Clarification of Mechanisms of Reactive Oxygen Species Generation from Mitochondria

It is known that reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated from mitochondria promote apoptosis. X-ray’s irradiation causes ROS generation from mitochondria and leads to apoptosis. We also published evidence of ROS generation by mitochondria in cells with impaired electron transport chain and mitochondrial DNA damage. Recently, using human lung carcinoma cell lines A549 and H1299/wtp53, we demonstrated that 15.5 Gy monoenergetic X-ray irradiation of the K-shell resonance absorption peak of phosphorus results in increased mitochondrial ROS production.