bims-mitmed 2024-03-31 papers

bims-mitmed

Biomed News

on Mitochondrial medicine

Issue of 2024–03–31
twenty-six papers selected by
Dario Brunetti, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico

Generation of iPSCs from identical twin, one affected by LHON and one unaffected, both carrying a combination of two mitochondrial variants: m.14484 T>C and m.10680G>A.
A stagewise response to mitochondrial dysfunction in mitochondrial DNA maintenance disorders.
Precision mitochondrial medicine.
Variants in mitochondrial disease genes are common causes of inherited peripheral neuropathies.
Transfer and fates of damaged mitochondria: role in health and disease.
DELE1 promotes translation-associated homeostasis, growth, and survival in mitochondrial myopathy.
Dynamics of Mitochondrial DNA Copy Number and Membrane Potential in Mouse Pre-Implantation Embryos: Responses to Diverse Types of Oxidative Stress.
Distinct types of intramitochondrial protein aggregates protect mitochondria against proteotoxic stress.
OMA1 protease eliminates arrested protein import intermediates upon mitochondrial depolarization.
Therapeutic outcome of patients with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome with mitochondrial respiratory chain complex I deficiency.
Mitochondrial Transplantation Therapy Ameliorates Muscular Dystrophy in mdx Mouse Model.
Protocol to assess bioenergetics and mitochondrial fuel usage in murine autoreactive immunocytes using the Seahorse Extracellular Flux Analyzer.
Mapping Stress-Responsive Signaling Pathways Induced by Mitochondrial Proteostasis Perturbations.
Force-induced tail-autotomy mitochondrial fission and biogenesis of matrix-excluded mitochondrial-derived vesicles for quality control.
CD4+ T cell mitochondrial genotype in Multiple Sclerosis: a cross-sectional and longitudinal analysis.
Exploring mitochondrial biomarkers for Friedreich's ataxia: a multifaceted approach.
Embryo and fetal gene editing: Technical challenges and progress toward clinical applications.
Cardiac Mitochondrial Metabolism During Pregnancy and the Postpartum Period.
TP53INP2-dependent activation of muscle autophagy ameliorates sarcopenia and promotes healthy aging.
Mitochondrial extracellular vesicles, autoimmunity and myocarditis.
Quantitative imaging and semiotic phenotyping of mitochondrial network morphology in live human cells.
Defective mitochondria remodelling in B cells leads to an aged immune response.
Mitochondrial Dysfunction: A Key Player in Brain Aging and Diseases.
Intrauterine Growth Restriction: Need to Improve Diagnostic Accuracy and Evidence for a Key Role of Oxidative Stress in Neonatal and Long-Term Sequelae.
Mitochondria-tau association promotes cognitive decline and hippocampal bioenergetic deficits during the aging.
High OXPHOS efficiency in RA-FUdr-differentiated SH-SY5Y cells: involvement of cAMP signalling and respiratory supercomplexes.

Stem Cell Res. 2024 Mar 24. pii: S1873-5061(24)00104-1. [Epub ahead of print]77 103406

Generation of iPSCs from identical twin, one affected by LHON and one unaffected, both carrying a combination of two mitochondrial variants: m.14484 T>C and m.10680G>A.

Camille Peron, Andrea Cavaliere, Chiara Fasano, Angelo Iannielli, Manuela Spagnolo, Andrea Legati, Maria Nicol Colombo, Ambra Rizzo, Francesca L Sciacca, Valerio Carelli, Vania Broccoli, Costanza Lamperti, Valeria Tiranti.

Leber hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) is one of the most common mitochondrial illness, causing retinal ganglion cell degeneration and central vision loss. It stems from point mutations in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), with key mutations being m.3460G > A, m.11778G > A, and m.14484 T > C. Fibroblasts from identical twins, sharing m.14484 T > C and m.10680G > A variants each with 70 % heteroplasmy, were used to generate iPSC lines. Remarkably, one twin, a LHON patient, displayed symptoms, while the other, a carrier, remained asymptomatic. These iPSCs offer a valuable tool for studying factors influencing disease penetrance and unravelling the role of m.10680G > A, which is still debated.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scr.2024.103406
Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis. 2024 Mar 21. pii: S0925-4439(24)00120-0. [Epub ahead of print] 167131

A stagewise response to mitochondrial dysfunction in mitochondrial DNA maintenance disorders.

Amy E Vincent, Chun Chen, Tiago Bernardino Gomes, Valeria Di Leo, Tuomas Laalo, Kamil Pabis, Rodrick Capaldi, Michael F Marusich, David McDonald, Andrew Filby, Andrew Fuller, Diana Lehmann Urban, Stephan Zierz, Marcus Deschauer, Doug Turnbull, Amy K Reeve, Conor Lawless.

  Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) deletions which clonally expand in skeletal muscle of patients with mtDNA maintenance disorders, impair mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation dysfunction. Previously we have shown that these mtDNA deletions arise and accumulate in perinuclear mitochondria causing localised mitochondrial dysfunction before spreading through the muscle fibre. We believe that mito-nuclear signalling is a key contributor in the accumulation and spread of mtDNA deletions, and that knowledge of how muscle fibres respond to mitochondrial dysfunction is key to our understanding of disease mechanisms. To understand the contribution of mito-nuclear signalling to the spread of mitochondrial dysfunction, we use imaging mass cytometry. We characterise the levels of mitochondrial Oxidative Phosphorylation proteins alongside a mitochondrial mass marker, in a cohort of patients with mtDNA maintenance disorders. Our expanded panel included protein markers of key signalling pathways, allowing us to investigate cellular responses to different combinations of oxidative phosphorylation dysfunction and ragged red fibres. We find combined Complex I and IV deficiency to be most common. Interestingly, in fibres deficient for one or more complexes, the remaining complexes are often upregulated beyond the increase of mitochondrial mass typically observed in ragged red fibres. We further find that oxidative phosphorylation deficient fibres exhibit an increase in the abundance of proteins involved in proteostasis, e.g. HSP60 and LONP1, and regulation of mitochondrial metabolism (including oxidative phosphorylation and proteolysis, e.g. PHB1). Our analysis suggests that the cellular response to mitochondrial dysfunction changes depending on the combination of deficient oxidative phosphorylation complexes in each fibre.

