Mechanism of inhibition of mitochondrial ATP synthase by 17β−Estradiol

Are size and mitochondrial power of cells inter-determined?

Mitochondria are the central hub of ATP production in most eukaryotic cells. Cellular power (energy per unit time), which is primarily generated in these organelles, is crucial to our understanding of cell function in health and disease. We investigated the relation between a mitochondrion's power (metabolic rate) and host cell size by combining metabolic theory with the analysis of two recent databases, one covering 109 protists and the other 63 species including protists, metazoans, microalgae, and vascular plants. We uncovered an interesting statistical regularity: in well-fed protists, relatively elevated values of mitochondrion power cluster around the smallest cell sizes and the medium-large cell sizes. In contrast, in starved protists and metazoans, the relation between mitochondrion power and cell size is inconclusive, and in microalgae and plants, mitochondrion power seems to increase from smaller cells to larger ones (where this investigation includes plant cells of volume up to ca. 2.18 × 105 μm3). Using these results, estimates are provided of the number of active ATP synthase molecules and basal uncouplers.

Modulation of the H+/ATP coupling ratio by ADP and ATP as a possible regulatory feature in the F-type ATP synthases

F-type ATP synthases are transmembrane enzymes, which play a central role in the metabolism of all aerobic and photosynthetic cells and organisms, being the major source of their ATP synthesis. Catalysis occurs via a rotary mechanism, in which the free energy of a transmembrane electrochemical ion gradient is converted into the free energy of ATP phosphorylation from ADP and Pi, and vice versa. An ADP, tightly bound to one of the three catalytic sites on the stator head, is associated with catalysis inhibition, which is relieved by the transmembrane proton gradient and by ATP. By preventing wasteful ATP hydrolysis in times of low osmotic energy and low ATP/ADP ratio, such inhibition constitutes a classical regulatory feedback effect, likely to be an integral component of in vivo regulation. The present miniview focuses on an additional putative regulatory phenomenon, which has drawn so far little attention, consisting in a substrate-induced tuning of the H+/ATP coupling ratio during catalysis, which might represent an additional key to energy homeostasis in the cell. Experimental pieces of evidence in support of such a phenomenon are reviewed.

Defueling the cancer: ATP synthase as an emerging target in cancer therapy

Reprogramming of cellular metabolism is a hallmark of cancer. Mitochondrial ATP synthase (MAS) produces most of the ATP that drives the cell. High expression of the MAS-composing proteins is found during cancer and is linked to a poor prognosis in glioblastoma, ovarian cancer, prostate cancer, breast cancer, and clear cell renal cell carcinoma. Cell surface-expressed ATP synthase, translocated from mitochondrion to cell membrane, involves the angiogenesis, tumorigenesis, and metastasis of cancer. ATP synthase has therefore been considered a therapeutic target. We review recent various ATP synthase inhibitors that suppress tumor growth and are being tested for the clinic.

Estrogens and the regulation of glucose metabolism

The main estrogens: estradiol, estrone, and their acyl-esters have been studied essentially related to their classical estrogenic and pharmacologic functions. However, their main effect in the body is probably the sustained control of core energy metabolism. Estrogen nuclear and membrane receptors show an extraordinary flexibility in the modulation of metabolic responses, and largely explain gender and age differences in energy metabolism: part of these mechanisms is already sufficiently known to justify both. With regard to energy, the estrogen molecular species act essentially through four key functions: (1) Facilitation of insulin secretion and control of glucose availability; (2) Modulation of energy partition, favoring the use of lipid as the main energy substrate when more available than carbohydrates; (3) Functional protection through antioxidant mechanisms; and (4) Central effects (largely through neural modulation) on whole body energy management. Analyzing the different actions of estrone, estradiol and their acyl esters, a tentative classification based on structure/effects has been postulated. Either separately or as a group, estrogens provide a comprehensive explanation that not all their quite diverse actions are related solely to specific molecules. As a group, they constitute a powerful synergic action complex. In consequence, estrogens may be considered wardens of energy homeostasis.

