Abstract
Mitochondria are considered as the main source of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the cell. For this reason, they have been recognized as a source of various pathological conditions as well as aging. Chronic increase in the rate of ROS production is responsible for the accumulation of ROS-associated damages in DNA, proteins, and lipids, and may result in progressive cell dysfunctions and, in a consequence, apoptosis, increasing the overall probability of an organism’s pathological conditions. The superoxide anion is the main undesired by-product of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation. Its production is triggered by a leak of electrons from the mitochondrial respiratory chain and the reaction of these electrons with O2. Superoxide dismutase (MnSOD, SOD2) from the mitochondrial matrix as well as superoxide dismutase (Cu/ZnSOD, SOD1) present in small amounts in the mitochondrial intramembrane space, convert superoxide anion to hydrogen peroxide, which can be then converted by catalase to harmless H2O. In this chapter, we describe a relation between mitochondrial membrane potential and the rate of ROS formation. We present different methods applicable for isolated mitochondria or intact cells. We also present experiments demonstrating that a magnitude and a direction (increase or decrease) of a change in mitochondrial ROS production depends on the metabolic state of this organelle.
Jan M. Suski and Magdalena Lebiedzinska contributed equally to prepare this chapter.
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Acknowledgments
This work was supported by the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education grants N301 092 32/3407 and NN407 075 137 for M.R.W., J.D., M.L., and J.S. J.S. was also supported by a PhD fellowship from The Foundation for Polish Science (FNP), UE, European Regional Development Fund and Operational Programme “Innovative economy.” ML is recipient of a fellowship from the Foundation for Polish Science (Program Start) and the L’Oreal fellowship (For Women in Science). P.P. and M.B. are supported by: AIRC, Telethon (GGP09128), local funds from the University of Ferrara, the PRRIITT program of the Emilia Romagna Region, the Italian Multiple Sclerosis Foundation (FISM Cod.2008/R/18), the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research and the Italian Ministry of Health.
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Suski, J.M., Lebiedzinska, M., Bonora, M., Pinton, P., Duszynski, J., Wieckowski, M.R. (2012). Relation Between Mitochondrial Membrane Potential and ROS Formation. In: Palmeira, C., Moreno, A. (eds) Mitochondrial Bioenergetics. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 810. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-61779-382-0_12
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-61779-382-0_12
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