Keywords:  Cell signalling; Mitochondrial DNA deletion; Mitochondrial disease; Myopathy; OXPHOS

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbadis.2024.167131
Camb Prism Precis Med. 2023 ;1 e6

Precision mitochondrial medicine.

Patrick F Chinnery.

  Mitochondria play a key role in cell homeostasis as a major source of intracellular energy (adenosine triphosphate), and as metabolic hubs regulating many canonical cell processes. Mitochondrial dysfunction has been widely documented in many common diseases, and genetic studies point towards a causal role in the pathogenesis of specific late-onset disorder. Together this makes targeting mitochondrial genes an attractive strategy for precision medicine. However, the genetics of mitochondrial biogenesis is complex, with over 1,100 candidate genes found in two different genomes: the nuclear DNA and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). Here, we review the current evidence associating mitochondrial genetic variants with distinct clinical phenotypes, with some having clear therapeutic implications. The strongest evidence has emerged through the investigation of rare inherited mitochondrial disorders, but genome-wide association studies also implicate mtDNA variants in the risk of developing common diseases, opening to door for the incorporation of mitochondrial genetic variant analysis in population disease risk stratification.

Keywords:  genetic polymorphism; genetic risk score; genetics; genomics; metabolic diseases

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1017/pcm.2022.8
J Neurol. 2024 Mar 28.

Variants in mitochondrial disease genes are common causes of inherited peripheral neuropathies.

Tomas Ferreira, Kiran Polavarapu, Catarina Olimpio, Ida Paramonov, Hanns Lochmüller, Rita Horvath.

   BACKGROUND: Peripheral neuropathies in mitochondrial disease are caused by mutations in nuclear genes encoding mitochondrial proteins, or in the mitochondrial genome. Whole exome or genome sequencing enable parallel testing of nuclear and mtDNA genes, and it has significantly advanced the genetic diagnosis of inherited diseases. Despite this, approximately 40% of all Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) cases remain undiagnosed.
METHODS: The genome-phenome analysis platform (GPAP) in RD-Connect was utilised to create a cohort of 2087 patients with at least one Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO) term suggestive of a peripheral neuropathy, from a total of 10,935 patients. These patients' genetic data were then analysed and searched for variants in known mitochondrial disease genes.
RESULTS: A total of 1,379 rare variants were identified, 44 of which were included in this study as either reported pathogenic or likely causative in 42 patients from 36 families. The most common genes found to be likely causative for an autosomal dominant neuropathy were GDAP1 and GARS1. We also detected heterozygous likely pathogenic variants in DNA2, MFN2, DNM2, PDHA1, SDHA, and UCHL1. Biallelic variants in SACS, SPG7, GDAP1, C12orf65, UCHL1, NDUFS6, ETFDH and DARS2 and variants in the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA)-encoded MT-ATP6 and MT-TK were also causative for mitochondrial CMT. Only 50% of these variants were already reported as solved in GPAP.
CONCLUSION: Variants in mitochondrial disease genes are frequent in patients with inherited peripheral neuropathies. Due to the clinical overlap between mitochondrial disease and CMT, agnostic exome or genome sequencing have better diagnostic yields than targeted gene panels.

Keywords:  CMT; Genetic heterogeneity; Genome-phenome analysis platform (GPAP); Mitochondrial disease; Peripheral neuropathies; Rare variants

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-024-12319-y
FEBS J. 2024 Mar 28.

Transfer and fates of damaged mitochondria: role in health and disease.

Hanbing Li, Weiyun Sun, Wenwen Gong, Yubing Han.

  Intercellular communication is pivotal in mediating the transfer of mitochondria from donor to recipient cells. This process orchestrates various biological functions, including tissue repair, cell proliferation, differentiation and cancer invasion. Typically, dysfunctional and depolarized mitochondria are eliminated through intracellular or extracellular pathways. Nevertheless, increasing evidence suggests that intercellular transfer of damaged mitochondria is associated with the pathogenesis of diverse diseases. This review investigates the prevalent triggers of mitochondrial damage and the underlying mechanisms of mitochondrial transfer, and elucidates the role of directional mitochondrial transfer in both physiological and pathological contexts. Additionally, we propose potential previously unknown mechanisms mediating mitochondrial transfer and explore their prospective roles in disease prevention and therapy.

Keywords:  cell communication; disease; extracellular vesicles; mitochondria; mitochondrial quality control; mitochondrial transfer

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1111/febs.17119
bioRxiv. 2024 Feb 29. pii: 2024.02.29.582673. [Epub ahead of print]

DELE1 promotes translation-associated homeostasis, growth, and survival in mitochondrial myopathy.

Hsin-Pin Lin, Jennifer D Petersen, Alexandra J Gilsrud, Angelo Madruga, Theresa M D'Silva, Xiaoping Huang, Mario K Shammas, Nicholas P Randolph, Yan Li, Drew R Jones, Michael E Pacold, Derek P Narendra.

