Neurons have an extremely high rate of energy consumption and use mitochondrial-derived ATP as the primary energy source to drive biochemical processes involved in various functions. Consequently, neurons produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) as 'by-products' of oxidative phosphorylation. Excessive levels of ROS are highly detrimental to neurons as ROS can directly oxidize and induce damage to cellular macromolecules including lipids, DNA and proteins. Hence, the high-energy demands of neurons, together with their high levels of ROS production, place them at risk during conditions of stress, which occur during aging and in neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer's and Huntington's disease. Uncoupling proteins (UCPs) belong to a family of inner mitochondrial membrane proteins initially identified as regulators of thermogenesis in fat cells wherein they uncouple energy-substrate oxidation from mitochondrial ATP production, resulting in the production of heat. UCPs also regulate ROS production from mitochondria by physiologically lowering the mitochondrial membrane potential below the critical level for ROS production. Because of their important role in co-regulating energy metabolism and ROS production, there has been considerable interest in the functions of UCPs. Neurons express at least three UCPs including the widely expressed UCP2 and the brain- specific UCP4 and UCP5. Despite a great deal of interest, to date neither the molecular mechanism nor the biochemical and physiological functions of brain UCPs are well understood. Our previous studies showed that UCP4 is highly expressed in subpopulations of neurons with high energy demands. Knockdown ofUCP4 expression in cultured primary neurons markedly enhances neuronal death suggesting that endogenous UCP4 is critical for neuronal survival. Expression of UCP4 shifts cellular ATP synthesis from oxidative phosphorylation to anaerobic glycolysis, which might be beneficial to cell survival. In this study, we investigated the underlying mechanism of UCP4-mediated metabolic adaptation in response to mitochondrial inhibition. We found that UCP4 enhances glucose uptake and glycolysis which may compensate for the reduced supply of ATP from compromised mitochondria. In addition, the activation of mitogen activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and several transcription factors play a role in augmenting nonoxidative synthesis of ATP in response to metabolic stress possibly by acting downstream of UCP4. Elucidating the underlying mechanism(s) whereby this brain UCP mediates metabolic adaptation in response to mitochondrial inhibition will likely lead to the development of novel preventative and therapeutic strategies for neurodegenerative disorders.

Uncoupling protein, a mitochondrial inner membrane protein found in mammalian brown adipose tissue, functions as an uncoupler of oxidative phosphorylation by serving as a proton carrier when activated, resulting in heat production, the function of the tissue. Unlike most nuclear-encoded mitochondrial proteins, uncoupling protein is not made with a cleavable presequence. With the availability of an uncoupling protein cDNA clone, the region responsible for targeting uncoupling protein to mitochondria was examined using in vitro transcription and translation and import into isolated mitochondria. In order to localize the targeting sequence of uncoupling protein, fusion proteins containing portions of uncoupling protein and uncoupling protein modified by site-directed mutagenesis were constructed and analysed for their ability to be imported. Previously it has been shown that there was a targeting signal within uncoupling protein amino acids 13 to 105 (Liu et al., 1988). However, amino acids 13 to 51 did not target a passenger protein to mitochondria (Liu et al., 1988). Here the role of amino acids 53 to 105 of uncoupling protein in targeting was examined with two new constructs, uncoupling protein amino acids 53 to 105 joined to rat ornithine carbamoyltransferase amino acids 147 to 354 and to mouse dihydrofolate reductase. These two constructs along with uncoupling protein with amino acids 2 to 51 deleted were imported into mitochondria consistent with uncoupling protein amino acids 53 to 105 having a potential targeting role in uncoupling protein. Further, these three constructs were processed upon import. The major processed forms of all three constructs are approximately 20 amino acids smaller than the initial translation product. Both fusion constructs also have an intermediate-sized processed form approximately 14 amino acids smaller than the initial translation product. Processing suggests that at least the amino terminus of these proteins has reached the mitochondrial matrix. The location of the proteins was examined using Na2CO3 extraction. Uncoupling protein and U13-105-OCT (uncoupling protein amino acids 13 to 105 joined to ornithine carbamoyltransferase amino acids 147 to 354) were found in the