon our understanding of human diseases in which hypoxia is a feature.

Oxygen demand generally increases in ectotherms as temperature rises in order to sustain oxidative phosphorylation by mitochondria. The thermal plasticity of ectotherm metabolism, such as that of fishes, dictates a species survival and is of importance to understand within an era of warming climates. Within this study the whole animal O2 consumption rate of a common New Zealand intertidal triplefin fish, Forsterygion lapillum, was investigated at different acclimation temperatures (15, 18, 21, 24 or 25 °C) as a commonly used indicator of metabolic performance. In addition, the mitochondria within permeabilised skeletal muscle fibres of fish acclimated to a moderate temperature (18 °C Cool acclimation group-CA) and a warm temperature (24 °C. Warm acclimation group-WA) were also tested at 18, 24 and 25 °C in different states of coupling and with different substrates. These two levels of analysis were carried out to test whether any peak in whole animal metabolism reflected the respiratory performance of mitochondria from skeletal muscle representing the bulk of metabolic tissue. While standard metabolic rate (SMR- an indicator of total maintenance metabolism) and maximal metabolic rate ([Formula: see text]O2 max) both generally increased with temperature, aerobic metabolic scope (AMS) was maximal at 24 °C, giving the impression that whole animal (metabolic) performance was optimised at a surprisingly high temperature. Mitochondrial oxygen flux also increased with increasing assay temperature but WA fish showed a lowered response to temperature in high flux states, such as those of oxidative phosphorylation and in chemically uncoupled states of respiration. The thermal stability of mitochondria from WA fish was also noticeably greater than CA fish at 25 °C. However, the predicted contribution of respirational flux to ATP synthesis remained the same in both groups and WA fish showed higher anaerobic activity as a result of high muscle lactate loads in both rested and exhausted states. CA fish had a comparably lower level of resting lactate and took 30 % longer to fatigue than WA fish. Despite some apparent acclimation capacity of skeletal muscle mitochondria, the ATP synthesis capacity of this species is constrained at high temperatures, and that a greater fraction of metabolism in skeletal muscle appears to be supported anaerobically at higher temperatures. The AMS peak at 24 °C does not therefore represent utilisation efficiency of oxygen but, rather, the temperature where scope for oxygen flow is greatest.

The capacity of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) and fuel substrate supply are key determinants of cardiac muscle performance. Although temperature exerts a strong effect on energy metabolism, until recently numerous respiratory studies of mammalian mitochondria have been carried out below physiological temperature, with substrates supporting submaximal respiratory capacity. We measured mitochondrial respiration as a function of temperature in permeabilized fibers from the left ventricle of the mouse heart. At 37 °C, OXPHOS capacity with electron entry through either Complex I or Complex II into the Q-junction was about half of respiratory capacity with the corresponding physiological substrate combination reconstituting tricarboxylic acid cycle function with convergent electron flow through the NADH&succinate (NS) pathway. When separating the component core mitochondrial pathways, the relative contribution of the NADH pathway increased with a decrease of temperature from 37 to 25 ºC. The additive effect of convergent electron flow has profound consequences for optimization of mitochondrial respiratory control. The apparent excess capacity of cytochromecoxidase (CIV) was 0.7 above convergent NS-pathway capacity, but would be overestimated nearly 2-fold with respect to respiration restricted by provision of NADH-linked substrates only. The apparent excess capacity of CIV increased sharply at 4 °C, caused by a strong temperature dependence of and OXPHOS limitation by NADH-linked dehydrogenases. This mechanism of mitochondrial respiratory control in the hypothermic mammalian heart is comparable to the pattern in ectotherm species, pointing towards NADH-linked mt-matrix dehydrogenases and the phosphorylation system rather than electron transfer complexes as the primary drivers of thermal sensitivity at low temperature and likely modulators of temperature adaptation and acclimatization. Delineating the link between stress and remodeling of OXPHOS is critically important for improving our understanding of metabolic perturbations in disease evolution and cardiac protection. Temperature is not a trivial experimental parameter to consider when addressing these questions.

At the annual Iditarod Race, Alaskan Huskies repeatedly run for up to 8 hours at 16 km/h to complete 1600 km. We previously demonstrated high rates of mitochondrial protein synthesis in Alaskan Huskies, which we suspected allowed rapid remodeling of mitochondrial proteins in response to energetic stress. The purpose of this study was to examine mitochondrial respiration in permeabilized skeletal muscle fibers of Alaskan Huskies in the offseason (Non-raced) and following the 1600 km Iditarod Sled Dog Race (Raced). We hypothesized that compared to Non-raced Huskies, raced Huskies that completed a 1600 km race would have greater mitochondrial respiratory capacities, and improvements in capacities of oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) based on NADH-generating substrates as compared to fatty acids. Using high-resolution respirometry (HRR) we investigated the respiration of permeabilized muscle fibers from Alaskan Huskies. Maximum capacities were 254±26 pmol.s-1.mg-1 for OXPHOS (coupled, P) and 254±37 pmol.s-1.mg-1 for the electron transfer system (ETS; non-coupled, E). After racing respiratory capacities from NADH-linked substrates, but not fat-derived substrates increased. Finally, the OXPHOS to ETS capacity ratio (P/E) increased after racing from 0.90±0.03 to 0.97±0.02. From our previous studies and the current study, we conclude that Alaskan Huskies maintain high mitochondrial protein turnover to facilitate rapid adaptation to environmental extremes and energetic challenges.