ERα in the Control of Mitochondrial Function and Metabolic Health

Decrements in metabolic health elevate disease risk, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers. Thus, treatment strategies to combat metabolic dysfunction are needed. Reduced ESR1 (estrogen receptor, ERα) expression is observed in muscle from women, men, and animals presenting clinical features of the metabolic syndrome. Human studies of natural expression of ESR1 in metabolic tissues show that muscle expression of ESR1 is positively correlated with markers of metabolic health, including insulin sensitivity. Herein, we highlight the important impact of ERα on mitochondrial form and function and present how these actions of the receptor govern metabolic homeostasis. Studies identifying ERα-regulated pathways for disease prevention will lay the foundation for the design of novel therapeutics to improve the health of women while limiting secondary complications that have plagued traditional hormone replacement interventions.

Oligomycin-induced proton uncoupling

Oligomycin is a classical mitochondrial reagent that binds to the proton channel on the F_o component of ATP synthase. As a result, oligomycin blocks mitochondrial ATP synthesis, proton translocation, and O₂ uptake. Here we show that oligomycin induces proton uncoupling subsequent to inhibition of ATP synthesis, as evidenced by recovery of O₂ uptake to near baseline levels. Uncoupling is uniquely rapid and readily observed in HepG2 cells but is also observed at longer times in the unrelated H1299 cell line. Proton fluxes plateau at oligomycin concentrations in the region 0.25-5 μM. At the plateau, fluxes are lower than expected for the classical mitochondrial permeability transition pore, although in H1229 cells, fluxes increase to levels consistent with pore opening at higher oligomycin concentrations. Uncoupling is observed in cells metabolizing either pyruvate or lactate and reversed by addition of glucose to restore ATP synthesis. Uncoupling is not sensitive to cyclosporin A and is not reversed by the ANT inhibitor bongkrekic acid. However, bongkrekic acid inhibits uncoupling if added before oligomycin, which we interpret in terms of maintenance of mitochondrial ATP levels.

Detection of biomarkers to differentiate endocrine disruption from hepatotoxicity in zebrafish (Danio rerio) using proteomics

Measurement of specific biomarkers identified by proteomics provides a potential alternative method for risk assessment, which is required to discriminate between hepatotoxicity and endocrine disruption. In this study, adult zebrafish (Danio rerio) were exposed to the hepatotoxic substance acetaminophen (APAP) for 21 days, in a fish short-term reproduction assay (FSTRA). The molecular changes induced by APAP exposure were studied in liver and gonads by applying a previously developed combined FSTRA and proteomics approach. We observed a significant decrease in egg numbers, an increase in plasma hyaluronic acid, and the presence of single cell necrosis in liver tissue. Furthermore, nine common biomarkers (atp5f1b, etfa, uqcrc2a, cahz, c3a.1, rab11ba, mettl7a, khdrbs1a and si:dkey-108k21.24) for assessing hepatotoxicity were detected in both male and female liver, indicating hepatic damage. In comparison with exposure to fadrozole, an endocrine disrupting chemical (EDC), three potential biomarkers for liver injury, i.e. cahz, c3a.1 and atp5f1b, were differentially expressed. The zebrafish proteome response to fadrozole exposure indicated a significant regulation in estrogen synthesis and perturbed binding of sperm to zona pellucida in the ovary. This study demonstrates that biomarkers identified and quantified by proteomics can serve as additional weight-of-evidence for the discrimination of hepatotoxicity and endocrine disruption, which is necessary for hazard identification in EU legislation and to decide upon the option for risk assessment.

The Impact of Skeletal Muscle ERα on Mitochondrial Function and Metabolic Health

The incidence of chronic disease is elevated in women after menopause. Increased expression of ESR1 (the gene that encodes the estrogen receptor alpha, ERα) in muscle is highly associated with metabolic health and insulin sensitivity. Moreover, reduced muscle expression levels of ESR1 are observed in women, men, and animals presenting clinical features of the metabolic syndrome (MetSyn). Considering that metabolic dysfunction elevates chronic disease risk, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers, treatment strategies to combat metabolic dysfunction and associated pathologies are desperately needed. This review will provide published work supporting a critical and protective role for skeletal muscle ERα in the regulation of mitochondrial function, metabolic homeostasis, and insulin action. We will provide evidence that muscle-selective targeting of ERα may be effective for the preservation of mitochondrial and metabolic health. Collectively published findings support a compelling role for ERα in the control of muscle metabolism via its regulation of mitochondrial function and quality control. Studies identifying ERα-regulated pathways essential for disease prevention will lay the important foundation for the design of novel therapeutics to improve metabolic health of women while limiting secondary complications that have historically plagued traditional hormone replacement interventions.

