Mitochondrial density determines the cellular sensitivity to cisplatin-induced cell death

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pathology, Osaka City University Medical School, Osaka, Japan Submitted 7 June 2005 ; accepted in final form 10 August 2005 We studied the relationship between the mitochondrial density in the cells and the cellular sensitivity to the toxicity of cis -diaminedichloroplatinum II (cisplatin), a potent anticancer agent. Biochemical analyses revealed that the density of mitochondria in the intestinal epithelium changed markedly along its entire length. The density was the highest at the duodenum, medium at the jejunum, and the lowest at the ileum. The sensitivity of epithelial cells to cisplatin toxicity was the highest at the duodenum, medium at the jejunum, and the lowest at the ileum as judged from the occurrence of apoptosis. Similar correlation between the cisplatin sensitivity and mitochondrial density was also observed with in vitro experiments, in which intestinal epithelial cells (IEC-6) and their 0 cells with reduced number of mitochondria were used. The 0 cells had a strong resistance to cisplatin compared with the control cells. Cisplatin markedly increased mitochondrial generation of reactive oxygen species in IEC-6 but not in 0 cells. We analyzed the sensitivity of eight cell lines with different density of mitochondria to cisplatin and found the same positive correlation. These observations clearly show that cellular density of mitochondria is the key factor for the determination of the anticancer activity and side effects of cisplatin. chemotherapy; oxidative damage; apoptosis Address for reprint requests and other correspondence: M. Nishikawa, Dept. of Biochemistry and Molecular Pathology, Osaka City Univ. Medical School, Osaka 545-8585, Japan (e-mail: nishikawa{at}med.osaka-cu.ac.jp )