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. 2022 Feb 20;12(2):336.
doi: 10.3390/biom12020336.

Levels of Coenzyme Q10 and Several COQ Proteins in Human Astrocytoma Tissues Are Inversely Correlated with Malignancy

Hsiu-Chuan Yen  1   2 , Bing-Shian Chen  1 , Si-Ling Yang  1 , Shin-Yu Wu  1 , Chun-Wei Chang  1 , Kuo-Chen Wei  3   4   5 , Jee-Ching Hsu  6 , Yung-Hsing Hsu  7 , Tzung-Hai Yen  2 , Chih-Lung Lin  3   7   8
Affiliations

Levels of Coenzyme Q10 and Several COQ Proteins in Human Astrocytoma Tissues Are Inversely Correlated with Malignancy

Hsiu-Chuan Yen et al. Biomolecules. .

Abstract

In a previous study, we reported the alterations of primary antioxidant enzymes and decreased citrate synthase (CS) activities in different grades of human astrocytoma tissues. Here, we further investigated coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) levels and protein levels of polyprenyl diphosphate synthase subunit (PDSS2) and several COQ proteins required for CoQ10 biosynthesis in these tissues. We found that the level of endogenous CoQ10, but not of exogenous α-tocopherol, was higher in nontumor controls than in all grades of astrocytoma tissues. The levels of COQ3, COQ5, COQ6, COQ7, COQ8A, and COQ9, but not of COQ4, were lower in Grade IV astrocytoma tissues than in controls or low-grade (Grades I and II) astrocytomas, but PDSS2 levels were higher in astrocytoma tissues than in controls. Correlation analysis revealed that the levels of CoQ10 and COQ proteins were negatively correlated with malignancy degree and positively correlated with CS activity, whereas PDSS2 level was positively correlated with malignancy. Moreover, lower level of mitochondrial DNA-encoded cytochrome c oxidase subunit 2 was not only associated with a higher malignancy degree but also with lower level of all COQ proteins detected. The results revealed that mitochondrial abnormalities are associated with impaired CoQ10 maintenance in human astrocytoma progression.

Keywords: COQ proteins; COX II; PDSS2; astrocytoma; citrate synthase; coenzyme Q10; malignancy.

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Conflict of interest statement

All the authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Representative high-performance liquid chromatography chromatograms showing the peaks of retinyl acetate (RA), α-tocopherol, and coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) in control and astrocytoma tissues. Chromatograms for one tissue sample from (A) non-tumor control, (B) low-grade astrocytoma, (C) Grade III astrocytoma, and (D) Grade IV astrocytoma groups. The numbers at the right side indicate the channel numbers. The chromatograms for Channels 1 (200 mV), 2 (400 mV), 3 (500 mV), 4 (700 mV), 5 (800 mV), and 8 (500 mV) are indicated by the color of blue, light green, red, dark green, yellow, and black, respectively. The chromatograms for Channels 6 and 7 (−1000 mV) are not shown. RA indicates the dominant peak of RA, the internal standard, on Channel 4 (700 mV). Toco and CoQ indicate the dominant peaks of α-tocopherol and CoQ10 on Channel 1 (200 mV) and Channel 8 (500 mV), respectively.
Figure 2
Figure 2
CoQ10 and α-tocopherol levels in control and astrocytoma tissues. C, controls; LG, low-grade astrocytomas; G3, Grade III astrocytomas; and G4, Grade IV astrocytomas. ** p < 0.01; *** p < 0.005.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Western blotting results for detecting the levels of PDSS2 and various COQ proteins. Samples were divided into four groups (A–D) for Western blotting. For each group, samples were analyzed in two blots, blot (1) and blot (2), to detect all the target proteins. The #2 sample was used as the reference sample for comparison across different blots. The numbers above each blot indicate the patient number. The numbers at the left side of each blot indicate the molecular mass of the marker bands of the protein sizing markers from Thermo or Bio-Rad. kDa, kilodaltons; C, controls; L, low-grade astrocytomas; III, Grade III astrocytomas; IV, Grade IV astrocytomas.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Quantification results for PDSS2 and COQ protein levels in control and astrocytoma tissues. Protein densities shown in Figure 3 were quantified. Intensities of target proteins of each sample were normalized by the intensity of actin in the same blot. The actin-normalized protein levels of each sample were then further normalized by that of the same reference sample (sample #2) in each blot. C, controls; LG, low-grade astrocytomas; G3, Grade III astrocytomas; G4, Grade IV astrocytomas. * p < 0.05; ** p < 0.01.
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