Oxidation of mitochondrial fatty acids (FA) results in the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) which have been postulated to play a key role in the initiation and progression of prostate cancer (PC). We previously reported that androgens increase FA uptake into PC cells. We thus examined if androgens that are known to induce ROS generation regulate FA oxidation in PC cells. The effects ...

UK-2A is a potent antifungal antibiotic and its structure is highly similar to that of antimycin A3 (AA). UK-2A and AA inhibit mitochondrial electron transport at complex III. C9-UK-2A, which has been prepared to improve the duration of the antifungal activity of UK-2A, shows durable fungicidal activities against various species of fungi and induces both membrane injury and the generation of ce...

Addition of NADP(+) to thylakoid membranes or isolated photosystem I (PSI) submembrane fractions quenched chlorophyll fluorescence by up to 40% at low or room temperature. This quenching was reversed by NADPH. Similar quenching was also observed with the addition of heparin or thenoyltrifluoroacetone (TTFA), inhibitors that bind ferredoxin:NADP(+) reductase (FNR) and prevent reduction of NADP(+...

The effect of electron transport chain redox status on activity of the mitochondrial Ca(2+)-independent phospholipase A2 (iPLA2) has been examined. When oxidizing NAD-linked substrates, the enzyme is not active unless deenergization occurs. Uncoupler, rotenone, antimycin A, and cyanide are equally effective at upregulating the enzyme, while oligomycin is ineffective. Thenoyltrifluoroacetone cau...

Luminescent materials from europium β-diketonate complex in ionic liquids (ILs) could achieve enhanced luminescence efficiencies and photostabilities. However, the question of how to provide a feasible and environmentally-friendly way to distribute these lanthanide complexes uniformly and stably within IL-based matrix remains a significant challenge. Here, a soft luminescent material from IL-me...

Many diabetic patients suffer from a cardiomyopathy that cannot be explained by poor coronary perfusion. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) have been proposed to contribute to this cardiomyopathy. Consistent with this we found evidence for induction of the antioxidant genes for catalase in diabetic OVE26 hearts. To determine whether increased antioxidant protection could reduce diabetic cardiomyopat...

The p53 system is highly stress sensitive and integrates diverse intracellular signals in a complex and poorly defined manner. We report on the high dependence of stress-induced p53 activation on mitochondrial activity. Down-regulation of mitochondrial transmembrane potential (MTMP) by inhibitors of electron transport (rotenone, thenoyltrifluoroacetone (TTFA)) and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) s...