Mitochondrial dysfunction causes devastating disorders, including mitochondrial myopathy. Here, we identified that diverse mitochondrial myopathy models elicit a protective mitochondrial integrated stress response (mt-ISR), mediated by OMA1-DELE1 signaling. The response was similar following disruptions in mtDNA maintenance, from knockout of Tfam , and mitochondrial protein unfolding, from disease-causing mutations in CHCHD10 (G58R and S59L). The preponderance of the response was directed at upregulating pathways for aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis, the intermediates for protein synthesis, and was similar in heart and skeletal muscle but more limited in brown adipose challenged with cold stress. Strikingly, models with early DELE1 mt-ISR activation failed to grow and survive to adulthood in the absence of Dele1 , accounting for some but not all of OMA1's protection. Notably, the DELE1 mt-ISR did not slow net protein synthesis in stressed striated muscle, but instead prevented loss of translation-associated proteostasis in muscle fibers. Together our findings identify that the DELE1 mt-ISR mediates a stereotyped response to diverse forms of mitochondrial stress and is particularly critical for maintaining growth and survival in early-onset mitochondrial myopathy.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.02.29.582673
Genes (Basel). 2024 Mar 16. pii: 367. [Epub ahead of print]15(3):

Dynamics of Mitochondrial DNA Copy Number and Membrane Potential in Mouse Pre-Implantation Embryos: Responses to Diverse Types of Oxidative Stress.

Yasmyn E Winstanley, Jun Liu, Deepak Adhikari, Macarena B Gonzalez, Darryl L Russell, John Carroll, Rebecca L Robker.

  Mitochondria undergo a myriad of changes during pre-implantation embryo development, including shifts in activity levels and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) replication. However, how these distinct aspects of mitochondrial function are linked and their responsiveness to diverse stressors is not well understood. Here, we show that mtDNA content increased between 8-cell embryos and the blastocyst stage, with similar copy numbers per cell in the inner cell mass (ICM) and trophectoderm (TE). In contrast, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) was higher in TE than ICM. Culture in ambient oxygen (20% O2) altered both aspects of mitochondrial function: the mtDNA copy number was upregulated in ICM, while MMP was diminished in TE. Embryos cultured in 20% O2 also exhibited delayed development kinetics, impaired implantation, and reduced mtDNA levels in E18 fetal liver. A model of oocyte mitochondrial stress using rotenone showed only a modest effect on on-time development and did not alter the mtDNA copy number in ICM; however, following embryo transfer, mtDNA was higher in the fetal heart. Lastly, endogenous mitochondrial dysfunction, induced by maternal age and obesity, altered the blastocyst mtDNA copy number, but not within the ICM. These results demonstrate that mitochondrial activity and mtDNA content exhibit cell-specific changes and are differentially responsive to diverse types of oxidative stress during pre-implantation embryogenesis.

Keywords:  inner cell mass; mitochondrial dysfunction; mitochondrial membrane potential; mtDNA copy number

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3390/genes15030367
Cell Rep. 2024 Mar 28. pii: S2211-1247(24)00346-2. [Epub ahead of print]43(4): 114018

Distinct types of intramitochondrial protein aggregates protect mitochondria against proteotoxic stress.

Lea Bertgen, Jan-Eric Bökenkamp, Tim Schneckmann, Christian Koch, Markus Räschle, Zuzana Storchová, Johannes M Herrmann.

  Mitochondria consist of hundreds of proteins, most of which are inaccessible to the proteasomal quality control system of the cytosol. How cells stabilize the mitochondrial proteome during challenging conditions remains poorly understood. Here, we show that mitochondria form spatially defined protein aggregates as a stress-protecting mechanism. Two different types of intramitochondrial protein aggregates can be distinguished. The mitoribosomal protein Var1 (uS3m) undergoes a stress-induced transition from a soluble, chaperone-stabilized protein that is prevalent under benign conditions to an insoluble, aggregated form upon acute stress. The formation of Var1 bodies stabilizes mitochondrial proteostasis, presumably by sequestration of aggregation-prone proteins. The AAA chaperone Hsp78 is part of a second type of intramitochondrial aggregate that transiently sequesters proteins and promotes their folding or Pim1-mediated degradation. Thus, mitochondrial proteins actively control the formation of distinct types of intramitochondrial protein aggregates, which cooperate to stabilize the mitochondrial proteome during proteotoxic stress conditions.

Keywords:  CP: Cell biology; CP: Molecular biology; Hsp78; MitoStores; Pim1 protease; Var1 bodies; aggregates; chaperones; mitochondria; mitoribosome; protein folding; protein import

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114018
J Cell Biol. 2024 May 06. pii: e202306051. [Epub ahead of print]223(5):

OMA1 protease eliminates arrested protein import intermediates upon mitochondrial depolarization.

Magda Krakowczyk, Anna M Lenkiewicz, Tomasz Sitarz, Dominika Malinska, Mayra Borrero, Ben Hur Marins Mussulini, Vanessa Linke, Andrzej A Szczepankiewicz, Joanna M Biazik, Agata Wydrych, Hanna Nieznanska, Remigiusz A Serwa, Agnieszka Chacinska, Piotr Bragoszewski.

Most mitochondrial proteins originate from the cytosol and require transport into the organelle. Such precursor proteins must be unfolded to pass through translocation channels in mitochondrial membranes. Misfolding of transported proteins can result in their arrest and translocation failure. Arrested proteins block further import, disturbing mitochondrial functions and cellular proteostasis. Cellular responses to translocation failure have been defined in yeast. We developed the cell line-based translocase clogging model to discover molecular mechanisms that resolve failed import events in humans. The mechanism we uncover differs significantly from these described in fungi, where ATPase-driven extraction of blocked protein is directly coupled with proteasomal processing. We found human cells to rely primarily on mitochondrial factors to clear translocation channel blockage. The mitochondrial membrane depolarization triggered proteolytic cleavage of the stalled protein, which involved mitochondrial protease OMA1. The cleavage allowed releasing the protein fragment that blocked the translocase. The released fragment was further cleared in the cytosol by VCP/p97 and the proteasome.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1083/jcb.202306051
Front Neurol. 2024 ;15 1305404

Therapeutic outcome of patients with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome with mitochondrial respiratory chain complex I deficiency.

Ji-Hoon Na, Young-Mock Lee.