membrane fraction while the processed forms of Ud2-51 (uncoupling protein with amino acids 2 to 52 deleted) and U53-105-DHFR (uncoupling protein amino acids 53 to 105 joined to dihydrofolate reductase) were found in the aqueous fraction suggesting that uncoupling protein amino acids 2 to 52/53 are involved in membrane localization. Analysis of Ud2-35 (uncoupling protein with amino acids 2 to 35 deleted) revealed that it was associated with both the membrane and aqueous fractions. Analysis of uncoupling protein amino acids 53 to 105 revealed the potential existence of two positively charged amphipathic a-helices. Based on the sizes of processed forms and on the helical wheel projection for the first possible sequence, arginine54 , lysine56 and lysine67 were changed to glutamines, individually and in various combinations using oligonucleotide site-directed mutagenesis. All mutant proteins were imported into mitochondria even when all three basic amino acids were replaced. The results suggest that this portion of uncoupling protein, amino acids 54 to 67, is not a targeting signal in the protein. / Thesis / Master of Science (MS)

Small molecule mitochondrial uncouplers are compounds that dissipate the proton motive force independent of ATP synthase that results in increased energy expenditure. Mild mitochondrial uncoupling has therapeutic potential in treating obesity, diabetes, neurological diseases, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), and aging. Our group has previously reported the discovery of a small molecule mitochondrial uncoupler BAM15, which was efficacious in an obesity mouse model. Herein, we describe the design and synthesis of two scaffolds as well as their characterization as mitochondrial uncouplers through a series of in vitro and in vivo assays. Compounds that pass as bona fide mitochondrial uncouplers are administered in mice to determine pharmacokinetic properties and promising compounds are then tested in a mouse model of obesity. The first series of mitochondrial uncouplers are anilinopyrazines. By changing the substitution pattern and electronics on the aniline rings, our investigations reveal the importance of the proximity of aniline rings on the pyrazine core, with the 2,3-positions being crucial for uncoupling activity. We found that mitochondrial uncouplers 2.5g and 2.5l elicited a maximum oxygen consumption rate (OCR) of 260% and 343% with an EC50 of 2.5 and 5.9 µM, respectively. Utilizing the knowledge gained from the anilinopyrazine series, we designed a second novel chemical scaffold based on a related BAM15 analog 6-amino-[1,2,5]oxadiazolo[3,4-b]pyrazin-5-ol. The new series of 6-amino-[1,2,5]oxadiazolo[3,4-b]pyridin-5-ol derivatives have a pyridine instead of pyrazine core that is decorated with aniline substituents. We found that derivatives with electron withdrawing groups (EWG) substitutions in the 2,5-position on the aniline ring exhibited the greatest uncoupling activity compared to other structural isomers. Strong EWGs CF3/OCF3/SO2CF3 were well tolerated and demonstrated the highest uncoupling activity compared to other EWGs. Our studies indicated that placement of the hydroxyl group in the 2-position of the pyridine moiety was crucial for uncoupling activity. Several of the most promising compounds tested in vitro were examined in vivo and found to have good oral bioavailability in mice with ranges in Cmax of 10-90 µM and t1/2 of 0.9 to >24 hours. We found that analogs that have F/OCF3/SO2CF3 groups on the 4-position exhibited the longest t1/2 compared to other structural isomers, suggesting that this position is a site of metabolic lability. Among the 51 derivatives tested, SHM20519115 demonstrated mild uncoupling activity with 48% BAM15 OCR and an EC50 of 17.1 µM in L6 myoblast cells. SHM20519115 was found to have good oral bioavailability with a Cmax of 57 µM and a t1/2 of 4.4 hours. Additionally, SHM20519115 had significant distribution in adipose tissue where it can promote mitochondrial uncoupling. In a mouse model of obesity, SHM20519115 prevented fat mass gain by 59% compared to the western diet (WD) control group. Importantly, weight loss did not alter lean mass or food intake. Further characterization demonstrated that SHM20519115 prevented glucose and insulin intolerance in mice. Taken together, our investigations support the utility of mitochondrial uncouplers for the treatment of obesity and other metabolic disorders. / Doctor of Philosophy / Obesity is commonly considered a modern-day epidemic with more than 40% of adult Americans being classified as obese. The higher prevalence of obesity over the course of the last century has been attributed to a more sedentary lifestyle and high calorie diet. Obesity has been shown to negatively impact every organ system and increases the risk for heart disease, cancer, neurological diseases, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), and diabetes. Moreover, obesity has further burdened the healthcare system with an estimated