Dietary isothiocyanates modify mitochondrial functions through their electrophilic reaction.

We found that both benzyl isothiocyanate (ITC) and phenyl ITC inhibited respiration in the mitochondria in an electrophilic reaction-dependent manner. ITC-induced mitochondrial swelling and cytochrome c release were prevented by cyclosporin A, indicating that they are mediated through the ITC moiety-dependent reaction to critical thiol groups for the opening of membrane permeability transition-dependent pores.