Amitriptyline induces mitophagy that precedes apoptosis in human HepG2 cells.

Systemic treatments for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have been largely unsuccessful. This study investigated the antitumoral activity of Amitriptyline, a tricyclic antidepressant, in hepatoma cells. Amitriptyline-induced toxicity involved early mitophagy activation that subsequently switched to apoptosis.

The Connections Among Autophagy, Inflammasome and Mitochondria.

Background: The molecular crosstalk between inflammation and autophagy is an emerging field of research that is essential for the understanding of multicellular organism homeostasis and how these processes influence a variety of pathological conditions.

Objective: In this review, we briefly describe the relationship between autophagy and inflammasome activation. The central role that mitochondria play in both cellular processes is also discussed.

AMPK As A Target in Rare Diseases.

The AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) has emerged as an important sensor of signals that control cellular energy balance in all eukaryotes. AMPK is also involved in fatty acid oxidation, glucose transport, antioxidant defense, mitochondrial biogenesis and the modulation of inflammatory processes. The numerous roles of AMPK in cell physiological and pathological states justified the notable increase in the number of publications in previous years, with almost 1500 scientific articles relative to this kinase in 2014.

Targeting autophagy and mitophagy for mitochondrial diseases treatment.

Introduction: Mitochondrial diseases are a group of rare genetic diseases with complex and heterogeneous origins which manifest a great variety of phenotypes. Disruption of the oxidative phosphorylation system is the main cause of pathogenicity in mitochondrial diseases since it causes accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and ATP depletion.

Areas Covered: Current evidences support the main protective role of autophagy and mitophagy in mitochondrial diseases and other diseases associated with mitochondrial dysfunction.

Emerging roles of apoptotic microtubules during the execution phase of apoptosis.

Apoptosis is a genetically programmed energy-dependent process of cell demise, characterized by specific morphological and biochemical events in which the activation of caspases has an essential role. During apoptosis the cytoskeleton participates actively in characteristic morphological rearrangements of the dying cell. This reorganisation has been assigned mainly to actinomyosin ring contraction, while microtubule and intermediate filaments are depolymerized at early stages of apoptosis.

Pharmacological Chaperones and Coenzyme Q10 Treatment Improves Mutant β-Glucocerebrosidase Activity and Mitochondrial Function in Neuronopathic Forms of Gaucher Disease.

Gaucher disease (GD) is caused by mutations in the GBA1 gene, which encodes lysosomal β-glucocerebrosidase. Homozygosity for the L444P mutation in GBA1 is associated with high risk of neurological manifestations which are not improved by enzyme replacement therapy. Alternatively, pharmacological chaperones (PCs) capable of restoring the correct folding and trafficking of the mutant enzyme represent promising alternative therapies.

Apoptotic cells subjected to cold/warming exposure disorganize apoptotic microtubule network and undergo secondary necrosis.

Apoptotic microtubule network (AMN) is organized during apoptosis, forming a cortical structure beneath the plasma membrane which plays a critical role in preserving cell morphology and plasma membrane integrity. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of cold/warming exposure on apoptotic microtubules and plasma membrane integrity during the execution phase of apoptosis. We demonstrated in camptothecin-induced apoptotic H460 cells that cold/warming exposure disorganized apoptotic microtubules and allowed the access of active caspases to the cellular cortex and the cleavage of essential proteins in the preservation of plasma membrane permeability.