Dave Kashatus

Mitochondria-localized AMPK responds to local energetics and contributes to exercise and energetic stress-induced mitophagy

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · 2021 · 193 citations

Mitochondria form a complex, interconnected reticulum that is maintained through coordination among biogenesis, dynamic fission, and fusion and mitophagy, which are initiated in response to various cues to maintain energetic homeostasis. These cellular events, which make up mitochondrial quality control, act with remarkable spatial precision, but what governs such spatial specificity is poorly understood. Herein, we demonstrate that specific isoforms of the cellular bioenergetic sensor, 5' AMP-a…

PIM kinases alter mitochondrial dynamics and chemosensitivity in lung cancer

Oncogene · 2020 · 74 citations

Mitochondrial dynamics in cancer stem cells

Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences · 2021 · 68 citations

Opa1 and Drp1 reciprocally regulate cristae morphology, ETC function, and NAD+ regeneration in KRas-mutant lung adenocarcinoma

Cell Reports · 2022-12-01 · 44 citations

regeneration. Simultaneous inactivation of Drp1 and Opa1 restores cristae morphology, ETC activity, and cell proliferation indicating that mitochondrial fission activity drives ETC dysfunction induced by Opa1 knockout. Our results support a model in which mitochondrial fission events disrupt cristae structure, and tumor cells with hyperactive fission activity require Opa1 activity to maintain ETC function.

HSP70-mediated mitochondrial dynamics and autophagy represent a novel vulnerability in pancreatic cancer

Cell Death and Differentiation · 2024-05-28 · 41 citations

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), the most prevalent type of pancreatic cancer, is one of the deadliest forms of cancer with limited therapy options. Overexpression of the heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) is a hallmark of cancer that is strongly associated with aggressive disease and worse clinical outcomes. However, the underlying mechanisms by which HSP70 allows tumor cells to thrive under conditions of continuous stress have not been fully described. Here, we report that PDAC has the high…