Studies regarding mitochondrial modifications in human skeletal muscle following acclimatization to high altitude are conflicting, and these inconsistencies may be due to the prevalence of representing mitochondrial function through static and isolated measurements of specific mitochondrial characteristics. The aim of this study, therefore, was to investigate mitochondrial function in response to high-altitude acclimatization through measurements of respiratory control in the vastus lateralis muscle. Skeletal muscle biopsies were obtained from 10 lowland natives prior to and again after a total of 9-11 days of exposure to 4559 m. High-resolution respirometry was performed on the muscle samples to compare respiratory chain function and respiratory capacities. Respirometric analysis revealed that mitochondrial function was largely unaffected, because high-altitude exposure did not affect the capacity for fat oxidation or individualized respiration capacity through either complex I or complex II. Respiratory chain function remained unaltered, because neither coupling nor respiratory control changed in response to hypoxic exposure. High-altitude acclimatization did, however, show a tendency (P = 0.059) to limit mass-specific maximal oxidative phosphorylation capacity. These data suggest that 9-11 days of exposure to high altitude do not markedly modify integrated measures of mitochondrial functional capacity in skeletal muscle despite significant decrements in the concentrations of enzymes involved in the tricarboxylic acid cycle and oxidative phosphorylation.

Heart failure is a consequence of progressive deterioration of cardiac performance. Little is known about the role of impaired oxidative phosphorylation in the progression of the disease, since previous studies of mitochondrial injuries are restricted to end-stage chronic heart failure. The present study aimed at evaluating the involvement of mitochondrial dysfunction in the development of human heart failure. We measured the control of oxidative phosphorylation with high-resolution respirometry in permeabilized myocardial fibres from donor hearts (controls), and patients with no or mild heart failure but presenting with heart disease, or chronic heart failure due to dilated or ischemic cardiomyopathy. The capacity of the phosphorylation system exerted a strong limitation on oxidative phosphorylation in the human heart, estimated at 121 pmol O(2)s(-1)mg(-1) in the healthy left ventricle. In heart disease, a specific defect of the phosphorylation system, Complex I-linked respiration, and mass-specific fatty acid oxidation were identified. These early defects were also significant in chronic heart failure, where the capacities of the oxidative phosphorylation and electron transfer systems per cardiac tissue mass were decreased with all tested substrate combinations, suggesting a decline of mitochondrial density. Oxidative phosphorylation and electron transfer system capacities were higher in ventricles compared to atria, but the impaired mitochondrial quality was identical in the four cardiac chambers of chronic heart failure patients. Coupling was preserved in heart disease and chronic heart failure, in contrast to the mitochondrial dysfunction observed after prolonged cold storage of cardiac tissue. Mitochondrial defects in the phosphorylation system, Complex I respiration and mass-specific fatty acid oxidation occurred early in the development of heart failure. Targeting these mitochondrial injuries with metabolic therapy may offer a promising approach to delay the progression of heart disease.

The idea of using metabolic aberrations as targets for diagnosis or therapeutic intervention has recently gained increasing interest. In a previous study, our group discovered intriguing differences in the oxidative mitochondrial respiration capacity of benign and prostate cancer (PCa) cells. In particular, we found that PCa cells had a higher total respiratory activity than benign cells. Moreover, PCa cells showed a substantial shift towards succinate-supported mitochondrial respiration compared to benign cells, indicating a re-programming of respiratory control. This study aimed to investigate the role of succinate and its main plasma membrane transporter NaDC3 (sodium-dependent dicarboxylate transporter member 3) in PCa cells and to determine whether targeting succinate metabolism can be potentially used to inhibit PCa cell growth. Using high-resolution respirometry analysis, we observed that ROUTINE respiration in viable cells and succinate-supported respiration in permeabilized cells was higher in cells lacking the tumor suppressor phosphatase and tensin-homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN), which is frequently lost in PCa. In addition, loss of PTEN was associated with increased intracellular succinate accumulation and higher expression of NaDC3. However, siRNA-mediated knockdown of NaDC3 only moderately influenced succinate metabolism and did not affect PCa cell growth. By contrast, mersalyl acid—a broad acting inhibitor of dicarboxylic acid carriers—strongly interfered with intracellular succinate levels and resulted in reduced numbers of PCa cells. These findings suggest that blocking NaDC3 alone is insufficient to intervene with altered succinate metabolism associated with PCa. In conclusion, our data provide evidence that loss of PTEN is associated with increased succinate accumulation and enhanced succinate-supported respiration, which cannot be overcome by inhibiting the succinate transporter NaDC3 alone.

