Mitochondrial Lon-induced mitophagy benefits hypoxic resistance via Ca-dependent FUNDC1 phosphorylation at the ER-mitochondria interface.

During hypoxia, FUNDC1 acts as a mitophagy receptor and accumulates at the ER (endoplasmic reticulum)-mitochondria contact sites (EMC), also called mitochondria-associated membranes (MAM). In mitophagy, the ULK1 complex phosphorylates FUNDC1(S17) at the EMC site. However, how mitochondria sense the stress and send the signal from the inside to the outside of mitochondria to trigger mitophagy is still unclear.

Mitochondrial oxidative stress in the tumor microenvironment and cancer immunoescape: foe or friend?

The major concept of "oxidative stress" is an excess elevated level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) which are generated from vigorous metabolism and consumption of oxygen. The precise harmonization of oxidative stresses between mitochondria and other organelles in the cell is absolutely vital to cell survival. Under oxidative stress, ROS produced from mitochondria and are the major mediator for tumorigenesis in different aspects, such as proliferation, migration/invasion, angiogenesis, inflammation, and immunoescape to allow cancer cells to adapt to the rigorous environment.

A Fc-VEGF chimeric fusion enhances PD-L1 immunotherapy via inducing immune reprogramming and infiltration in the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment.

Background: Immunotherapy is an emerging cancer therapy with potential great success; however, immune checkpoint inhibitor (e.g., anti-PD-1) has response rates of only 10-30% in solid tumor because of the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME).

Lon upregulation contributes to cisplatin resistance by triggering NCLX-mediated mitochondrial Ca release in cancer cells.

Mitochondria are the major organelles in sensing cellular stress and inducing the response for cell survival. Mitochondrial Lon has been identified as an important stress protein involved in regulating proliferation, metastasis, and apoptosis in cancer cells. However, the mechanism of retrograde signaling by Lon on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) damage remains to be elucidated.

Mitochondrial Lon-induced mtDNA leakage contributes to PD-L1-mediated immunoescape via STING-IFN signaling and extracellular vesicles.

Background: Mitochondrial Lon is a chaperone and DNA-binding protein that functions in protein quality control and stress response pathways. The level of Lon regulates mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) metabolism and the production of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS). However, there is little information in detail on how mitochondrial Lon regulates ROS-dependent cancer immunoescape through mtDNA metabolism in the tumor microenvironment (TME).

Mitochondrial oxidative stress by Lon-PYCR1 maintains an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment that promotes cancer progression and metastasis.

Mitochondrial Lon is a chaperone protein whose upregulation increases the production of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS). However, there is a lack of information in detail on how mitochondrial Lon regulates cancer metastasis through ROS production in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Our results show that elevated Lon promotes epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) via ROS-dependent p38 and NF-κB-signaling.

Mitochondrial Lon sequesters and stabilizes p53 in the matrix to restrain apoptosis under oxidative stress via its chaperone activity.

Mitochondrial Lon is a multi-function matrix protease with chaperone activity. However, little literature has been undertaken into detailed investigations on how Lon regulates apoptosis through its chaperone activity. Accumulating evidences indicate that various stresses induce transportation of p53 to mitochondria and activate apoptosis in a transcription-independent manner.

Bufalin induced apoptosis in SCC‑4 human tongue cancer cells by decreasing Bcl‑2 and increasing Bax expression via the mitochondria‑dependent pathway.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the cytotoxic effects of bufalin on SCC‑4 human tongue cancer cells. Cell morphological changes and viability were examined using phase contrast microscopy and flow cytometry, respectively. The results indicated that bufalin induced morphological changes and reduced total viable cells.