Mitoptosis: Different Pathways for Mitochondrial Execution

Antonella Tinari, Tina Garofalo, Maurizio Sorice, Mauro Degli Esposti and Walter Malorni

volume 3 | issue 3

May/June 2007
Pages: 282 - 284

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Mitoptosis was described as a sort of mitochondrial death program. It could be associated with both necrosis and apoptosis, although degenerating mitochondria are also found in autophagic vacuoles. It was demonstrated that several molecules might contribute to the remodeling and rearrangement of mitochondrial membranes, leading to mitochondria rupture and disruption. Here, we hypothesize that, at least in T cells, two main pathways of mitoptosis can occur: an inner membrane mitoptosis (IMM), in which only the internal matrix and cristae are lost while the external mitochondrial envelope remains unaltered, and an outer membrane mitoptosis (OMM) where only swollen internal cristae are detected as remnants. We suggest that the study of these processes could provide useful insights not only to the field of cell death but also to the study of the pathogenic mechanisms of mitochondria-associated human diseases.

Addendum to:
Death Receptor Ligation Triggers Membrane Scrambling Between Golgi and Mitochondria
S. Ouasti, P. Matarrese, R. Paddon, R. Khosravi-Far, M. Sorice, A. Tinari, W. Malorni, M. Degli Esposti
Cell Death Differ 2006; Epub ahead of print

Authors

Antonella Tinari

Istituto Superiore di Sanita

Tina Garofalo

University of Rome

Maurizio Sorice

University of Rome

Mauro Degli Esposti

University of Manchester

Walter Malorni