Cited by 238Mitochondrial Function and PathologyRedox biology and oxidative stressCancer, Hypoxia, and Metabolism

Na(+) controls hypoxic signalling by the mitochondrial respiratory chain

Open access
Hernansanz-Agustín, Pablo, Choya-Foces, Carmen, Carregal-Romero, Susana, Ramos, Elena, Oliva, Tamara, Villa-Piña, Tamara, Moreno, Laura, Izquierdo-Álvarez, Alicia +21 more·2020·Nature

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Abstract

All metazoans depend on the consumption of O 2 by the mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation system (OXPHOS) to produce energy. In addition, the OXPHOS uses O 2 to produce reactive oxygen species that can drive cell adaptations 1-4, a phenomenon that occurs in hypoxia 4-8 and whose precise mechanism remains unknown. Ca 2+ is the best known ion that acts as a second messenger 9, yet the role ascribed to Na+ is to serve as a mere mediator of membrane potential 10. Here we show that Na+ acts as a second messenger that regulates OXPHOS function and the production of reactive oxygen species by modulating the fluidity of the inner mitochondrial membrane. A conformational shift in mitochondrial complex I during acute hypoxia 11 drives acidification of the matrix and the release of free Ca 2+ from calcium phosphate (CaP) precipitates. The concomitant activation of the mitochondrial Na+/Ca 2+ exchanger promotes the import of Na+ into the matrix. Na+ interacts with phospholipids, reducing inner mitochondrial membrane fluidity and the mobility of free ubiquinone between complex II and complex III, but not inside supercomplexes. As a consequence, superoxide is produced at complex III. The inhibition of Na+ import through the Na+/Ca 2+ exchanger is sufficient to block this pathway, preventing adaptation to hypoxia. These results reveal that Na+ controls OXPHOS function and redox signalling through an unexpected interaction with phospholipids, with profound consequences for cellular metabolism.

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  • From intact mitochondria, matrix mtROS cannot reach the cytosol or other compartments.

    “Moreover, from intact mitochondria matrix mtROS cannot reach the cytosol or other compartments [38,122,127,129,131,310].”

    From Functions of ROS in Macrophages and Antimicrobial Immunity (2021) · cites this paper as [122]

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Authors
Hernansanz-Agustín, P., Choya-Foces, C., Carregal-Romero, S., Ramos, E., Oliva, T., Villa-Piña, T., Moreno, L., Izquierdo-Álvarez, A., Cabrera-García, J. D., Cortés, A., Lechuga-Vieco, A. V., Jadiya, P., Navarro, E., Parada, E., Palomino-Antolín, A., Tello, D., Acín-Pérez, R., Rodríguez-Aguilera, J. C., Navas, P., Cogolludo, Á., López-Montero, I., Martínez-del-Pozo, Á., Egea, J., López, M. G., Elrod, J. W., Ruíz-Cabello, J., Bogdanova, A., Enríquez, J. A., & Martínez-Ruiz, A.
Affiliations
  • Hospital Universitario Santa Cristina (ES)
  • Hospital Universitario de La Princesa (ES)
  • Universidad Complutense de Madrid (ES)
  • Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (ES)
  • Temple University (US)
  • Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Hospital Universitario de La Princesa (ES)
  • University of Zurich (CH)
Venue
Nature
Published
2020-07-29
Volume
586
Issue
7828
Pages
287-291
ISSN
  • 0028-0836 (ISSN-L)
  • 1476-4687
OpenAlex
W3045576138
Cited by
238
References
60
Citations by year
2026: 25 · 2025: 39 · 2024: 40 · 2023: 35 · 2022: 40 · 2021: 49 · 2020: 9 · 2019: 1
FWCI
10.78
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Nature (publishedVersion)
  • bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) (acceptedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • Library Open Repository (Universidad Complutense Madrid) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
  • DIGITAL.CSIC (Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)) (submittedVersion)
  • Zurich Open Repository and Archive (University of Zurich) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • National Science Foundation
  • Fundación BBVA
  • Comunidad de Madrid (B2017, B2017/BMD3727, SEV-2015-0505)
  • European Commission (317433, SEV-2015-0505, 304217, MDM-2017-0720, PI12/00875, PS09/00101)
  • Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung (00020, 124970, 310030_124970/1, 310030)
  • Eusko Jaurlaritza (MDM-2017-0720, KK-2019/bmG19)
  • Universidad Autónoma de Madrid
  • Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
  • Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria
  • Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (SEV‐2015‐0505)
  • Fundación Domingo Martínez
  • Medical Research Council
  • Instituto de Salud Carlos III (PI12/00875, MDM-2017-0720, SEV-2015-0505, PI15/00107, CSD2007-00020, I3SNS, PI15/01100, PS09/00101)
  • European Regional Development Fund (PI15/00107, SAF2017, MDM-2017-0720, SEV-2015-0505, SAF2015-65633-R, RTI2018)
  • National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (R01HL123966, R01HL136954, R01HL142271)
  • National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (RF1NS121379)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Mitochondrial Function and Pathology
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Redox biology and oxidative stress
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cancer Research › Cancer, Hypoxia, and Metabolism
Keywords
sodium ions, hypoxia, mitochondrial respiratory chain, oxidative phosphorylation, reactive oxygen species, superoxide, mitochondrial complex III, mitochondrial complex I, phospholipids, Na+/Ca2+ exchanger, calcium phosphate precipitates, redox signaling, second messengers
MeSH terms
Animals, Hypoxia, Breast Neoplasms, Calcium Phosphates, Electron Transport, Humans, Male, Membrane Fluidity, Mice, Inbred C57BL, Mitochondria, Oxidative Phosphorylation, Chemical Precipitation, Sodium, Second Messenger Systems, Rats, Wistar, Reactive Oxygen Species, Sodium-Calcium Exchanger, Mitochondrial Proteins, Cell Line, Tumor, Mitochondrial Membranes, Rats

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