1 Abstract in English Mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC) targeting shows a great promise in cancer therapy. However, why modern ETC-targeted compounds are tolerated on the organismal level and what are the molecular reasons for this tolerance remains unclear. Most somatic cells are in a non-proliferative state, and features associated with the ETC in quiescence might therefore contribute to specificity. Thus, we investigated the ETC status and the role of two major consequences of ETC blockade, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and inhibition of ATP production, in cell death induction in breast cancer cells and in proliferating and quiescent non-transformed cells. First, we characterised the effect of a newly developed ETC inhibitor mitochondria- targeted tamoxifen (MitoTam) in in vitro and in vivo tumour models of breast cancer with varying status of the Her2 oncogene. We document that Her2high cells and tumours have increased assembly of respiratory supercomplexes (SCs) and increased complex I-driven respiration in vitro and in vivo. They are also highly sensitive to MitoTam. Unlike the parental compound tamoxifen, MitoTam efficiently suppressed experimental Her2high tumours without systemic toxicity. Mechanistically, MitoTam inhibits complex I- driven respiration and disrupts respiratory...

The aim of this thesis is to contribute to the clarification of the pathogenesis of chronic complications of diabetes mellitus. The main goal of the research was glycaemic variability, its contribution to the activation of oxidative stress and its possible role in the process of advanced glycation, all beyond the scope of persistent hyperglycaemia itself. Another aim of the work is to contribute to the clarification of a possible relationship between glycaemic variability and vascular complications of diabetes. We were the first to describe the association between the concentrations of reactive aldehydes formed during lipid peroxidation and disorders of skin microvascular reactivity in patients with type 1 diabetes (DM1). Elevated markers of oxidative stress were found in this group, furthermore during the 3 years of follow-up higher plasma antioxidant activity was observed. These findings were not dependent of the method of glucose monitoring and glucose variability, which was lower in a subgroup of patients using real-time continuous glucose monitoring (rt-CGM), compared to a subgroup using conventional glucometers. However, it is clear, that hyperglycaemia alone induces increased oxidative stress in patients with diabetes. Simultaneously we observed the opposite process of oxidative stress...

Backround: Oxidative stress (OS) has been implicated in pathogenesis of human disorders such as depressive disorder, sepsis, cardiovascular disease, acute and chronic pancreatitis, and cancer. Increased OS is result of imbalance between increased reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) production and / or insufficient activity of antioxidant defence system. Antioxidant system, which is composed of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidases (GPX), glutathione reductase (GR) and non- enzymatic antioxidant reduced glutathione (GSH) plays an important role in the protection of cells against enhanced OS. The aim of this study was to assess the OS markers and antioxidant enzymes in different pathophysiological states. Materials and methods: Activities of erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase (GPX1), GR and concentration of GSH as well as levels of OS markers were analysed in six different pathophysiologic states. These parameters were measured in 35 women with depressive disorder (DD), 40 patients with metabolic syndrome (MetS), 30 septic patients (S) followed up in the course of sepsis; 15 non-septic critically ill patients (NC), 13 patients with acute pancreatitis (AP), 50 with chronic pancreatitis (CP) and 50 patients with pancreatic cancer (PC), compared to...

Adaptation to chronic hypoxia activates endogenous signaling cascades, which lead to cardiac protection against acute ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. The molecular mechanism of this phenomenon has not been fully clarified yet. However, it was proved that reactive oxygen species (ROS) take part in cardioprotective signaling pathway inducted by chronic hypoxia. The high level of ROS must be precisely regulated by antioxidative system of a cell. The aim of diploma thesis was to examine the effect of intermittent hypobaric hypoxia (IHH, 7 000 m) on relative amount of antioxidative enzymes (peroxiredoxin 6 - PRX6, thioredoxin 1 and 2 - TRX1 and TRX2, thioredoxin reductase 1 - TRXR1) and also enzymes of iron metabolism (heme oxygenase 1 and 2 - HO1 and HO2, aconitase 1 and 2 - ACO1 and ACO2), which participate in regulation of cell redox state. Moreover, we studied the effect of adaptation to IHH and an antioxidant tempol on relative amount of calcium-independent phospholipase A2 (iPLA2). iPLA2 can remove peroxidized fatty acids from membrane phospholipids. On the other hand, iPLA2 can damage cell in I/R conditions. All enzymes were studied in homogenates from normoxic and IHH adapted rat left ventricular myocardium by Western blot. Adaptation to IHH caused a decrease of PRX6 and on the opposite an increase of...

In many species carotenoid-based ornaments plays fundamental role in sexual selection. It is believed that carotenoid-based ornaments act as indicators of individual quality and condition during mate-choice, as associations between their expression, individual fintess and various condition indicators were observed. Despite the long-term research, mechanisms ensuring signalling honesty remain unknown. Currently, the most accepted hypothesis suggests antioxidant properties of carotenoids, and, therefore, a trade-off between their allocation to ornamentation or defence against free radicals. The antioxidant function of carotenoids in vivo was challenged in birds, however, and alternative hypotheses were proposed, assuming either carotenoid loss due to free-radical oxidation, or harmful (pro- oxidant) effects of high carotenoid levels in the body, or interconnection of metabolic pathways for both, the carotenoid conversion and homeostatic control of mitochondrial respiration and redox state. These hypotheses assume differing allocation of carotenoids under elevated oxidative stress, which we tested using experimental manipulations of oxidative state and carotenoid intake in adult male zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata). The results are inconsistent with all the alternative hypotheses, but partly...