Human NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase deficiency: radical changes in mitochondrial morphology?

Am J Physiol Cell Physiol. 2007 Jul;293(1):C22-9. doi: 10.1152/ajpcell.00194.2006. Epub 2007 Apr 11.

Abstract

Malfunction of NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase or complex I (CI), the first and largest complex of the mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation system, has been implicated in a wide variety of human disorders. To demonstrate a quantitative relationship between CI amount and activity and mitochondrial shape and cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, we recently combined native electrophoresis and confocal and video microscopy of dermal fibroblasts of healthy control subjects and children with isolated CI deficiency. Individual mitochondria appeared fragmented and/or less branched in patient fibroblasts with a severely reduced CI amount and activity (class I), whereas patient cells in which these latter parameters were only moderately reduced displayed a normal mitochondrial morphology (class II). Moreover, cellular ROS levels were significantly more increased in class I compared with class II cells. We propose a mechanism in which a mutation-induced decrease in the cellular amount and activity of CI leads to enhanced ROS levels, which, in turn, induce mitochondrial fragmentation when not appropriately counterbalanced by the cell's antioxidant defense systems.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Cell Line
  • Child
  • Cluster Analysis
  • Electron Transport Complex I / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Electron Transport Complex I / deficiency
  • Electron Transport Complex I / genetics
  • Electron Transport Complex I / metabolism*
  • Electrophoresis
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Fibroblasts / drug effects
  • Fibroblasts / enzymology
  • Fibroblasts / metabolism*
  • Fibroblasts / pathology
  • Genetic Predisposition to Disease
  • Humans
  • Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial
  • Microscopy, Confocal
  • Microscopy, Video
  • Mitochondria / drug effects
  • Mitochondria / enzymology
  • Mitochondria / metabolism*
  • Mitochondria / pathology
  • Mitochondrial Diseases / enzymology
  • Mitochondrial Diseases / genetics
  • Mitochondrial Diseases / metabolism*
  • Mitochondrial Diseases / pathology
  • Mitochondrial Proteins / metabolism
  • Mitochondrial Size
  • Mutation
  • Oxidative Phosphorylation* / drug effects
  • Reactive Oxygen Species / metabolism*
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Rotenone / pharmacology
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Uncoupling Agents / pharmacology

Substances

  • Enzyme Inhibitors
  • Mitochondrial Proteins
  • Reactive Oxygen Species
  • Uncoupling Agents
  • Rotenone
  • Electron Transport Complex I