Fig. 5

Mitochondrial alterations in MDA-MB-231 cells induced by DFO or Dp44mT treatment. a Using confocal microscopy, alterations in mitochondrial morphology were evaluated using Rhodamine 123 (pink). Differential interference contrast (DIC) images and Rhodamine 123 fluorescence of control (left), DFO- (centre), and Dp44mT-treated cells (right). Only representative merged images are shown. The treatment with 100 μM DFO or 5 μM Dp44mT causes ER expansion with vacuolation, which is accompanied by breakage of the mitochondrial network. b Western blot analysis of SLIRP and BCL-2 expression in total lysates from untreated (NT or DMSO) and treated (DFO or Dp44mT) MDA-MB-231 cells. Tubulin was used as a loading control. c Cells were observed under an Olympus Fluo View 1000 fluorescence microscope. MDA-MB-231 cells, untreated or treated with DFO, were labelled with an anti-VDAC antibody (red) followed by appropriate secondary antibodies, anti-tubulin (green), and DAPI (blue). The cells were observed under an Olympus Fluo View 1000 confocal microscope. Only representative merged images are shown. Scale bars: 100 μm. d Fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) cytometry assessing mitochondrial depolarisation induced by DFO and Dp44mT