Mitochondrial membrane potential: a novel biomarker of oxidative environmental stress.

Abstract

ArticlesEpidemiologic analyses, traditionally based on long-term cohort or case-control studies, provide retrospective causal associations between exposure to a particular environmental stressor and an exposure-related disease end point. Recent research initiatives have propelled a shift toward exploring molecular epidemiology and molecular biological markers (biomarkers) as a means of providing more immediate, quantitative risk assessment of potentially deleterious environmental exposures. We compared, in normal human monocytes isolated from the blood of healthy donors, variations in Hsp70 expression and mitochondrial membrane potential (∆ψm) in response to exposure to either tobacco smoke or γ-irradiation, two models for environmentally mediated oxidant exposure. On the basis of its mechanistic specificity for oxidants and little baseline variation in cells from distinct individuals, we propose that ∆ψm represents a selective in vitro and in vivo biomarker for oxidant exposure. ∆ψm may be used to gauge risks associated with oxidant-mediated air pollution and radiation.

Subcellular localization ofPseudomonaspyocyanin cytotoxicity in human lung epithelial cells

“…To further assess the effect of pyocyanin on mitochondria, we measured mitochondrial membrane potential. Alteration in mitochondrial membrane potential has been shown to be a sensitive indicator of oxidant damage (53). Using a fluorescent probe-based assay, we observed that exposure of cells to pyocyanin resulted in a decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential (Fig.…”

“…Mitochondrial membrane potential was measured fluorometrically by previously described methods (7,53). Briefly, the cells were grown in 96-well plates and incubated with or without pyocyanin for 24 h. The medium was removed, and the wells were rinsed twice with HBSS.…”

Upregulated autophagy protects cardiomyocytes from oxidative stress-induced toxicity

“…A decreased Δψ m is indicative of defective oxidative phosphorylation and a lower capacity of generating ATP, 48 and is used as a marker of cellular and mitochondrial viability. 49 It is however worthwhile to note that, to counteract oxidative stress, the mitochondria and the cytoplasm are equipped with detoxifying enzymes and non-enzymatic antioxidants. 50 Therefore, although oxidants are constantly being generated by the mitochondria, the antioxidant defense system is capable of detoxifying them, preventing damage to cytoplasmic components.…”

Mitochondrial membrane potential and apoptosis of blood mononuclear cells in untreated HIV‐1 infected patients

“…The gradient drives the synthesis of adenosinetriphosphate (ATP). DC m is a marker of the state of energization of the organelle [12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21], and can be influenced by the energetic status of the cell depending not strictly on mitochondrial activity alone but also on oxygen consumption, cytosolic ATP production and NADH:NAD 1 (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) ratio [12,22]. Bioenergetics is of importance in infectious disease because immune reactions are important consumers of energy [23].…”