Mitochondrial autophagy in the development of amiodarone induced pulmonary fibrosis.

Amiodarone (AD) is a potential anti-arrhythmic drug with a fatal side effect of pulmonary toxicity. Dysfunctional mitochondria and enhanced oxidative stress are well-reported observations in AD-induced pulmonary toxicity. We recently reported that AD induces autophagy in mice lungs and in mouse lung epithelial cells (MLE12) and that, such cells undergo autophagy dependent apoptosis. We now aimed to investigate if AD alters mitochondrial autophagy (mitophagy) in mice lungs, mice alveolar epithelial cells type II (AECII) and MLE12 cells. Swollen mitochondria were evident within AECII of AD treated mice through tra…