Breast cancer cells can survive and proliferate under harsh conditions of nutrient deprivation, including limited oxygen and glucose availability. We hypothesized that such environments trigger metabolic adaptations of mitochondria, which promote tumor progression. Here, we mimicked aglycemia and hypoxia in vitro and compared the mitochondrial and cellular bioenergetic adaptations of human breast cancer (HTB-126) and non-cancer (HTB-125) cells that originate from breast tissue. Using high-resolution respirometry and western blot analyses, we demonstrated that 4 days of glucose deprivation elevated oxidative phosphorylation five-fold, increased the spread of the mitochondrial network without changing its shape, and decreased the apparent affinity of oxygen in cancer cells (increase in C 50 ), whereas it remained unchanged in control cells. The substrate control ratios also remained constant following adaptation. We also observed the Crabtree effect, specifically in HTB-126 cells. Likewise, sustained hypoxia (1% oxygen during 6 days) improved cell respiration in non-cancer cells grown in glucose or glucose-deprived medium (+ 32% and +38%, respectively). Conversely, under these conditions of limited oxygen or a combination of oxygen and glucose deprivation for 6 days, routine respiration was strongly reduced in cancer cells (−36% in glucose medium, −24% in glucose-deprived medium). The data demonstrate that cancer cells behave differently than normal cells when adapting their bioenergetics to microenvironmental conditions. The differences in hypoxia and aglycemia tolerance between breast cancer cells and non-cancer cells may be important when optimizing strategies for the treatment of breast cancer.

Maximal ADP-stimulated mitochondrial respiration depends on convergent electron flow through Complexes I+II to the Q-junction of the electron transport system (ETS). In most studies of respiratory control in mitochondrial preparations, however, respiration is limited artificially by supplying substrates for electron input through either Complex I or II. High-resolution respirometry with minimal amounts of tissue biopsy (1-3mg wet weight of permeabilized muscle fibres per assay) provides a routine approach for multiple substrate-uncoupler-inhibitor titrations. Under physiological conditions, maximal respiratory capacity is obtained with glutamate+malate+succinate, reconstituting the operation of the tricarboxylic acid cycle and preventing depletion of key metabolites from the mitochondrial matrix. In human skeletal muscle, conventional assays with pyruvate+malate or glutamate+malate yield submaximal oxygen fluxes at 0.50-0.75 of capacity of oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS). Best estimates of muscular OXPHOS capacity at 37 degrees C (pmol O(2)s(-1)mg(-1) wet weight) with isolated mitochondria or permeabilized fibres, suggest a range of 100-150 and up to 180 in healthy humans with normal body mass index and top endurance athletes, but reduction to 60-120 in overweight healthy adults with predominantly sedentary life style. The apparent ETS excess capacity (uncoupled respiration) over ADP-stimulated OXPHOS capacity is high in skeletal muscle of active and sedentary humans, but absent in mouse skeletal muscle. Such differences of mitochondrial quality in skeletal muscle are unexpected and cannot be explained at present. A comparative database of mitochondrial physiology may provide the key for understanding the functional implications of mitochondrial diversity from mouse to man, and evaluation of altered mitochondrial respiratory control patterns in health and disease.

Aims/hypothesis Insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes are associated with mitochondrial dysfunction. The aim of the present study was to test the hypothesis that oxidative phosphorylation and electron transport capacity are diminished in the skeletal muscle of type 2 diabetic subjects, as a result of a reduction in the mitochondrial content. Materials and methods The O2 flux capacity of permeabilised muscle fibres from biopsies of the quadriceps in healthy subjects (n = 8; age 58 ± 2 years [mean±SEM]; BMI 28 ± 1 kg/m2; fasting plasma glucose 5.4 ± 0.2 mmol/l) and patients with type 2 diabetes (n = 11; age 62 ± 2 years; BMI 32 ± 2 kg/m2; fasting plasma glucose 9.0 ± 0.8 mmol/l) was measured by high-resolution respirometry. Results O2 flux expressed per mg of muscle (fresh weight) during ADP-stimulated state 3 respiration was lower (p

We recently reported the circulatory and muscle oxidative capacities of the arm after prolonged low-intensity skiing in the arctic (Boushel et al., 2014). In the present study, leg VO2 was measured by the Fick method during leg cycling while muscle mitochondrial capacity was examined on a biopsy of the vastus lateralis in healthy volunteers (7 male, 2 female) before and after 42 days of skiing at 60% HR max. Peak pulmonary VO2 (3.52 ± 0.18 L.min(-1) pre vs 3.52 ± 0.19 post) and VO2 across the leg (2.8 ± 0.4L.min(-1) pre vs 3.0 ± 0.2 post) were unchanged after the ski journey. Peak leg O2 delivery (3.6 ± 0.2 L.min(-1) pre vs 3.8 ± 0.4 post), O2 extraction (82 ± 1% pre vs 83 ± 1 post), and muscle capillaries per mm(2) (576 ± 17 pre vs 612 ± 28 post) were also unchanged; however, leg muscle mitochondrial OXPHOS capacity was reduced (90 ± 3 pmol.sec(-1) .mg(-1) pre vs 70 ± 2 post, P < 0.05) as was citrate synthase activity (40 ± 3 μmol.min(-1) .g(-1) pre vs 34 ± 3 vs P < 0.05). These findings indicate that peak muscle VO2 can be sustained with a substantial reduction in mitochondrial OXPHOS capacity. This is achieved at a similar O2 delivery and a higher relative ADP-stimulated mitochondrial respiration at a higher mitochondrial p50. These findings support the concept that muscle mitochondrial respiration is submaximal at VO2max , and that mitochondrial volume can be downregulated by chronic energy demand.