expenditure of $190 billion a year in the US. Although diet and exercise has shown excellent results in weight loss, long-term compliance with these regiments is extremely low. Current non-invasive treatments provide varying efficacies and a myriad of side-effects. Invasive procedures, which is restricted to those who are classified as 'morbidly obese' with a BMI > 40, have shown excellent results in facilitating weight loss but come with high cost and risks to patients. This excludes individuals in the BMI range of 30-40 unless they are qualified with additional comorbidities. In recent years, mitochondrial uncouplers have reemerged as a potential therapeutic treatment for obesity. This dissertation discusses the structure-activity relationship study of anilinopyrazines and 6-amino-[1,2,5]oxadiazolo[3,4-b]pyridin-5-ol derivatives as mitochondrial uncouplers. Building on previous work on BAM15, we investigated uncoupling activity of anilinopyrazines. We discovered that although anilinopyrazines were previously found to be inactive, modifications to the aniline rings could result in uncoupling activity. We found that strong electron withdrawing groups placed in the meta and para positions were most favorable. We also determined that the 2,3-disubstitution on the aniline rings was crucial for uncoupling activity. From this study, we discovered 2.5g and 2.5l that elicited a maximum oxygen consumption rate (OCR) of 260 and 343% with EC50 of 2.5 and 5.9 µM, respectively. Furthermore, we recently reported a new series of 6-amino-[1,2,5]oxadiazolo[3,4-b]pyridin-5-ol derivatives and identified SHM20519115 as a mitochondrial uncoupler. Our studies determined that SHM20519115 demonstrated mild uncoupling activity with 48% BAM15 OCR with an EC50 of 17.1µM in L6 myoblasts cells. In a mouse model of obesity, SHM20519115 was found to be efficacious at a 130 mg/kg dose. Pharmacokinetic studies SHM20519115 showed greater overall distribution in adipose tissue in mice. Additionally, when examined in a mouse obesity prevention model, SHM20519115 successfully prevented 59% fat mass gain compared to the western diet (WD) control group. Finally, we found that SHM20519115 prevents glucose and insulin intolerance in mice. Taken together, these results support a role for mitochondrial uncouplers in the treatment of obesity.

Diabetes is closely associated with increased oxidative stress, especially originating from the mitochondria. A mechanism to reduce increased mitochondria superoxide production is to reduce the mitochondria membrane potential by releasing protons across the mitochondria membrane. This phenomenon is referred to as mitochondria uncoupling since oxygen is consumed independently of ATP being produced and can be mediated by Uncoupling Proteins (UCPs). However, increased oxygen consumption is potentially detrimental for the kidney since it can cause tissue hypoxia. Therefore, this thesis aimed to investigate the role of mitochondria uncoupling for development of diabetic nephropathy.      UCP-2 was demonstrated to be the only isoform expressed in the kidney, and localized to tubular segments performing the majority of tubular electrolyte transport. Streptozotocin-induced diabetes in rats increased UCP-2 protein expression and correlated to increased non-transport dependent oxygen consumption in isolated proximal tubular cells. These effects were prevented by intense insulin treatment to the diabetic animals demonstrating a pivotal role of hyperglycemia. Importantly, elevated UCP-2 protein expression increased mitochondria uncoupling in mitochondria isolated from diabetic kidneys. Mitochondria uncoupling and altered morphology was also evident in kidneys from db/db-mice, a model of type-2 diabetes, together with proteinuria and glomerular hyperfiltration which are both clinical manifestations of diabetic nephropathy. Treatment with the antioxidant coenzyme Q10 prevented mitochondria uncoupling as well as morphological and functional alterations in these kidneys. Acute knockdown of UCP-2 paradoxically increased mitochondria uncoupling in a mechanism involving the adenosine nucleotide transporter. Increased uncoupling via adenosine nucleotide transporter decreased mitochondria membrane potential and kidney oxidative stress but did not affect glomerular filtration rate, renal blood flow, total kidney oxygen consumption or intrarenal tissue oxygen tension.      The role of increased mitochondria oxygen consumption was investigated by administering the chemical uncoupler dinitrophenol to healthy rats. Importantly, increased mitochondria oxygen consumption resulted in kidney tissue hypoxia, proteinuria and increased staining of the tubular injury marker vimentin, demonstrating a crucial role of increased oxygen consumption per se and the resulting kidney tissue hypoxia for the development of nephropathy.      Taken together, the data presented in this thesis establishes an important role of mitochondria uncoupling for the development of diabetic nephropathy.