   Background: Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS), a severe developmental epileptic encephalopathy, has various underlying causes. Mitochondrial respiratory chain complex I (MRC I) deficiency is an important cause of metabolic disorders such as mitochondrial dysfunction that can compromise brain function, thereby causing intractable epilepsy, including LGS. Thus, it can be expected that the presence or absence of MRC I deficiency may affect the treatment outcome of patients with LGS.
Objectives: In this retrospective study, we aimed to investigate differences in the epilepsy characteristics and treatment outcomes between patients with LGS with and without MRC I deficiency.
Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 92 patients with LGS. We divided 68 patients with LGS according to the presence (n = 30) or absence (n = 38) of MRC I deficiency and compared their epilepsy characteristics.
Results: Generalized tonic and drop seizures were significantly worse in patients with LGS and MRC I deficiency than in those without MRC I deficiency group at the 1-year follow-up (p < 0.001) and final follow-up 1 (p < 0.001). Patients with LGS and MRC I deficiency had significantly fewer electroencephalogram (EEG) improvements compared to those without MRC I deficiency at the 1-year follow-up (p = 0.031). Additionally, in the final follow-up period, patients with LGS and MRC I deficiency had significantly less improvement in EEG findings compared to patients without MRC I deficiency (p < 0.001).
Conclusion: The overall treatment prognosis-in terms of improvement in traumatic generalized tonic seizure, drop seizure, and EEG findings-is worse in patients with LGS and MRC I deficiency than that in patients with LGS but without MRC I deficiency. Additional and targeted treatment is required to treat LGS with MRC I deficiency.

Keywords:  Lennox–Gastaut syndrome (LGS); epilepsy; mitochondrial disease; mitochondrial dysfunction; mitochondrial respiratory chain complex I deficiency

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2024.1305404
Biomolecules. 2024 Mar 07. pii: 316. [Epub ahead of print]14(3):

Mitochondrial Transplantation Therapy Ameliorates Muscular Dystrophy in mdx Mouse Model.

Mikhail V Dubinin, Irina B Mikheeva, Anastasia E Stepanova, Anastasia D Igoshkina, Alena A Cherepanova, Alena A Semenova, Vyacheslav A Sharapov, Igor I Kireev, Konstantin N Belosludtsev.

  Duchenne muscular dystrophy is caused by loss of the dystrophin protein. This pathology is accompanied by mitochondrial dysfunction contributing to muscle fiber instability. It is known that mitochondria-targeted in vivo therapy mitigates pathology and improves the quality of life of model animals. In the present work, we applied mitochondrial transplantation therapy (MTT) to correct the pathology in dystrophin-deficient mdx mice. Intramuscular injections of allogeneic mitochondria obtained from healthy animals into the hind limbs of mdx mice alleviated skeletal muscle injury, reduced calcium deposits in muscles and serum creatine kinase levels, and improved the grip strength of the hind limbs and motor activity of recipient mdx mice. We noted normalization of the mitochondrial ultrastructure and sarcoplasmic reticulum/mitochondria interactions in mdx muscles. At the same time, we revealed a decrease in the efficiency of oxidative phosphorylation in the skeletal muscle mitochondria of recipient mdx mice accompanied by a reduction in lipid peroxidation products (MDA products) and reduced calcium overloading. We found no effect of MTT on the expression of mitochondrial signature genes (Drp1, Mfn2, Ppargc1a, Pink1, Parkin) and on the level of mtDNA. Our results show that systemic MTT mitigates the development of destructive processes in the quadriceps muscle of mdx mice.

Keywords:  Duchenne muscular dystrophy; lipid peroxidation; mitochondrial dysfunction; mitochondrial transplantation; muscle force; skeletal muscle

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3390/biom14030316
STAR Protoc. 2024 Mar 25. pii: S2666-1667(24)00136-9. [Epub ahead of print]5(2): 102971

Protocol to assess bioenergetics and mitochondrial fuel usage in murine autoreactive immunocytes using the Seahorse Extracellular Flux Analyzer.

Colleen L Mayberry, John J Wilson, Britney Sison, Chih-Hao Chang.

  Efficient metabolism, or the means by which cells produce energy resources, is critical for proper effector function. Here, we present a protocol for examining the bioenergetics and mitochondrial fuel utilization of primary murine autoreactive immunocytes using cellular metabolism-modulating drugs. We describe steps for plate calibration, isolation of primary immunocytes, and Seahorse assay plate preparation. We then detail procedures for performing the XF Cell Mito Stress Test followed by bioenergetics calculations and statistics. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Wilson et al.1.

Keywords:  Cell-based Assays; Immunology; Metabolism

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xpro.2024.102971
Mol Biol Cell. 2024 Mar 27. mbcE24010041

Mapping Stress-Responsive Signaling Pathways Induced by Mitochondrial Proteostasis Perturbations.

Nicole Madrazo, Zinia Khattar, Evan T Powers, Jessica D Rosarda, R Luke Wiseman.

Imbalances in mitochondrial proteostasis are associated with pathologic mitochondrial dysfunction implicated in etiologically-diverse diseases. This has led to considerable interest in defining the mechanisms responsible for regulating mitochondria in response to mitochondrial stress. Numerous stress-responsive signaling pathways have been suggested to regulate mitochondria in response to proteotoxic stress. These include the integrated stress response (ISR), the heat shock response (HSR), and the oxidative stress response (OSR). Here, we define the stress signaling pathways activated in response to chronic mitochondrial proteostasis perturbations by monitoring the expression of sets of genes regulated downstream of each of these signaling pathways in published Perturb-seq datasets from K562 cells CRISPRi-depleted of mitochondrial proteostasis factors. Interestingly, we find that the ISR is preferentially activated in response to chronic, genetically-induced mitochondrial proteostasis stress, with no other pathway showing significant activation. Further, we demonstrate that CRISPRi depletion of other mitochondria-localized proteins similarly shows preferential activation of the ISR relative to other stress-responsive signaling pathways. These results both establish our gene set profiling approach as a viable strategy to probe stress responsive signaling pathways induced by perturbations to specific organelles and identify the ISR as the predominant stress-responsive signaling pathway activated in response to chronically disrupted of mitochondrial proteostasis.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1091/mbc.E24-01-0041
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2024 Apr 02. 121(14): e2217019121

Force-induced tail-autotomy mitochondrial fission and biogenesis of matrix-excluded mitochondrial-derived vesicles for quality control.