OSCP subunit of mitochondrial ATP synthase: role in regulation of enzyme function and of its transition to a pore

The permeability transition pore (PTP) is a latent, high-conductance channel of the inner mitochondrial membrane. When activated, it plays a key role in cell death and therefore in several diseases. The investigation of the PTP took an unexpected turn after the discovery that cyclophilin D (the target of the PTP inhibitory effect of cyclosporin A) binds to FO F1 (F)-ATP synthase, thus inhibiting its catalytic activity by about 30%. This observation was followed by the demonstration that binding occurs at a particular subunit of the enzyme, the oligomycin sensitivity conferral protein (OSCP), and that F-ATP synthase can form Ca2+ -activated, high-conductance channels with features matching those of the PTP, suggesting that the latter originates from a conformational change in F-ATP synthase. This review is specifically focused on the OSCP subunit of F-ATP synthase, whose unique features make it a potential pharmacological target both for modulation of F-ATP synthase and its transition to a pore. LINKED ARTICLES: This article is part of a themed section on Mitochondrial Pharmacology: Featured Mechanisms and Approaches for Therapy Translation. To view the other articles in this section visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v176.22/issuetoc.

Mitochondrial F-ATP Synthase and Its Transition into an Energy-Dissipating Molecular Machine

The mitochondrial F-ATP synthase is the principal energy-conserving nanomotor of cells that harnesses the proton motive force generated by the respiratory chain to make ATP from ADP and phosphate in a process known as oxidative phosphorylation. In the energy-converting membranes, F-ATP synthase is a multisubunit complex organized into a membrane-extrinsic F₁ sector and a membrane-intrinsic F_O domain, linked by central and peripheral stalks. Due to its essential role in the cellular metabolism, malfunction of F-ATP synthase has been associated with a variety of pathological conditions, and the enzyme is now considered as a promising drug target for multiple disease conditions and for the regulation of energy metabolism. We discuss structural and functional features of mitochondrial F-ATP synthase as well as several conditions that partially or fully inhibit the coupling between the F₁ catalytic activities and the F_O proton translocation, thus decreasing the cellular metabolic efficiency and transforming the enzyme into an energy-dissipating structure through molecular mechanisms that still remain to be defined.

Sex Differences in Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury: The Role of Mitochondrial Permeability Transition

Brain and heart ischemia are among the leading causes of death and disability in both men and women, but there are significant sex differences in the incidence and severity of these diseases. Ca²⁺ dysregulation in response to ischemia/reperfusion injury (I/RI) is a well-recognized pathogenic mechanism leading to the death of affected cells. Excess intracellular Ca²⁺ causes mitochondrial matrix Ca²⁺ overload that can result in mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT), which can have severe consequences for mitochondrial function and trigger cell death. Recent findings indicate that estrogens and their related receptors are involved in the regulation of MPT, suggesting that sex differences in I/RI could be linked to estrogen-dependent modulation of mitochondrial Ca²⁺. Here, we review the evidence supporting sex differences in I/RI and the role of estrogen and estrogen receptors in producing these differences, the involvement of mitochondrial Ca²⁺ overload in disease pathogenesis, and the estrogen-dependent modulation of MPT that may contribute to sex differences.

Small molecules for fat combustion: targeting obesity

Obesity is increasing in an alarming rate worldwide, which causes higher risks of some diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer. Current therapeutic approaches, either pancreatic lipase inhibitors or appetite suppressors, are generally of limited effectiveness. Brown adipose tissue (BAT) and beige cells dissipate fatty acids as heat to maintain body temperature, termed non-shivering thermogenesis; the activity and mass of BAT and beige cells are negatively correlated with overweight and obesity. The existence of BAT and beige cells in human adults provides an effective weight reduction therapy, a process likely to be amenable to pharmacological intervention. Herein, we combed through the physiology of thermogenesis and the role of BAT and beige cells in combating with obesity. We summarized the thermogenic regulators identified in the past decades, targeting G protein-coupled receptors, transient receptor potential channels, nuclear receptors and miscellaneous pathways. Advances in clinical trials were also presented. The main purpose of this review is to provide a comprehensive and up-to-date knowledge from the biological importance of thermogenesis in energy homeostasis to the representative thermogenic regulators for treating obesity. Thermogenic regulators might have a large potential for further investigations to be developed as lead compounds in fighting obesity.

