Figure 6.

Research line of the present study. TMZ downregulated the mitophagy flux and promoted mitochondrial fusion. The downregulation of mitophagy leaded to the accumulation of damaged mitochondria, while mitochondrial fusion was a compensatory mechanism to counterbalance the damaged mitochondria. Suppressing TRAP1 on the basis of TMZ treatment induced mtUPR and aggravated the damage of the mitochondria. When the damage of the mitochondrial system surpassed the compensatory ability of mitochondrial fusion, the dysfunction of the mitochondrial system was observed with the increase of ROS levels. TMZ, temozolomide; TRAP1, TNF receptor-associated protein 1; mtUPR, mitochondrial unfolded protein response; ROS, reactive oxygen species.