Xiaoying Liu, Linyu Xu, Yutong Song, Zhihao Zhao, Xinyu Li, Cheuk-Yiu Wong, Rong Chen, Jianxiong Feng, Yitao Gou, Yajing Qi, Hei-Man Chow, Shuhuai Yao, Yi Wang, Song Gao, Xingguo Liu, Liting Duan.

  Mitochondria constantly fuse and divide for mitochondrial inheritance and functions. Here, we identified a distinct type of naturally occurring fission, tail-autotomy fission, wherein a tail-like thin tubule protrudes from the mitochondrial body and disconnects, resembling autotomy. Next, utilizing an optogenetic mitochondria-specific mechanostimulator, we revealed that mechanical tensile force drives tail-autotomy fission. This force-induced fission involves DRP1/MFF and endoplasmic reticulum tubule wrapping. It redistributes mitochondrial DNA, producing mitochondrial fragments with or without mitochondrial DNA for different fates. Moreover, tensile force can decouple outer and inner mitochondrial membranes, pulling out matrix-excluded tubule segments. Subsequent tail-autotomy fission separates the matrix-excluded tubule segments into matrix-excluded mitochondrial-derived vesicles (MDVs) which recruit Parkin and LC3B, indicating the unique role of tail-autotomy fission in segregating only outer membrane components for mitophagy. Sustained force promotes fission and MDV biogenesis more effectively than transient one. Our results uncover a mechanistically and functionally distinct type of fission and unveil the role of tensile forces in modulating fission and MDV biogenesis for quality control, underscoring the heterogeneity of fission and mechanoregulation of mitochondrial dynamics.

Keywords:  mitochondrial fission; mitochondrial quality control; optogenetics; photoactivatable proteins; tensile force

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2217019121
Sci Rep. 2024 Mar 29. 14(1): 7507

CD4+ T cell mitochondrial genotype in Multiple Sclerosis: a cross-sectional and longitudinal analysis.

Filipe Cortes-Figueiredo, Susanna Asseyer, Claudia Chien, Hanna G Zimmermann, Klemens Ruprecht, Tanja Schmitz-Hübsch, Judith Bellmann-Strobl, Friedemann Paul, Vanessa A Morais.

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS), with a largely unknown etiology, where mitochondrial dysfunction likely contributes to neuroaxonal loss and brain atrophy. Mirroring the CNS, peripheral immune cells from patients with MS, particularly CD4+ T cells, show inappropriate mitochondrial phenotypes and/or oxidative phosphorylation (OxPhos) insufficiency, with a still unknown contribution of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). We hypothesized that mitochondrial genotype in CD4+ T cells might influence MS disease activity and progression. Thus, we performed a retrospective cross-sectional and longitudinal study on patients with a recent diagnosis of either Clinically Isolated Syndrome (CIS) or Relapsing-Remitting MS (RRMS) at two timepoints: 6 months (VIS1) and 36 months (VIS2) after disease onset. Our primary outcomes were the differences in mtDNA extracted from CD4+ T cells between: (I) patients with CIS/RRMS (PwMS) at VIS1 and age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HC), in the cross-sectional analysis, and (II) different diagnostic evolutions in PwMS from VIS1 to VIS2, in the longitudinal analysis. We successfully performed mtDNA whole genome sequencing (mean coverage: 2055.77 reads/base pair) in 183 samples (61 triplets). Nonetheless, mitochondrial genotype was not associated with a diagnosis of CIS/RRMS, nor with longitudinal diagnostic evolution.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-57592-z
J Neurol. 2024 Mar 23.

Exploring mitochondrial biomarkers for Friedreich's ataxia: a multifaceted approach.

Lucie Stovickova, Hana Hansikova, Jitka Hanzalova, Zuzana Musova, Valerij Semjonov, Pavel Stovicek, Haris Hadzic, Ludmila Novotna, Martin Simcik, Pavel Strnad, Anastaziia Serbina, Simona Karamazovova, Jaroslava Schwabova Paulasova, Martin Vyhnalek, Pavel Krsek, Alena Zumrova.

  This study presents an in-depth analysis of mitochondrial enzyme activities in Friedreich's ataxia (FA) patients, focusing on the Electron Transport Chain complexes I, II, and IV, the Krebs Cycle enzyme Citrate Synthase, and Coenzyme Q10 levels. It examines a cohort of 34 FA patients, comparing their mitochondrial enzyme activities and clinical parameters, including disease duration and cardiac markers, with those of 17 healthy controls. The findings reveal marked reductions in complexes II and, specifically, IV, highlighting mitochondrial impairment in FA. Additionally, elevated Neurofilament Light Chain levels and cardiomarkers were observed in FA patients. This research enhances our understanding of FA pathophysiology and suggests potential biomarkers for monitoring disease progression. The study underscores the need for further clinical trials to validate these findings, emphasizing the critical role of mitochondrial dysfunction in FA assessment and treatment.

Keywords:  Biomarkers; Complex I (NQR); Complex II (SQR); Complex IV (COX); Disease monitoring; Friedreich's ataxia; Mitochondrial dysfunction; Neurofilament light chain (NFL); Therapeutic monitoring; Ubiquinone (Coenzyme Q10)

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-024-12223-5
Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev. 2024 Jun 13. 32(2): 101229

Embryo and fetal gene editing: Technical challenges and progress toward clinical applications.

Citra N Z Mattar, Wei Leong Chew, Poh San Lai.

