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Updated: Apr 19, 2026

Assessment of Open Probability of the Mitochondrial Permeability Transition Pore in the Setting of Coenzyme Q Excess
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Assessment of Open Probability of the Mitochondrial Permeability Transition Pore in the Setting of Coenzyme Q Excess

Published on: June 1, 2022

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The mitochondrial permeability transition pore and cancer: molecular mechanisms involved in cell death

Massimo Bonora1, Paolo Pinton1

  • 1Section of Pathology, Oncology and Experimental Biology, Laboratory for Technologies of Advanced Therapies (LTTA), Department of Morphology, Surgery and Experimental Medicine, University of Ferrara , Ferrara , Italy.

Frontiers in Oncology
|December 6, 2014
PubMed

Insights

The mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP) regulates cell death and is often suppressed, not inactivated, in cancer. Understanding mPTP activity is crucial for developing new cancer therapies.

Area of Science:

  • Mitochondrial biology
  • Cell death regulation
  • Oncology

Background:

  • The mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT) is a key regulator of cell death, discovered in the 1970s.
  • Research into MPT molecular components aims to treat pathologies like neurodegenerative diseases, cardiac conditions, and cancer.
  • Alterations in the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP) are observed in cancer, with suppressed activity being common in solid tumors.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review recent advances in understanding mPTP regulation in cancer.
  • To highlight the role of mPTP in impeding cancer cell death mechanisms.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of recent studies on mPTP regulation in cancer.
  • Analysis of mPTP activity and its impact on cell death pathways in neoplasms.

Main Results:

  • mPTP activity is frequently suppressed, rather than inactivated, in solid neoplasms.
  • mPTP plays a role in impeding cancer cell death mechanisms.

Conclusions:

  • Understanding mPTP regulation in cancer is critical for therapeutic strategies.
  • Targeting mPTP activity may offer novel approaches for cancer treatment by modulating cell death.
Keywords:
ATP synthasePTPROSapoptosiscancernecrosispermeability transition poretumors

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