Succinate Dehydrogenase, Succinate, and Superoxides: A Genetic, Epigenetic, Metabolic, Environmental Explosive Crossroad

Abstract

Research focused on succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) and its substrate, succinate, culminated in the 1950s accompanying the rapid development of research dedicated to bioenergetics and intermediary metabolism. This allowed researchers to uncover the implication of SDH in both the mitochondrial respiratory chain and the Krebs cycle. Nowadays, this theme is experiencing a real revival following the discovery of the role of SDH and succinate in a subset of tumors and cancers in humans. The aim of this review is to enlighten the many questions yet unanswered, ranging from fundamental to clinically oriented aspects, up to the danger of the current use of SDH as a target for a subclass of pesticides.

Keywords

• mitochondria
• respiratory chain
• Krebs cycle
• succinate
• cancer
• encephalopathy