Impact of 17β-estradiol on complex I kinetics and H2O2 production in liver and skeletal muscle mitochondria

Naturally or surgically induced postmenopausal women are widely prescribed estrogen therapies to alleviate symptoms associated with estrogen loss and to lower the subsequent risk of developing metabolic diseases, including diabetes and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. However, the molecular mechanisms by which estrogens modulate metabolism across tissues remain ill-defined. We have previously reported that 17β-estradiol (E2) exerts antidiabetogenic effects in ovariectomized (OVX) mice by protecting mitochondrial and cellular redox function in skeletal muscle. The liver is another key tissue for glucose homeostasis and a target of E2 therapy. Thus, in the present study we determined the effects of acute loss of ovarian E2 and E2 administration on liver mitochondria. In contrast to skeletal muscle mitochondria, E2 depletion via OVX did not alter liver mitochondrial respiratory function or complex I (CI) specific activities (NADH oxidation, quinone reduction, and H₂O₂ production). Surprisingly, in vivo E2 replacement therapy and in vitro E2 exposure induced tissue-specific effects on both CI activity and on the rate and topology of CI H₂O₂ production. Overall, E2 therapy protected and restored the OVX-induced reduction in CI activity in skeletal muscle, whereas in liver mitochondria E2 increased CI H₂O₂ production and decreased ADP-stimulated respiratory capacity. These results offer novel insights into the tissue-specific effects of E2 on mitochondrial function.

17β-Estradiol Directly Lowers Mitochondrial Membrane Microviscosity and Improves Bioenergetic Function in Skeletal Muscle

Menopause results in a progressive decline in 17β-estradiol (E2) levels, increased adiposity, decreased insulin sensitivity, and a higher risk for type 2 diabetes. Estrogen therapies can help reverse these effects, but the mechanism(s) by which E2 modulates susceptibility to metabolic disease is not well understood. In young C57BL/6N mice, short-term ovariectomy decreased-whereas E2 therapy restored-mitochondrial respiratory function, cellular redox state (GSH/GSSG), and insulin sensitivity in skeletal muscle. E2 was detected by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry in mitochondrial membranes and varied according to whole-body E2 status independently of ERα. Loss of E2 increased mitochondrial membrane microviscosity and H₂O₂ emitting potential, whereas E2 administration in vivo and in vitro restored membrane E2 content, microviscosity, complex I and I + III activities, H₂O₂ emitting potential, and submaximal OXPHOS responsiveness. These findings demonstrate that E2 directly modulates membrane biophysical properties and bioenergetic function in mitochondria, offering a direct mechanism by which E2 status broadly influences energy homeostasis.

Analysis of expression profiles of genes involved in F(o)F(1)-ATP synthase biogenesis during perinatal development in rat liver and skeletal muscle

During the process of intra-uterine mammalian fetal development, the oxygen supply in growing fetus is low. A rapid switch from glycolysis-based metabolism to oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) must proceed during early postnatal adaptation to extra-uterine conditions. Mitochondrial biogenesis and mammalian mitochondrial F(o)F(1)-ATP synthase assembly (complex V, EC 3.6.3.14, ATPase) are complex processes regulated by multiple transcription regulators and assembly factors. Using RNA expression analysis of rat liver and skeletal tissue (Rattus norvegicus, Berkenhout, 1769), we describe the expression profiles of 20 genes involved in mitochondrial maturation and ATP synthase biogenesis in detail between the 16th and 22nd day of gestation and the first 4 days of life. We observed that the most important expression shift occurred in the liver between the 20th and 22nd day of gestation, indicating that the fetus prepares for birth about two days before parturition. The detailed mechanism regulating the perinatal adaptation process is not yet known. Deeper insights in perinatal physiological development will help to assess mitochondrial dysfunction in the broader context of cell metabolism in preterm newborns or neonates with poor adaptation to extra-uterine life.

