TY - JOUR T1 - Mitochondrial respiratory defects and glycolysis in human hepatocellular carcinomas JF - Journal of Nuclear Medicine JO - J Nucl Med SP - 1606 LP - 1606 VL - 50 IS - supplement 2 AU - Mijin Yun AU - Seong-Hye Bang AU - Jong-Doo Lee AU - Jae-Woo Kim AU - Kyesoon Yoon Y1 - 2009/05/01 UR - http://jnm.snmjournals.org/content/50/supplement_2/1606.abstract N2 - 1606 Objectives We assessed the defects of mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes in relation to the degree of glycolysis in human HCCs. Methods Seventeen hepatocellular carcinomas from 22 patients (M:F = 20:2, Mean age of 56.4 year) were included in this study. All patients underwent PET imaging for the purpose of staging without any prior treatment. FDG uptake in the tumors was categorized into group I (similar to the uptake in the liver) and group II (higher than the uptake in the liver) groups. For semi-quantitative analysis, peak standardized uptake value (SUV) was obtained. Western blot analyses were performed to see the defects of respiratory chain complexes (Complex I to V) in tissues from HCCs and adjacent hepatic parenchyma. Protein band intensity was determined by densitometry. The decreases of each mitochondrial respiratory complex were correlated with the degree of FDG uptake in HCCs. Results In 11 tumors with iso-metabolic uptake, a decrease in complex I was seen in 45% (n=5), complex II in 55% (n=6), complex III in 45% (n=5), complex IV in 64% (n=7), and complex V in 36% (n=4). In 11 tumors with high FDG uptake, the values were 91% (n=10), 64% (n=7), 91% (n=10), 91% (n=10), and 36% (n=4), respectively. By correlation analysis, tumors with higher SUV showed more severe defects in respiratory chain, especially in complex I, II, III, and V. Conclusions Defects in mitochondrial respiration are associated with HCCs with higher SUV. The finding seems to be supportive of the alteration of the bioenergetic function of mitochondria for aerobic glycolysis in HCCs with high FDG uptake. ER -