Q-site inhibitor induced ROS production of mitochondrial complex II is attenuated by TCA cycle dicarboxylates

•ROS production of complex II was analyzed in submitochondrial particles.•Upon inhibition of the ubiquinone-site about 75% H2O2 and 25% O2− were generated.•Maximal ROS production occurred at subsaturating succinate concentrations.•Competitively binding TCA cycle dicarboxylates attenuated the ROS production.•These findings support ROS generation by the fully reduced unoccupied flavin site.

The impact of complex II (succinate:ubiquinone oxidoreductase) on the mitochondrial production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) has been underestimated for a long time. However, recent studies with intact mitochondria revealed that complex II can be a significant source of ROS. Using submitochondrial particles from bovine heart mitochondria as a system that allows the precise setting of substrate concentrations we could show that mammalian complex II produces ROS at subsaturating succinate concentrations in the presence of Q-site inhibitors like atpenin A5 or when a further downstream block of the respiratory chain occurred. Upon inhibition of the ubiquinone reductase activity, complex II produced about 75% hydrogen peroxide and 25% superoxide. ROS generation was attenuated by all dicarboxylates that are known to bind competitively to the substrate binding site of complex II, suggesting that the oxygen radicals are mainly generated by the unoccupied flavin site. Importantly, the ROS production induced by the Q-site inhibitor atpenin A5 was largely unaffected by the redox state of the Q pool and the activity of other respiratory chain complexes. Hence, complex II has to be considered as an independent source of mitochondrial ROS in physiology and pathophysiology.