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Quantitative analysis of mitochondrial membrane potential heterogeneity in unsynchronized and synchronized cancer cells
Author(s) -
Rovini Amandine,
Heslop Kareem,
Hunt Elizabeth G.,
Morris Morgan E.,
Fang Diana,
Gooz Monika,
Gerencser Akos A.,
Maldonado Eduardo N.
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fj.202001693r
Subject(s) - intracellular , cancer cell , cell cycle , mitochondrion , biology , fluorescence microscope , cell , microbiology and biotechnology , intracellular ph , cancer , membrane potential , biochemistry , chemistry , biophysics , fluorescence , genetics , physics , quantum mechanics
Mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) is a global indicator of mitochondrial function. Previous reports on heterogeneity of ΔΨm were qualitative or semiquantitative. Here, we quantified intercellular differences in ΔΨm in unsynchronized human cancer cells, cells synchronized in G1, S, and G2, and human fibroblasts. We assessed ΔΨm using a two‐pronged microscopy approach to measure relative fluorescence of tetramethylrhodamine methyl ester (TMRM) and absolute values of ΔΨm. We showed that ΔΨm is more heterogeneous in cancer cells compared to fibroblasts, and it is maintained throughout the cell cycle. The effect of chemical inhibition of the respiratory chain and ATP synthesis differed between basal, low and high ΔΨm cells. Overall, our results showed that intercellular heterogeneity of ΔΨm is mainly modulated by intramitochondrial factors, it is independent of the ΔΨm indicator and it is not correlated with intercellular heterogeneity of plasma membrane potential or the phases of the cell cycle.