  Gene modification therapies (GMTs) are slowly but steadily making progress toward clinical application. As the majority of rare diseases have an identified genetic cause, and as rare diseases collectively affect 5% of the global population, it is increasingly important to devise gene correction strategies to address the root causes of the most devastating of these diseases and to provide access to these novel therapies to the most affected populations. The main barriers to providing greater access to GMTs continue to be the prohibitive cost of developing these novel drugs at clinically relevant doses, subtherapeutic effects, and toxicity related to the specific agents or high doses required. In vivo strategy and treating younger patients at an earlier course of their disease could lower these barriers. Although currently regarded as niche specialties, prenatal and preconception GMTs offer a robust solution to some of these barriers. Indeed, treating either the fetus or embryo benefits from economy of scale, targeting pre-pathological tissues in the fetus prior to full pathogenesis, or increasing the likelihood of complete tissue targeting by correcting pluripotent embryonic cells. Here, we review advances in embryo and fetal GMTs and discuss requirements for clinical application.

Keywords:  CRISPR-Cas9; base editing; embryo; fetus; intrauterine injection; lipid nanoparticles; maternal spillage; microinjection; mosaicism; viral vectors

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.omtm.2024.101229
Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2024 Mar 29.

Cardiac Mitochondrial Metabolism During Pregnancy and the Postpartum Period.

Emily B Schulman-Geltzer, Kyle L Fulghum, Richa A Singhal, Bradford G Hill, Helen E Collins.

  The goal of the present study was to characterize changes in mitochondrial respiration in the maternal heart during pregnancy and after birth. Timed pregnancy studies were performed in 12-week-old female FVB/NJ mice, and cardiac mitochondria were isolated from the following groups of mice: non-pregnant (NP), mid-pregnancy (MP), late-pregnancy (LP), and 1-week post-birth (PB). Similar to our previous studies, we observed increased heart size during all stages of pregnancy (e.g., MP and LP) and post-birth (e.g., PB) compared with NP mice. Differential cardiac gene and protein expression analyses revealed changes in several mitochondrial transcripts at LP and PB, including several mitochondrial complex subunits and members of the Slc family, important for mitochondrial substrate transport. Respirometry revealed that pyruvate- and glutamate-supported state 3 respiration was significantly higher in PB versus LP mitochondria, with respiratory control ratio (RCR) values higher in PB mitochondria. In addition, we found that PB mitochondria respired more avidly when given 3-hydroxybutyrate (3-OHB) than mitochondria from NP, MP, and LP hearts, with no differences in RCR. These increases in respiration in PB hearts occurred independent of changes in mitochondrial yield, but were associated with higher abundance of 3-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase 1. Collectively, these findings suggest that, after birth, maternal cardiac mitochondria have an increased capacity to use 3-OHB, pyruvate, and glutamate as energy sources; however, increases in mitochondrial efficiency in the postpartum heart appear limited to carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism.

Keywords:  3-hydroxybutyrate; female cardiac biology; mitochondrial subunit complexes; physiological hypertrophy; solute transporters

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1152/ajpheart.00127.2024
Autophagy. 2024 Mar 28. 1-10

TP53INP2-dependent activation of muscle autophagy ameliorates sarcopenia and promotes healthy aging.

David Sebastián, Marc Beltrà, Andrea Irazoki, David Sala, Pilar Aparicio, Cecilia Aris, Esmaeil Alibakhshi, Maria Rubio-Valera, Manuel Palacín, Juan Castellanos, Luis Lores, Antonio Zorzano.

  Sarcopenia is a major contributor to disability in older adults, and thus, it is key to elucidate the mechanisms underlying its development. Increasing evidence suggests that impaired macroautophagy/autophagy contributes to the development of sarcopenia. However, the mechanisms leading to reduced autophagy during aging remain largely unexplored, and whether autophagy activation protects from sarcopenia has not been fully addressed. Here we show that the autophagy regulator TP53INP2/TRP53INP2 is decreased during aging in mouse and human skeletal muscle. Importantly, chronic activation of autophagy by muscle-specific overexpression of TRP53INP2 prevents sarcopenia and the decline of muscle function in mice. Acute re-expression of TRP53INP2 in aged mice also improves muscle atrophy, enhances mitophagy, and reduces ROS production. In humans, high levels of TP53INP2 in muscle are associated with increased muscle strength and healthy aging. Our findings highlight the relevance of an active muscle autophagy in the maintenance of muscle mass and prevention of sarcopenia.Abbreviation: ATG7: autophagy related 7; BMI: body mass index; EIF4EBP1: eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E binding protein 1; MAP1LC3/LC3: microtubule associated protein 1 light chain 3; ROS: reactive oxygen species; TP53INP2: tumor protein p53 inducible nuclear protein 2; WT: wild type.

Keywords:  Sarcopenia; aging; autophagy; mitophagy; muscle atrophy

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1080/15548627.2024.2333717
Front Immunol. 2024 ;15 1374796

Mitochondrial extracellular vesicles, autoimmunity and myocarditis.

Damian N Di Florio, Danielle J Beetler, Elizabeth J McCabe, Jon Sin, Tsuneya Ikezu, DeLisa Fairweather.

  For many decades viral infections have been suspected as 'triggers' of autoimmune disease, but mechanisms for how this could occur have been difficult to establish. Recent studies have shown that viral infections that are commonly associated with viral myocarditis and other autoimmune diseases such as coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3) and SARS-CoV-2 target mitochondria and are released from cells in mitochondrial vesicles that are able to activate the innate immune response. Studies have shown that Toll-like receptor (TLR)4 and the inflammasome pathway are activated by mitochondrial components. Autoreactivity against cardiac myosin and heart-specific immune responses that occur after infection with viruses where the heart is not the primary site of infection (e.g., CVB3, SARS-CoV-2) may occur because the heart has the highest density of mitochondria in the body. Evidence exists for autoantibodies against mitochondrial antigens in patients with myocarditis and dilated cardiomyopathy. Defects in tolerance mechanisms like autoimmune regulator gene (AIRE) may further increase the likelihood of autoreactivity against mitochondrial antigens leading to autoimmune disease. The focus of this review is to summarize current literature regarding the role of viral infection in the production of extracellular vesicles containing mitochondria and virus and the development of myocarditis.

