megamitochondria

megamitochondria

Massively enlarged mitochondria, which are typically seen in alcoholic livers but are also seen in malnutrition, in skeletal muscle with myopathy and in cancer.

Megamitochondria (MG) formation is attributed to free radical formation triggered by ethanol, chloramphenicol and hydrazine, and can be suppressed by free radical scavengers such as alpha-tocopherol and coenzyme Q(10). Continous exposure of cells with MG to free radicals induces apoptosis, a finding which suggests that MG formation is an adaptative process to unfavourable environments at the level of intracellular organelles. Mitochondria try to decrease intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels by decreasing the oxygen consumption by forming MGs.
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The most obvious of these effects are structural changes in the organelle typified by the appearance of megamitochondria in the livers of patients with ALD (Inagaki et al.
Focus on the liver: alcohol use, highly active antiretroviral therapy, and liver disease in HIV-infected patients
The presence of microvesicular steatosis was significantly associated with histologic indexes denoting severe disease, including higher grades of macrovesicular steatosis, advanced fibrosis, ballooned hepatocytes, megamitochondria, higher NAFLD activity scores, and a diagnosis of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, she said.
Microvesicular steatosis was three to four times more likely in the presence of ballooning and five times more likely in the presence of megamitochondria, two markers of cell injury.
Microvesicular steatosis in NAFLD not rare
Free radical-induced megamitochondria formation and apoptosis.
Protective effects of Angelica sinensis extract on amyloid [beta]-peptide-induced neurotoxicity
More advanced injury is associated with Mallory's hyaline and megamitochondria.
Alcoholic liver disease

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