Altered mitochondrial metabolism plays a pivotal role in the development and progression of various diseases, including cancer. Cell lines are frequently used as models to study mitochondrial (dys)function, but little is known about their mitochondrial respiration and metabolic properties in comparison to the primary tissue of origin. We have developed a method for assessment of oxidative phosphorylation in prostate tissue samples of only 2 mg wet weight using high-resolution respirometry. Reliable protocols were established to investigate the respiratory activity of different segments of the mitochondrial electron transfer system (ETS) in mechanically permeabilized tissue biopsies. Additionally, the widely used immortalized prostate epithelial and fibroblast cell lines, RWPE1 and NAF, representing the major cell types in prostate tissue, were analyzed and compared to the tissue of origin. Our results show that mechanical treatment without chemical permeabilization agents or sample processing constitutes a reliable preparation method for OXPHOS analysis in small amounts of prostatic tissue typically obtained by prostate biopsy. The cell lines represented the bioenergetic properties of fresh tissue to a limited extent only. Particularly, tissue showed a higher oxidative capacity with succinate and glutamate, whereas pyruvate was a substrate supporting significantly higher respiratory activities in cell lines. Several fold higher zinc levels measured in tissue compared to cells confirmed the role of aconitase for prostate-specific metabolism in agreement with observed respiratory properties. In conclusion, combining the flexibility of cell culture models and tissue samples for respirometric analysis are powerful tools for investigation of mitochondrial function and tissue-specific metabolism.

Mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress are strongly implicated in neurodegenerative diseases and epilepsy. Strikingly, neurodegenerative diseases show regional specificity in vulnerability and follow distinct patterns of neuronal loss. A challenge is to understand, why mitochondria fail in particular brain regions under specific pathological conditions. A potential explanation could be provided by regional or cellular specificity of mitochondrial function. We applied high-resolution respirometry to analyze the integrated Complex I- and II (CI and CII)-linked respiration, the activity of Complex IV, and the combined CIII-linked oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS)- and electron-transfer system (ETS)-capacity in microsamples obtained from distinct regions of the mouse brain. We compared different approaches to assess mitochondrial density and suggest flux control ratios as a valid method to normalize respiration to mitochondrial density. This approach revealed significant differences of CI- and CII-linked OXPHOS capacity and coupling control between motor cortex, striatum, hippocampus and pons of naïve mice. CI-linked respiration was highest in motor cortex, while CII-linked respiration predominated in the striatum. To investigate if this method could also determine differences in normal and disease states within the same brain region, we compared hippocampal homogenates in a chronic epilepsy model. Three weeks after stereotaxic injection of kainate, there was a down-regulation of CI- and upregulation of CII-linked respiration in the resulting epileptic ipsilateral hippocampus compared to the contralateral one. In summary, respirometric OXPHOS analysis provides a very sensitive diagnostic approach using small amounts of distinct brain tissues. In a single assay, information is obtained on numerous OXPHOS parameters as indicators of tissue-specific mitochondrial performance.

Mitochondrial control of cellular redox states is a fundamental component of cell signaling in the coordination of core energy metabolism and homeostasis during normoxia and hypoxia. We investigated the relationship between cytochrome redox states and mitochondrial oxygen consumption at steady-state levels of hypoxia in mitochondria isolated from beef and mouse heart (BHImt, MHImt), comparing two species with different cardiac dynamics and local oxygen demands. A low-noise, rapid spectrophotometric system using visible light for the measurement of cytochrome redox states was combined with high-resolution respirometry. Monophasic hyperbolic relationships were observed between oxygen consumption, JO2, and oxygen partial pressure, Po2, within the range 50 j(Po2at 0.5· Jmax) was 0.015 ± 0.0004 and 0.021 ± 0.003 kPa (0.11 and 0.16 mmHg) for BHImt and MHImt, respectively. Maximum oxygen consumption, Jmax, was measured at saturating ADP levels (OXPHOS capacity) with Complex I-linked substrate supply. Redox states of cytochromes aa3and c were biphasic hyperbolic functions of Po2. The relationship between cytochrome oxidation state and oxygen consumption revealed a separation of distinct phases from mild to severe and deep hypoxia. When cytochrome c oxidation increased from fully reduced to 45% oxidized at 0.1 Jmax, Po2was as low as 0.002 kPa (0.02 μM), and trace amounts of oxygen are sufficient to partially oxidize the cytochromes. At higher Po2under severe hypoxia, respiration increases steeply, whereas redox changes are small. Under mild hypoxia, the steep slope of oxidation of cytochrome c when flux remains more stable represents a cushioning mechanism that helps to maintain respiration high at the onset of hypoxia.

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.

The mitochondrial transmembrane potential (Δψmt or mtMP) is directly influenced by oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS). The exact nature of the interactions between respiration (flux) and mtMP (force) under various physiological and pathological conditions remains unclear, partially due to methodological limitations. Here, we describe a combination of high-resolution respirometry and fluorometry based on the OROBOROS Oxygraph-2k and the widely applied mtMP indicator safranin. The analysis of OXPHOS in mouse brain homogenates revealed that, at commonly applied concentrations, safranin inhibits Complex I-driven OXPHOS capacity, primarily targeting the phosphorylation system, but has no effects on LEAK respiration. Conversely, Complex II-driven OXPHOS capacity was inhibited by20% by safranin concentrations normally used for mtMP monitoring. The mtMP was higher in the LEAK state without adenylates than at identical LEAK respiration after ADP stimulation and Complex V inhibition with oligomycin. The maximal electron transfer system (ETS) capacity was reached in uncoupler titrations before the mtMP fully collapsed, whereas respiration was inhibited at increasing uncoupler concentrations, resulting in the progressive reduction of mtMP. In a pharmacologically induced state of Complex II dysfunction, mtMP was rather insensitive to the inhibition of OXPHOS to 50% of its normal capacity, but robustly responded to inhibitors when respiration was limited by substrate depletion. The optimal concentration of uncoupler supporting maximal ETS capacity varied as a function of pharmacological intervention. Taken together, the combined measurement of respiration and mtMP greatly enhances the informative potential of OXPHOS studies. The respirometric validation of inhibitory and uncoupling effects is mandatory for any fluorophore employed to assess mtMP in any respiratory state, tissue type, and pathophysiological condition. The methodological issues analyzed herein are relevant for the study of mitochondrial respiration in a wide variety of setting, including cancer cell metabolism.