Keywords:  AIRE; autoimmune disease; coxsackievirus; extracellular vesicles; mitochondria; mitochondrial-derived vesicles; myocarditis

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2024.1374796
PLoS One. 2024 ;19(3): e0301372

Quantitative imaging and semiotic phenotyping of mitochondrial network morphology in live human cells.

Sophie Charrasse, Victor Racine, Charlotte Saint-Omer, Titouan Poquillon, Loïc Lionnard, Marine Ledru, Christophe Gonindard, Sandrine Delaunois, Karima Kissa, Richard E Frye, Manuela Pastore, Christelle Reynes, Mathilde Frechet, Hanane Chajra, Abdel Aouacheria.

The importance of mitochondria in tissue homeostasis, stress responses and human diseases, combined to their ability to transition between various structural and functional states, makes them excellent organelles for monitoring cell health. There is therefore a need for technologies to accurately analyze and quantify changes in mitochondrial organization in a variety of cells and cellular contexts. Here we present an innovative computerized method that enables accurate, multiscale, fast and cost-effective analysis of mitochondrial shape and network architecture from confocal fluorescence images by providing more than thirty features. In order to facilitate interpretation of the quantitative results, we introduced two innovations: the use of Kiviat-graphs (herein named MitoSpider plots) to present highly multidimensional data and visualization of the various mito-cellular configurations in the form of morphospace diagrams (called MitoSigils). We tested our fully automated image analysis tool on rich datasets gathered from live normal human skin cells cultured under basal conditions or exposed to specific stress including UVB irradiation and pesticide exposure. We demonstrated the ability of our proprietary software (named MitoTouch) to sensitively discriminate between control and stressed dermal fibroblasts, and between normal fibroblasts and other cell types (including cancer tissue-derived fibroblasts and primary keratinocytes), showing that our automated analysis captures subtle differences in morphology. Based on this novel algorithm, we report the identification of a protective natural ingredient that mitigates the deleterious impact of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) on mitochondrial organization. Hence we conceived a novel wet-plus-dry pipeline combining cell cultures, quantitative imaging and semiotic analysis for exhaustive analysis of mitochondrial morphology in living adherent cells. Our tool has potential for broader applications in other research areas such as cell biology and medicine, high-throughput drug screening as well as predictive and environmental toxicology.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0301372
Nat Commun. 2024 Mar 22. 15(1): 2569

Defective mitochondria remodelling in B cells leads to an aged immune response.

Marta Iborra-Pernichi, Jonathan Ruiz García, María Velasco de la Esperanza, Belén S Estrada, Elena R Bovolenta, Claudia Cifuentes, Cristina Prieto Carro, Tamara González Martínez, José García-Consuegra, María Fernanda Rey-Stolle, Francisco Javier Rupérez, Milagros Guerra Rodriguez, Rafael J Argüello, Sara Cogliati, Fernando Martín-Belmonte, Nuria Martínez-Martín.

The B cell response in the germinal centre (GC) reaction requires a unique bioenergetic supply. Although mitochondria are remodelled upon antigen-mediated B cell receptor stimulation, mitochondrial function in B cells is still poorly understood. To gain a better understanding of the role of mitochondria in B cell function, here we generate mice with B cell-specific deficiency in Tfam, a transcription factor necessary for mitochondrial biogenesis. Tfam conditional knock-out (KO) mice display a blockage of the GC reaction and a bias of B cell differentiation towards memory B cells and aged-related B cells, hallmarks of an aged immune response. Unexpectedly, blocked GC reaction in Tfam KO mice is not caused by defects in the bioenergetic supply but is associated with a defect in the remodelling of the lysosomal compartment in B cells. Our results may thus describe a mitochondrial function for lysosome regulation and the downstream antigen presentation in B cells during the GC reaction, the dysruption of which is manifested as an aged immune response.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-46763-1
Curr Issues Mol Biol. 2024 Mar 02. 46(3): 1987-2026

Mitochondrial Dysfunction: A Key Player in Brain Aging and Diseases.

Sydney Bartman, Giuseppe Coppotelli, Jaime M Ross.

  Mitochondria are thought to have become incorporated within the eukaryotic cell approximately 2 billion years ago and play a role in a variety of cellular processes, such as energy production, calcium buffering and homeostasis, steroid synthesis, cell growth, and apoptosis, as well as inflammation and ROS production. Considering that mitochondria are involved in a multitude of cellular processes, mitochondrial dysfunction has been shown to play a role within several age-related diseases, including cancers, diabetes (type 2), and neurodegenerative diseases, although the underlying mechanisms are not entirely understood. The significant increase in lifespan and increased incidence of age-related diseases over recent decades has confirmed the necessity to understand the mechanisms by which mitochondrial dysfunction impacts the process of aging and age-related diseases. In this review, we will offer a brief overview of mitochondria, along with structure and function of this important organelle. We will then discuss the cause and consequence of mitochondrial dysfunction in the aging process, with a particular focus on its role in inflammation, cognitive decline, and neurodegenerative diseases, such as Huntington's disease, Parkinson's disease, and Alzheimer's disease. We will offer insight into therapies and interventions currently used to preserve or restore mitochondrial functioning during aging and neurodegeneration.

Keywords:  aging; mitochondria; mitochondrial dysfunction; neurodegenerative diseases

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3390/cimb46030130
Cells. 2024 Mar 13. pii: 501. [Epub ahead of print]13(6):

Intrauterine Growth Restriction: Need to Improve Diagnostic Accuracy and Evidence for a Key Role of Oxidative Stress in Neonatal and Long-Term Sequelae.