High circulating glucose and non-esterified free fatty acid (NEFA) levels can cause pancreatic β-cell failure. The molecular mechanisms of this β-cell glucolipotoxicity are yet to be established conclusively. In this thesis by exploring mitochondrial energy metabolism in INS-1E insulinoma cells and isolated pancreatic islets, a role of mitochondria in pancreatic β-cell glucolipotoxicity is uncovered. It is reported that prolonged palmitate exposure at high glucose attenuates glucose-stimulated mitochondrial respiration which is coupled to ADP phosphorylation. These mitochondrial defects coincide with an increased level of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS), impaired glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) and decreased cell viability. Palmitoleate, on the other hand, does not affect mitochondrial ROS levels or cell viability and protects against the adverse effects of palmitate on these phenotypes. Interestingly, palmitoleate does not significantly protect against mitochondrial respiratory or insulin secretion defects and in pancreatic islets tends to limit these functions on its own. Furthermore, strong evidence suggests that glucolipotoxic-induced ROS are of a mitochondrial origin and these ROS are somehow linked with NEFA-induced loss in cell viability. To explore the mechanism of glucolipotxic-induced mitochondrial ROS and associated cell loss, uncoupling protein-2 (UCP2) protein levels and activity were probed in NEFA exposed INS-1E cells. It is concluded that UCP2 neither mediates palmitate-induced mitochondrial ROS production and the related cell loss, nor protects against these deleterious effects. Instead, UCP2 dampens palmitoleate protection against palmitate toxicity. Collectively, these data shed important new light on the area of glucolipotoxicity in pancreatic β-cells and provide novel insights into the pathogenesis of Type 2 diabetes.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is becoming a national epidemic, as it accounts for 1.5 million cases each year. This disorder affects primarily the young population and elderly. Currently, there is no treatment for TBI, which means that ~2% of the U.S. population is currently living with prolonged neurological damage and dysfunction. Recently, there have been many studies showing that TBI negatively impacts mitochondrial function. It has been proposed that in order to save the cell from destruction mitochondrial function must be preserved. The ketogenic diet, originally designed to mimic fasting physiology, is effective in treating epilepsy. Therefore, we have used fasting as a post injury treatment and attempted to elucidate its underlying mechanism. 24 hours of fasting after a moderate TBI increased tissue sparing, cognitive recovery, improved mitochondrial function, and decreased mitochondrial biomarkers of injury. Fasting results in hypoglycemia, the production of ketones, and the upregulation of free fatty acids (FFA). As such, we investigated the neuroprotective effect of hypoglycemia in the absence of fasting through insulin administration. Insulin administration was not neuroprotective and increased mortality in some treatment groups. However, ketone administration resulted in increased tissue sparing. Also, reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, increased the efficiency of NADH utilization, and increased respiratory function. FFAs and uncoupling proteins (UCP) have been implicated in an endogenously regulated anti-ROS mechanism. FFAs of various chain lengths and saturation were screened for their ability to activate UCP mediated mitochondrial respiration and attenuate ROS production. We also measured FFA levels in serum, brain, and CSF after a 24 hour fast. We also used UCP2 transgenic overexpressing and knockout mice in our CCI injury model, which showed UCP2 overexpression increased tissue sparing, however UCP2 deficient mice did not show a decrease in tissue sparing, compared with their wild type littermates. Together our results indicate that post injury initiated fasting is neuroprotective and that this treatment is able to preserve mitochondrial function. Our work also indicates ketones and UCPs may be working together to preserve mitochondrial and cellular function in a concerted mechanism, and that this cooperative system is the underlying mechanism of fasting induced neuroprotection.

Myocardial and skeletal muscle high energy phosphate metabolism is abnormal in heart failure, but the pathophysiology is not understood. Plasma non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) increase in heart failure due to increased sympathetic drive, and regulate the transcription of mitochondrial uncoupling protein-3 (UCP3), through peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α. The aim of the work in this thesis was to determine whether cardiac PCr/ATP ratios and skeletal muscle PCr kinetics during exercise were related to cardiac and skeletal muscle UCP3 levels respectively, thus providing a mechanism for the apparent mitochondrial dysfunction observed in heart failure. Patients having cardiac surgery underwent pre-operative testing, including cardiac and gastrocnemius 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Intra-operatively, ventricular, atrial and skeletal muscle biopsies were taken for measurement of mitochondrial protein levels by immunoblotting, along with mitochondrial function by tissue respiration rates. Fasting plasma NEFA concentrations increased in patients with ventricular dysfunction and with New York Heart Association (NYHA) class. Ventricular UCP3 levels increased and cardiac PCr/ATP decreased with NYHA class, however, demonstrated no relationship to each other. In skeletal muscle, maximal rates of oxidative ATP synthesis (Qmax) related to functional capacity. Skeletal muscle UCP3 levels increased with NYHA class but were unrelated to skeletal muscle Qmax. Tissue respiration experiments revealed no relationship between ventricular function and indices of mitochondrial coupling, furthermore, indices of mitochondrial coupling were unrelated to tissue UCP3 levels. No evidence was found to support mitochondrial uncoupling, mediated through UCP3, as a cause of the abnormalities in cardiac and skeletal muscle high energy phosphate metabolism.

