Mitochondria are membrane-enclosed organelles distributed through the cytosol of most eukaryotic cells. Mitochondria levels are elevated in tissues that require greater energy to function. Examples of such tissue include brain, central nervous system, and cancerous tissues.
Complex 1 (“MC-1”) is a membrane-bound protein complex of 46 dissimilar subunits. This enzyme complex is one of three energy-transducing complexes that constitute the respiratory chain in mammalian mitochondria. This NADH-ubiquinone oxidoreductase is the point of entry for the majority of electrons that traverse the respiratory chain, eventually resulting in the reduction of oxygen to water (Q. Rev. Biophys. 1992, 25, 253-324).
Known inhibitors of MC-1 include deguelin, piericidin A, ubicidin-3, rolliniastatin-1, rolliniastatin-2 (bullatacin), capsaicin, pyridaben, fenpyroximate, amytal, MPP+, quinolines, and quinolones (BBA 1998, 1364, 222-235).
Previous work has shown that 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) may be useful in imaging cancer in a subject. For example elevated demand by tissues for energy can preferentially retain 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose in cancer cells. However, due to the mechanism of uptake for 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose, not all cancers are “PET active,” in the use of FDG.