Mitochondria are confronted with low oxygen levels in the microenvironment within tissues; yet, isolated mitochondria are routinely studied under air-saturated conditions that are effectively hyperoxic, increase oxidative stress, and may impair mitochondrial function. Under hypoxia, on the other hand, respiration and ATP supply are restricted. Under these conditions of oxygen limitation, any compromise in the coupling of oxidative phosphorylation to oxygen consumption could accentuate ATP depletion, leading to metabolic failure. To address this issue, we have developed the approach of oxygen-injection microcalorimetry and ADP-injection respirometry for evaluating mitochondrial function at limiting oxygen supply. Whereas phosphorylation efficiency drops during ADP limitation at high oxygen levels, we show here that oxidative phosphorylation is more efficient at low oxygen than at air saturation, as indicated by higher ratios of ADP flux to total oxygen flux at identical submaximal rates of ATP synthesis. At low oxygen, the proton leak and uncoupled respiration are depressed, thus reducing maintenance energy expenditure. This indicates the importance of low intracellular oxygen levels in avoiding oxidative stress and protecting bioenergetic efficiency.

The mitochondrial transmembrane potential (Δψmt or mtMP) is directly influenced by oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS). The exact nature of the interactions between respiration (flux) and mtMP (force) under various physiological and pathological conditions remains unclear, partially due to methodological limitations. Here, we describe a combination of high-resolution respirometry and fluorometry based on the OROBOROS Oxygraph-2k and the widely applied mtMP indicator safranin. The analysis of OXPHOS in mouse brain homogenates revealed that, at commonly applied concentrations, safranin inhibits Complex I-driven OXPHOS capacity, primarily targeting the phosphorylation system, but has no effects on LEAK respiration. Conversely, Complex II-driven OXPHOS capacity was inhibited by

Studies regarding mitochondrial modifications in human skeletal muscle following acclimatization to high altitude are conflicting, and these inconsistencies may be due to the prevalence of representing mitochondrial function through static and isolated measurements of specific mitochondrial characteristics. The aim of this study, therefore, was to investigate mitochondrial function in response to high-altitude acclimatization through measurements of respiratory control in the vastus lateralis muscle. Skeletal muscle biopsies were obtained from 10 lowland natives prior to and again after a total of 9-11 days of exposure to 4559 m. High-resolution respirometry was performed on the muscle samples to compare respiratory chain function and respiratory capacities. Respirometric analysis revealed that mitochondrial function was largely unaffected, because high-altitude exposure did not affect the capacity for fat oxidation or individualized respiration capacity through either complex I or complex II. Respiratory chain function remained unaltered, because neither coupling nor respiratory control changed in response to hypoxic exposure. High-altitude acclimatization did, however, show a tendency (P = 0.059) to limit mass-specific maximal oxidative phosphorylation capacity. These data suggest that 9-11 days of exposure to high altitude do not markedly modify integrated measures of mitochondrial functional capacity in skeletal muscle despite significant decrements in the concentrations of enzymes involved in the tricarboxylic acid cycle and oxidative phosphorylation.

BACKGROUND: Within the animal kingdom, horses are among the most powerful aerobic athletic mammals. Determination of muscle respiratory capacity and control improves our knowledge of mitochondrial physiology in horses and high aerobic performance in general. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We applied high-resolution respirometry and multiple substrate-uncoupler-inhibitor titration protocols to study mitochondrial physiology in small (1.0-2.5 mg) permeabilized muscle fibres sampled from triceps brachii of healthy horses. Oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) capacity (pmol O(2) • s(-1) • mg(-1) wet weight) with combined Complex I and II (CI+II) substrate supply (malate+glutamate+succinate) increased from 77 ± 18 in overweight horses to 103 ± 18, 122 ± 15, and 129 ± 12 in untrained, trained and competitive horses (N = 3, 8, 16, and 5, respectively). Similar to human muscle mitochondria, equine OXPHOS capacity was limited by the phosphorylation system to 0.85 ± 0.10 (N = 32) of electron transfer capacity, independent of fitness level. In 15 trained horses, OXPHOS capacity increased from 119 ± 12 to 134 ± 37 when pyruvate was included in the CI+II substrate cocktail. Relative to this maximum OXPHOS capacity, Complex I (CI)-linked OXPHOS capacities were only 50% with glutamate+malate, 64% with pyruvate+malate, and 68% with pyruvate+malate+glutamate, and ~78% with CII-linked succinate+rotenone. OXPHOS capacity with glutamate+malate increased with fitness relative to CI+II-supported ETS capacity from a flux control ratio of 0.38 to 0.40, 0.41 and 0.46 in overweight to competitive horses, whereas the CII/CI+II substrate control ratio remained constant at 0.70. Therefore, the apparent deficit of the CI- over CII-linked pathway capacity was reduced with physical fitness. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The scope of mitochondrial density-dependent OXPHOS capacity and the density-independent (qualitative) increase of CI-linked respiratory capacity with increased fitness open up new perspectives of integrative and comparative mitochondrial respiratory physiology.