The inflammatory nature of the tumor microenvironment provides a cytokine and chemokine rich proliferative environment. Much of the responsibility of this environment is due to the production of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS). These studies examined the proliferative rich tumor environment from a new perspective of Nitric Oxide Synthase (NOS) dysregulation. NOS’s have the ability to become uncoupled and generate superoxide in lieu of nitric oxide (NO). A requirement of NOS for the production of NO is the cofactor tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) and when it is missing NOS becomes uncoupled and turns into a peroxynitrite synthase. Here I demonstrate that NOS is uncoupled in tumor cells due to depleted BH4 levels. This uncoupling leads to decreased NO signaling and increased pro-inflammatory, pro-survival, signaling as a result of the increased generation of ROS/RNS from uncoupled NOS activity. I was able to recouple NOS through exogenous BH4 both in vitro and in vivo, reducing ROS/RNS and reestablishing NO signaling through cGMP protein associated kinase. Reduction of ROS/RNS resulted in the reduced activity of two major constitutively active transcription factors in breast cancer cells, NFκB and STAT3. In MCF-7 and MDA231 cells I found that increased NO-dependent PKG signaling led to tumor cell toxicity mediated by downregulation of β-catenin. Downregulation of β-catenin led to increased protein levels of p21 in MCF-7 and p27 in MDA 231cells, ultimately resulting in cell death. These results suggest that there is potential for BH4 as a therapeutic agent since exogenous dietary BH4 ameliorates chemically induced colitis, and reduced azoxymethane (AOM) induced colon and spontaneously developing mammary carcinogenesis.

La sclérose latérale amyotrophique (SLA) est une maladie neurodégénérative fatale de l'âge adulte, caractérisée par une perte de motoneurones, conduisant à une atrophie et une faiblesse musculaires. Des mutations de la superoxyde dismutase-1 (SOD1) provoquent une forme génétique de SLA. Comme chez les patients atteints de SLA, le modèle animal de SLA, SOD1 mutant, révèle que tous les motoneurones sont inégalement sensibles à l'évolution de la maladie. Les mitochondries, centrales énergétiques des cellules, sont des organelles précocement touchées dans la pathologie de la SLA. Un mécanisme attrayant qui sous-tend la susceptibilité différentielle est la nécessité bioénergétique variable de sous-ensembles distincts de motoneurones. Cela implique que dans le système nerveux central, la demande bioénergétique pourrait moduler le seuil pathologique. Même en l'absence de perte bioénergétique, on peut imaginer une situation dans laquelle une contrainte pathologique modifie le niveau à partir duquel la production ou la livraison de l'ATP devient insuffisant, précipitant la chute des neurones les plus vulnérables. Dans les neurones, la majorité de l'ATP est produite par les mitochondries et l'homéostasie des gradients d'ions est le procédé le plus énergivore. La fonction mitochondriale est moindre pour modifier les propriétés électriques des motoneurones si la disponibilité en ATP devient insuffisante pour permettre aux pompes ioniques de maintenir des gradients appropriés. Nous avons démontré que la concentration intracellulaire basale d’ATP dans des cultures de neurones moteurs est diminuée dans les cellules mutées SOD1 par rapport au type sauvage. Paradoxalement à ce résultat, le taux de consommation d'oxygène des mitochondries est augmenté dans les motoneurones SOD1m et il n'existe aucune preuve d'une augmentation de la consommation. Nos résultats appuient l'hypothèse intéressante qu'il y a un découplage entre la chaîne respiratoire et la production d'ATP. Ce découplage peut être utilisé comme une stratégie pour minimiser les propriétés toxiques des mitochondries hyper stimulées. / Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal adult-onset neurodegenerative disorder characterized by a loss of motor neurons, leading to muscle wasting and weakness. Mutations in superoxide dismutase-1 (SOD1) cause a form of ALS. As in ALS patients, the mutant SOD1 animal model of ALS reveals that not all motor neurons are equally susceptible to the disease process. An attractive mechanism underlying differential susceptibility is the variable bioenergetics need of distinct subsets of motor neurons. This implies that within the CNS, bioenergetics can modulate the pathological threshold. Even in the absence of loss in bioenergetics, one can envision a situation in which a pathological stress alters the level at which either the production or delivery of ATP becomes insufficient, precipitating the demise of the most vulnerable neuron types. In neurons, majority of ATP is produced by mitochondria and the homeostasis of ion gradients is the most energy-consuming process. Reduced mitochondrial function will modify the electrical properties of motor neurons if ATP availability becomes insufficient to allow ion pumps to maintain appropriate gradients. We demonstrated that the basal ATP intra-cellular concentration in motor neuron cultures lower in SOD1 mutated cells compared to wild type. Paradoxically to this result, the oxygen consumption rate of mitochondria is increase in mSOD1 cells and there is no evidence for an increase of consumption. Our results support the interesting hypothesis that there is an uncoupling between the respiratory chain and the ATP production. This uncoupling might be used as a strategy to minor the toxic properties of hyper stimulated mitochondrion.

