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Updated: Jun 30, 2026

Assessment of Mitochondrial Functions and Cell Viability in Renal Cells Overexpressing Protein Kinase C Isozymes
Published on: January 7, 2013
[Protein kinases in mitochondria]
Joanna Ewa Kowalczyk1, Barbara Zabłocka
1Pracownia Biologii Molekularnej, Instytut Medycyny Doświadczalnej i Klinicznej im. M. Mossakowskiego PAN, Warszawa. jkowalczyk@cmdik.pan.pl
Abstract:
Mitochondria, besides playing a central role in energy metabolism within the cell, are involved in a cohort of other processes like cellular differentiation and apoptosis. Investigations during recent few years have shown that protein kinases, including PKA, PKB/Akt, PKC, Raf-1, p38 MAPK, JNK, ERK1/2, Src, Fyn and Csk, may directly interact with mitochondrial proteins. Their role mainly concentrates at phosphorylation of pro- and anti-apoptotic proteins (Bad, Bax, Bcl-2, Bcl-xL), phosphorylation/modification of electron transport chain proteins (complex I, COIV), MPTP forming proteins VDAC and ANT, proteins of mitochondrial ATP-sensitive potassium channel (mitoK(ATP)) and phospholipid scramblase 3 (PLSCR3). Many experimental data showed the presence of protein kinases in the outer and inner mitochondrial membranes as well as in the mitochondrial matrix during in vitro cell stimulations, in neurodegenerative diseases and in in vivo ischaemia heart preconditioning. These data show that translocation of protein kinases to mitochondria plays an important role especially during ischaemia/reperfusion in brain and heart.
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