Mevalonate Pathway Blockade, Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Autophagy: A Possible Link.

ABSTRACT: The mevalonate pathway, crucial for cholesterol synthesis, plays a key role in multiple cellular processes. Deregulation of this pathway is also correlated with diminished protein prenylation, an important post-translational modification necessary to localize certain proteins, such as small GTPases, to membranes. Mevalonate pathway blockade has been linked to mitochondrial dysfunction: especially involving lower mitochondrial membrane potential and increased release of pro-apoptotic factors in cytosol. Furthermore a severe reduction of protein prenylation has also been associated with defective autophagy, possibly causing inflammasome activation and subsequent cell death. So, it is tempting to hypothesize a mechanism in which defective autophagy fails to remove damaged mitochondria, result

SUBMITTER: Tricarico PM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4519939 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature