Figure 6. Intracellular mitochondrial partitioning reveals cell-permeable succinate prodrug NV118 partially preserves mitochondrial dynamics, respiration and nuclear bioenergetics following decompression from hyperbaric exposure.

Mitochondrial length (A) and intermembrane potential (B) in both the perinuclear and cell peripheral regions are indicated for HAoSMCs at baseline, following decompression from hyperbaric exposures and with NV118 added prior to hyperbaric exposure and decompression. Intermembrane potential following CCCP administration is shown as a control. Data are represented as mean ± SEM. * p < 0.05 compared to baseline, perinuclear region; # p < 0.05 compared to baseline, peripheral region; ¥ p < 0.05 compared to perinuclear region, same cell exposure; † p < 0.05 compared to same cell exposure without NV118 pretreatment. (C) Stacked bar graphs of scaled fractional ATP-linked respiration in the perinuclear and peripheral cell regions for HAoSMCs at baseline, following decompression from hyperbaric exposure and with NV118 added prior to decompression from hyperbaric exposure. (D) Box plots of cell circularity for each group, 16 cells per group. Solid circles appear at 5^th and 95^th percentiles, whiskers extend to 10^th and 90^th percentiles, boxes extend to the 25^th and 75^th percentiles, median values appear as a black line and mean values appear as a red line. * p < 0.05 compared to baseline; † p < 0.05 compared to same cell exposure without NV118 pretreatment. (E-K) Fluorescence images of tubulin stained cells with corresponding masks created for calculating circularity of cells. Scale bar is set at 20 μm. Images are for baseline (E) and following decompression from hyperbaric exposure to air (F), air with NV118 pretreatment (G), nitrogen (H), nitrogen with NV118 pretreatment (I), oxygen (J), and oxygen with NV118 pretreatment (K).