A large number of enzyme systems are examined for the diagnosis of mitochondrial myopathies including the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex, tricarboxylic-acid-cycle enzymes and respiratory-chain complexes. These investigations can be carried out in frozen tissue. For the study of oxidative phosphorylation in intact mitochondria, fresh muscle tissue is required, and isolation of mitochondria from large amounts of tissue (at least 500-1000 mg) is necessary. For ethical reasons this imposes a serious limitation, especially in paediatric patients. Radiochemical measurment of oxidation rates of various substrates in 600g supernatant from 100-300 mg amounts of muscle tissue has partly overcome this problem (Bookelman et al 1978)

Protocols for high-resolution respirometry (HRR) of intact cells, permeabilized cells, and permeabilized muscle fibers offer sensitive diagnostic tests of integrated mitochondrial function using standard cell culture techniques and small needle biopsies of muscle. Multiple substrate-uncoupler-inhibitor titration (SUIT) protocols for analysis of oxidative phosphorylation improve our understanding of mitochondrial respiratory control and the pathophysiology of mitochondrial diseases. Respiratory states are defined in functional terms to account for the network of metabolic interactions in complex SUIT protocols with stepwise modulation of coupling and substrate control. A regulated degree of intrinsic uncoupling is a hallmark of oxidative phosphorylation, whereas pathological and toxicological dyscoupling is evaluated as a mitochondrial defect. The noncoupled state of maximum respiration is experimentally induced by titration of established uncouplers (FCCP, DNP) to collapse the proton gradient across the mitochondrial inner membrane and measure the capacity of the electron transfer system (ETS, open-circuit operation of respiration). Intrinsic uncoupling and dyscoupling are evaluated as the flux control ratio between nonphosphorylating LEAK respiration (electron flow coupled to proton pumping to compensate for proton leaks) and ETS capacity. If OXPHOS capacity (maximally ADP-stimulated oxygen flux) is less than ETS capacity, the phosphorylation system contributes to flux control. Physiological Complex I + II substrate combinations are required to reconstitute TCA cycle function. This supports maximum ETS and OXPHOS capacities, due to the additive effect of multiple electron supply pathways converging at the Q-junction. Substrate control with electron entry separately through Complex I (pyruvate + malate or glutamate + malate) or Complex II (succinate + rotenone) restricts ETS capacity and artificially enhances flux control upstream of the Q-cycle, providing diagnostic information on specific branches of the ETS. Oxygen levels are maintained above air saturation in protocols with permeabilized muscle fibers to avoid experimental oxygen limitation of respiration. Standardized two-point calibration of the polarographic oxygen sensor (static sensor calibration), calibration of the sensor response time (dynamic sensor calibration), and evaluation of instrumental background oxygen flux (systemic flux compensation) provide the unique experimental basis for high accuracy of quantitative results and quality control in HRR.

Protocols for high-resolution respirometry (HRR) of intact cells, permeabilized cells, and permeabilized muscle fibers offer sensitive diagnostic tests of integrated mitochondrial function using standard cell culture techniques and small needle biopsies of muscle. Multiple substrate-uncoupler-inhibitor titration (SUIT) protocols for analysis of oxidative phosphorylation improve our understanding of mitochondrial respiratory control and the pathophysiology of mitochondrial diseases. Respiratory states are defined in functional terms to account for the network of metabolic interactions in complex SUIT protocols with stepwise modulation of coupling and substrate control. A regulated degree of intrinsic uncoupling is a hallmark of oxidative phosphorylation, whereas pathological and toxicological dyscoupling is evaluated as a mitochondrial defect. The noncoupled state of maximum respiration is experimentally induced by titration of established uncouplers (FCCP, DNP) to collapse the proton gradient across the mitochondrial inner membrane and measure the capacity of the electron transfer system (ETS, open-circuit operation of respiration). Intrinsic uncoupling and dyscoupling are evaluated as the flux control ratio between nonphosphorylating LEAK respiration (electron flow coupled to proton pumping to compensate for proton leaks) and ETS capacity. If OXPHOS capacity (maximally ADP-stimulated oxygen flux) is less than ETS capacity, the phosphorylation system contributes to flux control. Physiological Complex I + II substrate combinations are required to reconstitute TCA cycle function. This supports maximum ETS and OXPHOS capacities, due to the additive effect of multiple electron supply pathways converging at the Q-junction. Substrate control with electron entry separately through Complex I (pyruvate + malate or glutamate + malate) or Complex II (succinate + rotenone) restricts ETS capacity and artificially enhances flux control upstream of the Q-cycle, providing diagnostic information on specific branches of the ETS. Oxygen levels are maintained above air saturation in protocols with permeabilized muscle fibers to avoid experimental oxygen limitation of respiration. Standardized two-point calibration of the polarographic oxygen sensor (static sensor calibration), calibration of the sensor response time (dynamic sensor calibration), and evaluation of instrumental background oxygen flux (systemic flux compensation) provide the unique experimental basis for high accuracy of quantitative results and quality control in HRR.

