The mitochondrial outer membrane contains two integral proteins essential for cell viability, Tom40 of the translocase of the outer membrane (TOM complex) and Sam50 of the sorting and assembly machinery (SAM complex). Here we report the identification of Sam35, the first peripheral mitochondrial outer membrane protein that is essential for cell viability. Sam35 (encoded by the Saccharomyces cer...

Cadmium at environmental concentrations is a risk factor for many diseases, including cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases, in which macrophages play an important role. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of cadmium at low environmental (nanomolar) concentrations on apoptotic processes in THP-1(acute monocytic leukemia cells line)-derived macrophages, with special focus o...

Troglitazone (TRO), a member of the thiazolidinedione class of drugs, has been associated with hepatotoxicity in patients. The following in vitro study was conducted to investigate the effects of TRO on mitochondrial function and viability in a human hepatoma cell line, HepG2. TRO induced a concentration- and time-dependent increase in cell death, as measured by lactate dehydrogenase release. E...

A major source of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation is the mitochondria. By using flow cytometry of the mitochondrial fluorescent probe, MitoSOX Red, western blot of mitochondrial ROS scavenger Peroxiredoxin (Prx) 3 and fluorescence immunostaining, ELISA of cleaved caspases 3 and 9, and TUNEL staining, we demonstrated that exposure to 100 μM KI for 2 hours significantly increased mitocho...

We analyzed four Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutants defective in mitochondrial protein import and found that they are complemented by a novel gene encoding a 17 kDa protein. The protein is integrally located in the mitochondrial inner membrane and is termed MIM17. It shows significant homology to MIM23/Mas6p, a previously identified mitochondrial inner membrane protein required for the import of ...

The cytotoxic potential of an antipyretic and analgesic drug, acetaminophen (APAP), was evaluated in mouse J774.2 monocyte macrophages. The cytotoxicity of APAP was evaluated by MTT cell viability and apoptosis assays. Based on the cell viability and apoptosis assays, further experiments were designed with a low (1 μmol/ml) and a high (10 μmol/ml) dose treatment of APAP in J774.2 cells. Mitocho...

In isolated mitochondria extensive uptake of Ca2+ in the presence of an "inducing agent," e.g. inorganic phosphate (Pi), causes permeabilization of the mitochondrial inner membrane and a collapse of the mitochondrial membrane potential. In this study we tested whether the effect of phosphate occurs in intact hepatocytes. Rat hepatocytes were incubated with ATP to induce a sustained increase in ...

An alcohol use disorder increases the risk of invasive and antimicrobial resistant community-acquired pneumonia and tuberculosis. Since the alveolar macrophage (AM) orchestrates the immune response in the alveolar space, understanding the underlying mechanisms by which alcohol suppresses AM phagocytosis is critical to improving clinical outcomes. In the alveolar space, chronic alcohol ingestion...