Non-canonical bioenergetics concerns with those physiological and pathophysiological situations under which ATP synthesis is suppressed. This thesis brings an outcome of three types of studies within the field of the non-canonical bioenergetics, investigating specific bioenergetic phenotypes of cancer cells, on one hand; and a role of mitochondrial uncoupling proteins as deduced from their transcript distribution in various tissues and organs; plus a role of a novel and likely pro-apoptotic factor CIDEa in mitochondria. Cancer cells generally present abnormal bioenergetic properties including an elevated glucose uptake, a high glycolysis and a poorly efficient oxidative phosphorylation system. However, the determinants of cancer cells metabolic reprogramming remain unknown. The main question in this project was how environmental conditions in vivo can influence functioning of mitochondrial OXPHOS, because details of mitochondrial bioenergetics of cancer cells is poorly documented. We have combined two conditions, namely glucose and oxygen deprivation, to measure their potential interaction. We examined the impact of glucose deprivation and oxygen deprivation on cell survival, overall bioenergetics and OXPHOS protein expression. As a model, we have chosen a human breast carcinoma (HTB-126) and appropriate control (HTB-125) cultured cells, as large fraction of breast malignancies exhibit hypoxic tumor regions with low oxygen concentrations and poor glucose delivery. The results demonstrate that glucose presence or absence largely influence functioning of mitochochondrial oxidative phosphorylation. The level of mitochondrial respiration capacity is regulated by glucose; by Crabtree effect, by energy substrate channeling towards anabolic pathways that support cell growth and by mitochondrial biogenesis pathways. Both oxygen deprivation and glucose deprivation can remodel the OXPHOS system, albeit in opposite directions. As an adaptative response to hypoxia, glucose inhibits mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation to the larger extent than in normoxia. We concluded that the energy profile of cancer cells can be determined by specific balance between two main environmental stresses, glucose and oxygen deprivation. Thus, variability of intratumoral environment might explain the variability of cancer cells´ bioenergetic profile. Mitochondrial uncoupling proteins are proteins of inner mitochondrial membrane that uncouple respiration from ATP synthesis by their protonophoric activity. Originally determined tissue distribution seems to be invalid, since novel findings show that UCP1 is not restricted exclusively to brown fat and that originally considered brain-specific isoforms UCP4 and UCP5 might have wider tissue distribution. Hence, in second part of this thesis, I discuss consequences of findings of UCPn transcripts in the studied mouse and rat tissues. We have shown that mRNA of UCPn varies up to four orders of magnitude in rat and mouse tissues with highest expression in rat spleen, rat and mouse lung, and rat heart. Levels of the same order of magnitude were found for UCP3 mRNA in rat 100 and mouse skeletal muscle, for UCP4 and UCP5 mRNA in mouse brain, and for UCP2 and UCP5 mRNA in mouse white adipose tissue. Further, we have shown that expression pattern of UCPn varies between animal species, rat versus mouse, such as the dominance of UCP3/UCP5 vs. UCP2 transcript in mouse heart and vice versa in rat heart; or UCP2 (UCP5) dominance in rat brain contrary to 10-fold higher UCP4 and UCP5 dominance in mouse brain. spontaneous apoptosis due to CIDEa overexpression in HeLa cells, adapted for a tetracycline-inducible CIDEa expression, a portion of mitochondria-localized CIDEa molecules migrates to cytosol or nucleus. / Résumé non disponible