Eva Nüsken, Sarah Appel, Leon Saschin, Celien Kuiper-Makris, Laura Oberholz, Charlotte Schömig, Anne Tauscher, Jörg Dötsch, Angela Kribs, Miguel A Alejandre Alcazar, Kai-Dietrich Nüsken.

  Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and being small for gestational age (SGA) are two distinct conditions with different implications for short- and long-term child development. SGA is present if the estimated fetal or birth weight is below the tenth percentile. IUGR can be identified by additional abnormalities (pathological Doppler sonography, oligohydramnion, lack of growth in the interval, estimated weight below the third percentile) and can also be present in fetuses and neonates with weights above the tenth percentile. There is a need to differentiate between IUGR and SGA whenever possible, as IUGR in particular is associated with greater perinatal morbidity, prematurity and mortality, as well as an increased risk for diseases in later life. Recognizing fetuses and newborns being "at risk" in order to monitor them accordingly and deliver them in good time, as well as to provide adequate follow up care to ameliorate adverse sequelae is still challenging. This review article discusses approaches to differentiate IUGR from SGA and further increase diagnostic accuracy. Since adverse prenatal influences increase but individually optimized further child development decreases the risk of later diseases, we also discuss the need for interdisciplinary follow-up strategies during childhood. Moreover, we present current concepts of pathophysiology, with a focus on oxidative stress and consecutive inflammatory and metabolic changes as key molecular mechanisms of adverse sequelae, and look at future scientific opportunities and challenges. Most importantly, awareness needs to be raised that pre- and postnatal care of IUGR neonates should be regarded as a continuum.

Keywords:  acute and long-term sequelae; antioxidants; fetal growth restriction; intrauterine growth restriction; oxidative stress

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3390/cells13060501
Free Radic Biol Med. 2024 Mar 27. pii: S0891-5849(24)00142-4. [Epub ahead of print]

Mitochondria-tau association promotes cognitive decline and hippocampal bioenergetic deficits during the aging.

Margrethe A Olesen, Eugenia Pradenas, Francisca Villavicencio-Tejo, George A Porter, Gail V W Johnson, Rodrigo A Quintanilla.

  Current studies indicate that pathological modifications of tau are associated with mitochondrial dysfunction, synaptic failure, and cognitive decline in neurological disorders and aging. We previously showed that caspase-3 cleaved tau, a relevant tau form in Alzheimer's disease (AD), affects mitochondrial bioenergetics, dynamics and synaptic plasticity by the opening of mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP). Also, genetic ablation of tau promotes mitochondrial function boost and increased cognitive capacities in aging mice. However, the mechanisms and relevance of these alterations for the cognitive and mitochondrial abnormalities during aging, which is the primary risk factor for AD, has not been explored. Therefore, in this study we used aging C57BL/6 mice (2-15 and 28-month-old) to evaluate hippocampus-dependent cognitive performance and mitochondrial function. Behavioral tests revealed that aged mice (15 and 28-month-old) showed a reduced cognitive performance compared to young mice (2 month). Concomitantly, isolated hippocampal mitochondria of aged mice showed a significant decrease in bioenergetic-related functions including increases in reactive oxygen species (ROS), mitochondrial depolarization, ATP decreases, and calcium handling defects. Importantly, full-length and caspase-3 cleaved tau were preferentially present in mitochondrial fractions of 15 and 28-month-old mice. Also, aged mice (15 and 28-month-old) showed an increase in cyclophilin D (CypD), the principal regulator of mPTP opening, and a decrease in Opa-1 mitochondrial localization, indicating a possible defect in mitochondrial dynamics. Importantly, we corroborated these findings in immortalized cortical neurons expressing mitochondrial targeted full-length (GFP-T4-OMP25) and caspase-3 cleaved tau (GFP-T4C3-OMP25) which resulted in increased ROS levels and mitochondrial fragmentation, along with a decrease in Opa-1 protein expression. These results suggest that tau associates with mitochondria and this binding increases during aging. This connection may contribute to defects in mitochondrial bioenergetics and dynamics which later may conduce to cognitive decline present during aging.

Keywords:  Aging; Mitochondria; Mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP); Synaptic loss; Tau

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2024.03.017
Sci Rep. 2024 Mar 28. 14(1): 7411

High OXPHOS efficiency in RA-FUdr-differentiated SH-SY5Y cells: involvement of cAMP signalling and respiratory supercomplexes.

Maria Laura Matrella, Alessio Valletti, Isabella Gigante, Domenico De Rasmo, Anna Signorile, Silvia Russo, Simona Lobasso, Donatella Lobraico, Michele Dibattista, Consiglia Pacelli, Tiziana Cocco.

Neurons are highly dependent on mitochondria to meet their bioenergetic needs and understanding the metabolic changes during the differentiation process is crucial in the neurodegeneration context. Several in vitro approaches have been developed to study neuronal differentiation and bioenergetic changes. The human SH-SY5Y cell line is a widely used cellular model and several differentiation protocols have been developed to induce a neuron-like phenotype including retinoic acid (RA) treatment. In this work we obtained a homogeneous functional population of neuron-like cells by a two-step differentiation protocol in which SH-SY5Y cells were treated with RA plus the mitotic inhibitor 2-deoxy-5-fluorouridine (FUdr). RA-FUdr treatment induced a neuronal phenotype characterized by increased expression of neuronal markers and electrical properties specific to excitable cells. In addition, the RA-FUdr differentiated cells showed an enrichment of long chain and unsaturated fatty acids (FA) in the acyl chain composition of cardiolipin (CL) and the bioenergetic analysis evidences a high coupled and maximal respiration associated with high mitochondrial ATP levels. Our results suggest that the observed high oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) capacity may be related to the activation of the cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) pathway and the assembly of respiratory supercomplexes (SCs), highlighting the change in mitochondrial phenotype during neuronal differentiation.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-57613-x