Modulation of coupling in the Escherichia coli ATP synthase by ADP and Pi: Role of the ε subunit C-terminal domain

The ε-subunit of ATP-synthase is an endogenous inhibitor of the hydrolysis activity of the complex and its α-helical C-terminal domain (εCTD) undergoes drastic changes among at least two different conformations. Even though this domain is not essential for ATP synthesis activity, there is evidence for its involvement in the coupling mechanism of the pump. Recently, it was proposed that coupling of the ATP synthase can vary as a function of ADP and P_i concentration. In the present work, we have explored the possible role of the εCTD in this ADP- and P_i-dependent coupling, by examining an εCTD-lacking mutant of Escherichia coli. We show that the loss of P_i-dependent coupling can be observed also in the εCTD-less mutant, but the effects of P_i on both proton pumping and ATP hydrolysis were much weaker in the mutant than in the wild-type. We also show that the εCTD strongly influences the binding of ADP to a very tight binding site (half-maximal effect≈1nM); binding at this site induces higher coupling in EF_OF₁ and increases responses to P_i. It is proposed that one physiological role of the εCTD is to regulate the kinetics and affinity of ADP/P_i binding, promoting ADP/P_i-dependent coupling.

The Mitochondrial Permeability Transition Pore: Channel Formation by F-ATP Synthase, Integration in Signal Transduction, and Role in Pathophysiology

The mitochondrial permeability transition (PT) is a permeability increase of the inner mitochondrial membrane mediated by a channel, the permeability transition pore (PTP). After a brief historical introduction, we cover the key regulatory features of the PTP and provide a critical assessment of putative protein components that have been tested by genetic analysis. The discovery that under conditions of oxidative stress the F-ATP synthases of mammals, yeast, and Drosophila can be turned into Ca(2+)-dependent channels, whose electrophysiological properties match those of the corresponding PTPs, opens new perspectives to the field. We discuss structural and functional features of F-ATP synthases that may provide clues to its transition from an energy-conserving into an energy-dissipating device as well as recent advances on signal transduction to the PTP and on its role in cellular pathophysiology.

From ATP to PTP and Back: A Dual Function for the Mitochondrial ATP Synthase

Mitochondria not only play a fundamental role in heart physiology but are also key effectors of dysfunction and death. This dual role assumes a new meaning after recent advances on the nature and regulation of the permeability transition pore, an inner membrane channel whose opening requires matrix Ca(2+) and is modulated by many effectors including reactive oxygen species, matrix cyclophilin D, Pi (inorganic phosphate), and matrix pH. The recent demonstration that the F-ATP synthase can reversibly undergo a Ca(2+)-dependent transition to form a channel that mediates the permeability transition opens new perspectives to the field. These findings demand a reassessment of the modifications of F-ATP synthase that take place in the heart under pathological conditions and of their potential role in determining the transition of F-ATP synthase from and energy-conserving into an energy-dissipating device.

The oligomycin-sensitivity conferring protein of mitochondrial ATP synthase: emerging new roles in mitochondrial pathophysiology

The oligomycin-sensitivity conferring protein (OSCP) of the mitochondrial F(O)F1 ATP synthase has long been recognized to be essential for the coupling of proton transport to ATP synthesis. Located on top of the catalytic F1 sector, it makes stable contacts with both F1 and the peripheral stalk, ensuring the structural and functional coupling between F(O) and F1, which is disrupted by the antibiotic, oligomycin. Recent data have established that OSCP is the binding target of cyclophilin (CyP) D, a well-characterized inducer of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (PTP), whose opening can precipitate cell death. CyPD binding affects ATP synthase activity, and most importantly, it decreases the threshold matrix Ca²⁺ required for PTP opening, in striking analogy with benzodiazepine 423, an apoptosis-inducing agent that also binds OSCP. These findings are consistent with the demonstration that dimers of ATP synthase generate Ca²⁺-dependent currents with features indistinguishable from those of the PTP and suggest that ATP synthase is directly involved in PTP formation, although the underlying mechanism remains to be established. In this scenario, OSCP appears to play a fundamental role, sensing the signal(s) that switches the enzyme of life in a channel able to precipitate cell death.