Enhanced mitochondrial fission inhibits triple-negative breast cancer cell migration through an ROS-dependent mechanism
Brock A. Humphries,
Anne Zhang,
Johanna M. Buschhaus,
Avinash Bevoor,
Alex Farfel,
Shrila Rajendran,
Alyssa C. Cutter,
Gary D. Luker
Affiliations
Brock A. Humphries
Center for Molecular Imaging, Department of Radiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
Anne Zhang
Center for Molecular Imaging, Department of Radiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
Johanna M. Buschhaus
Center for Molecular Imaging, Department of Radiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
Avinash Bevoor
Center for Molecular Imaging, Department of Radiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
Alex Farfel
Center for Molecular Imaging, Department of Radiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
Shrila Rajendran
Center for Molecular Imaging, Department of Radiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
Alyssa C. Cutter
Center for Molecular Imaging, Department of Radiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
Gary D. Luker
Center for Molecular Imaging, Department of Radiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Corresponding author
Summary: Mitochondria produce reactive oxygen species (ROS), which function in signal transduction. Mitochondrial dynamics, encompassing morphological shifts between fission and fusion, can directly impact ROS levels in cancer cells. In this study, we identified an ROS-dependent mechanism for how enhanced mitochondrial fission inhibits triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell migration. We found that enforcing mitochondrial fission in TNBC resulted in an increase in intracellular ROS levels and reduced cell migration and the formation of actin-rich migratory structures. Consistent with mitochondrial fission, increasing ROS levels in cells inhibited cell migration. Conversely, reducing ROS levels with either a global or mitochondrially targeted scavenger overcame the inhibitory effects of mitochondrial fission. Mechanistically, we found that the ROS sensitive SHP-1/2 phosphatases partially regulate inhibitory effects of mitochondrial fission on TNBC migration. Overall, our work reveals the inhibitory effects of ROS in TNBC and supports mitochondrial dynamics as a potential therapeutic target for cancer.
