Alterations of the respiratory chain and mutations of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) have been extensively investigated in a wide variety of neoplasias. However, no obvious correlation of a certain type of tumor and mtDNA mutations has been reported so far. I compared both, enzymatic measurements of the respiratory chain and mtDNA mutations in renal carcinomas and renal oncocytomas. To enable a high throughput screen of mtDNA variations, I developed a DHPLC-based protocol for a rapid detection of unknown variations of the entire human mtDNA. The benign renal oncocytomas were in clear contrast...