Across a wide range of species and body mass a close matching exists between maximal conductive oxygen delivery and mitochondrial respiratory rate. In this study we investigated in humans how closely in-vivo maximal oxygen consumption (VO(2) max) is matched to state 3 muscle mitochondrial respiration. High resolution respirometry was used to quantify mitochondrial respiration from the biopsies of arm and leg muscles while in-vivo arm and leg VO(2) were determined by the Fick method during leg cycling and arm cranking. We hypothesized that muscle mitochondrial respiratory rate exceeds that of systemic oxygen delivery. The state 3 mitochondrial respiration of the deltoid muscle (4.3±0.4 mmol o(2)kg(-1) min(-1)) was similar to the in-vivo VO(2) during maximal arm cranking (4.7±0.5 mmol O(2) kg(-1) min(-1)) with 6 kg muscle. In contrast, the mitochondrial state 3 of the quadriceps was 6.9±0.5 mmol O(2) kg(-1) min(-1), exceeding the in-vivo leg VO(2) max (5.0±0.2 mmol O(2) kg(-1) min(-1)) during leg cycling with 20 kg muscle (P

Maximal ADP-stimulated mitochondrial respiration depends on convergent electron flow through Complexes I+II to the Q-junction of the electron transport system (ETS). In most studies of respiratory control in mitochondrial preparations, however, respiration is limited artificially by supplying substrates for electron input through either Complex I or II. High-resolution respirometry with minimal amounts of tissue biopsy (1-3mg wet weight of permeabilized muscle fibres per assay) provides a routine approach for multiple substrate-uncoupler-inhibitor titrations. Under physiological conditions, maximal respiratory capacity is obtained with glutamate+malate+succinate, reconstituting the operation of the tricarboxylic acid cycle and preventing depletion of key metabolites from the mitochondrial matrix. In human skeletal muscle, conventional assays with pyruvate+malate or glutamate+malate yield submaximal oxygen fluxes at 0.50-0.75 of capacity of oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS). Best estimates of muscular OXPHOS capacity at 37 degrees C (pmol O(2)s(-1)mg(-1) wet weight) with isolated mitochondria or permeabilized fibres, suggest a range of 100-150 and up to 180 in healthy humans with normal body mass index and top endurance athletes, but reduction to 60-120 in overweight healthy adults with predominantly sedentary life style. The apparent ETS excess capacity (uncoupled respiration) over ADP-stimulated OXPHOS capacity is high in skeletal muscle of active and sedentary humans, but absent in mouse skeletal muscle. Such differences of mitochondrial quality in skeletal muscle are unexpected and cannot be explained at present. A comparative database of mitochondrial physiology may provide the key for understanding the functional implications of mitochondrial diversity from mouse to man, and evaluation of altered mitochondrial respiratory control patterns in health and disease.

HIF prolyl hydroxylases (PHD1-3) are oxygen sensors that regulate the stability of the hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs) in an oxygen-dependent manner. Here, we show that loss of Phd1 lowers oxygen consumption in skeletal muscle by reprogramming glucose metabolism from oxidative to more anaerobic ATP production through activation of a Pparalpha pathway. This metabolic adaptation to oxygen conservation impairs oxidative muscle performance in healthy conditions, but it provides acute protection of myofibers against lethal ischemia. Hypoxia tolerance is not due to HIF-dependent angiogenesis, erythropoiesis or vasodilation, but rather to reduced generation of oxidative stress, which allows Phd1-deficient myofibers to preserve mitochondrial respiration. Hypoxia tolerance relies primarily on Hif-2alpha and was not observed in heterozygous Phd2-deficient or homozygous Phd3-deficient mice. Of medical importance, conditional knockdown of Phd1 also rapidly induces hypoxia tolerance. These findings delineate a new role of Phd1 in hypoxia tolerance and offer new treatment perspectives for disorders characterized by oxidative stress. ispartof: Nature Genetics vol:40 issue:2 pages:170-180 ispartof: location:United States status: published

Tumor cells adapt via metabolic reprogramming to meet elevated energy demands due to continuous proliferation, for example by switching to alternative energy sources. Nutrients such as glucose, fatty acids, ketone bodies and amino acids may be utilized as preferred substrates to fulfill increased energy requirements. In this study we investigated the metabolic characteristics of benign and cancer cells of the prostate with respect to their utilization of medium chain (MCTs) and long chain triglycerides (LCTs) under standard and glucose-starved culture conditions by assessing cell viability, glycolytic activity, mitochondrial respiration, the expression of genes encoding key metabolic enzymes as well as mitochondrial mass and mtDNA content. We report that BE prostate cells (RWPE-1) have a higher competence to utilize fatty acids as energy source than PCa cells (LNCaP, ABL, PC3) as shown not only by increased cell viability upon fatty acid supplementation but also by an increased ß-oxidation of fatty acids, although the base-line respiration was 2-fold higher in prostate cancer cells. Moreover, BE RWPE-1 cells were found to compensate for glucose starvation in the presence of fatty acids. Of notice, these findings were confirmed in vivo by showing that PCa tissue has a lower capacity in oxidizing fatty acids than benign prostate. Collectively, these metabolic differences between benign and prostate cancer cells and especially their differential utilization of fatty acids could be exploited to establish novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.

