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Updated: Jun 17, 2025

Assessment of Mitochondrial Functions and Cell Viability in Renal Cells Overexpressing Protein Kinase C Isozymes
Published on: January 7, 2013
Mitochondrial complex I promotes kidney cancer metastasis
Divya Bezwada1, Luigi Perelli2, Nicholas P Lesner1
1Children's Medical Center Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
Kidney cancer cells show altered metabolism, with clear cell renal cell carcinomas (ccRCCs) having suppressed mitochondrial activity. However, ccRCC metastases exhibit increased metabolism, suggesting evolving metabolic programs during cancer progression.
Area of Science:
- Metabolic reprogramming in cancer
- Mitochondrial function in renal cell carcinoma
Background:
- Most kidney cancers exhibit metabolic dysfunction.
- The impact of this dysfunction on human cancer progression remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the metabolic reprogramming of kidney cancer in patients.
- To understand how metabolic dysfunction affects clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) progression and metastasis.
Main Methods:
- Infusion of 13C-labelled nutrients in over 80 kidney cancer patients during tumor resection.
- Measurement of respiration in isolated human kidney and tumor mitochondria.
- In vivo and ex vivo organotypic cultures to assess metabolic labeling.
- Experiments in mice to study the role of mitochondrial function in metastasis.
Main Results:
- Clear cell renal cell carcinomas (ccRCCs) show suppressed tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle labeling, indicating tissue-intrinsic metabolic reprogramming.
- Lower electron transport chain activity in ccRCCs contributes to altered TCA cycle labeling.
- Metastatic ccRCCs exhibit enhanced TCA cycle labeling compared to primary tumors.
- In mice, stimulating mitochondrial respiration promotes metastasis, while inhibiting electron transport chain complex I reduces it.
Conclusions:
- Metabolic properties and liabilities evolve during kidney cancer progression.
- Mitochondrial function is a limiting factor for ccRCC metastasis, but not for tumor growth at the primary site.
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