A549 cells contain enlarged mitochondria with independently functional clustered mtDNA nucleoids

Mitochondria are commonly viewed as highly elongated organelles with regularly spaced mtDNA genomes organized as compact nucleoids that generate the local transcripts essential for production of mitochondrial ribosomes and key components of the respiratory chain. In contrast, A549 human lung carcinoma cells frequently contain apparently swollen mitochondria harboring multiple discrete mtDNA nucleoids and RNA processing granules in a contiguous matrix compartment. While this seemingly aberrant mitochondrial morphology is akin to mito-bulbs previously described in cells exposed to a variety of genomic stressors, it occurs in A549 cells under typical culture conditions. We provide a detailed confocal and super-resolution microscopic investigation of the incidence of such mito-bulbs in A549 cells. Most mito-bulbs appear stable, engage in active replication and transcription, and maintain respiration but feature an elevated oxidative environment. High concentrations of glucose and/or L-glutamine in growth media promote a greater incidence of mito-bulbs. Furthermore, we demonstrate that treatment of A549 cells with TGF beta suppresses the formation of mito-bulbs while treatment with a specific TGF beta pathway inhibitor substantially increases incidence. This striking heterogeneity of mitochondrial form and function may play an important role in a variety of diseases involving mitochondrial dysfunction.

Automated summary

The research discovered that A549 human lung carcinoma cells often have swollen mitochondria containing multiple discrete mtDNA nucleoids and RNA processing granules. These abnormal mitochondrial structures, known as mito-bulbs, are similar to those described in cells exposed to various genomic stressors, but are also observed under typical culture conditions and tend to have elevated oxidative environments.