The peritoneal mesothelium acts as a regulator of serosal responses to injury, infection, and neoplastic diseases. After inflammation of the serosal surfaces, proinflammatory cytokines induce an "activated" mesothelial cell phenotype, the mitochondrial aspect of which has not previously been studied. After incubation of cultured human peritoneal mesothelial cells with interleukin (IL)-1beta for 48 h, respiratory activity of suspended cells was analyzed by high-resolution respirometry. Citrate synthase (CS) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activities were determined by spectrophotometry. Treatment with IL-1beta resulted in a significant decline of respiratory capacity (p < 0.05). Respiratory control ratios (i.e., uncoupled respiration at optimum carbonyl cyanide p-trifluoromethoxyphenylhydrazone concentration divided by oligomycin inhibited respiration measured in unpermeabilized cells) remained as high as 11, indicating well-coupled mitochondria and functional integrity of the inner mitochondrial membrane. Whereas respiratory capacities of the cells declined in proportion with decreased CS activity (p < 0.05), LDH activity increased (p < 0.05). Taken together, these results indicate that IL-1beta exposure of peritoneal mesothelial cells does not lead to irreversible defects or inhibition of specific components of the respiratory chain, but is associated with a decrease of mitochondrial content of the cells that is correlated with an increase in LDH (and thus glycolytic) capacity.

Mitochondria play a critical role in myocardial cold ischemia-reperfusion (CIR) and induction of apoptosis. The nature and extent of mitochondrial defects and cytochrome c (Cyt c) release were determined by high-resolution respirometry in permeabilized myocardial fibers. CIR in a rat heart transplant model resulted in variable contractile performance, correlating with the decline of ADP-stimulated respiration. Respiration with succinate or N,N,N′, N′-tetramethyl- p-phenylenediamine dihydrochloride (substrates for complexes II and IV) was partially restored by added Cyt c, indicating Cyt c release. In contrast, NADH-linked respiration (glutamate+malate) was not stimulated by Cyt c, owing to a specific defect of complex I. CIR but not cold ischemia alone resulted in the loss of NADH-linked respiratory capacity, uncoupling of oxidative phosphorylation and Cyt c release. Mitochondria depleted of Cyt c by controlled hypoosmotic shock provided a kinetic model of homogenous Cyt c depletion. Comparison to Cyt c control of respiration in CIR-injured myocardial fibers indicated heterogeneity of Cyt c release. The complex I defect and uncoupling correlated with heterogeneous Cyt c release, the extent of which increased with loss of cardiac performance. These results demonstrate a complex pattern of multiple mitochondrial damage as determinants of CIR injury of the heart.

Questions as to the critical stress factor and primary targets of cold ischemia/reperfusion (CIR) injury were addressed by comparing mitochondrial defects caused by (1) CIR injury and (2) intracellular Ca2+ overload. CIR was simulated in transformed human umbilical vein endothelial cell cultures (tEC) by 8 h cold anoxia in University of Wisconsin solution and reoxygenation at 37 degrees C. Intracellular Ca2+ concentrations were changed by permeabilization of suspended cells with digitonin in culture medium (RPMI, 0.4 mM Ca2+). Binding of free Ca2+ by ethylene glycol-bis(beta-aminoethylether)-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid in RPMI or mitochondrial incubation medium served as controls. Extracellular Ca2+ protected the cell membrane against permeabilization. Mitochondrial functions were determined before and after permeabilization of the cell membrane. After CIR, mitochondrial respiratory capacity declined, but oxygen consumption remained coupled to adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production. In contrast, Ca2+ overload caused uncoupling of mitochondrial respiration. High intracellular Ca2+ overload, therefore, does not reproduce cold ischemia/reperfusion injury in endothelial cells.

Development of hibernation strategies for cold preservation of human organs represents a far-reaching goal in transplantation surgery. Short cold storage times of

Iron modulates the expression of the critical citric acid cycle enzyme aconitase via a translational mechanism involving iron regulatory proteins. Thus, the present study was undertaken to investigate the consequences of iron perturbation on citric acid cycle activity, oxidative phosphorylation and mitochondrial respiration in the human cell line K-562. In agreement with previous data iron increases the activity of mitochondrial aconitase while it is reduced upon addition of the iron chelator desferrioxamine (DFO). Interestingly, iron also positively affects three other citric acid cycle enzymes, namely citrate synthase, isocitric dehydrogenase, and succinate dehydrogenase, while DFO decreases the activity of these enzymes. Consequently, iron supplementation results in increased formation of reducing equivalents (NADH) by the citric acid cycle, and thus in increased mitochondrial oxygen consumption and ATP formation via oxidative phosphorylation as shown herein. This in turn leads to downregulation of glucose utilization. In contrast, all these metabolic pathways are reduced upon iron depletion, and thus glycolysis and lactate formation are significantly increased in order to compensate for the decrease in ATP production via oxidative phosphorylation in the presence of DFO. Our results point to a complex interaction between iron homeostasis, oxygen supply and cellular energy metabolism in human cells.

Oxygen flux measurements are critical at low rates of. respiration and at oxygen tensions below air saturation. Difficulties are primarily due to increased oxygen diffusion and consumption processes which may occur in conventional closed respirometric chambers. To avoid measurement errors encountered with standard equipment, a new type of oxygraph was developed. This instrument provides reliable quantification of oxygen flux in small organisms, tissue samples, cells, isolated mitochondria, and chloroplasts. The instrument is available commercially or can be rebuilt in a well-equipped laboratory workshop.