bims-mitmed 2022-05-29 papers

bims-mitmed

Biomed News

on Mitochondrial medicine

Issue of 2022–05–29
twenty-two papers selected by
Dario Brunetti, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico

Defining mitochondrial protein functions through deep multiomic profiling.
Mitochondrial genome engineering coming-of-age.
Defective mitophagy in aged macrophages promotes mitochondrial DNA cytosolic leakage to activate STING signaling during liver sterile inflammation.
Shifting metabolism to increase lifespan.
Phenotype-Genotype Analysis Based on Molecular Classification in 135 Children With Mitochondrial Disease.
Time to harmonize mitochondrial syndrome nomenclature and classification: A consensus from the North American Mitochondrial Disease Consortium (NAMDC).
RRM1 variants cause a mitochondrial DNA maintenance disorder via impaired de novo nucleotide synthesis.
Integrative analysis of mitochondrial metabolic dynamics in reprogramming human fibroblast cells.
A homozygous splice variant in ATP5PO, disrupts mitochondrial complex V function and causes Leigh syndrome in two unrelated families.
Assessing Mitochondrial Function in Sciatic Nerve by High-Resolution Respirometry.
An intrinsically disordered protein region encoded by the human disease gene CLEC16A regulates mitophagy.
Mitochondria transfer and transplantation in human health and diseases.
Regulation of Mitophagy by Sirtuin Family Proteins: A Vital Role in Aging and Age-Related Diseases.
Early evidence of the artificial transfer/transplant of mitochondria to oocytes and zygotes by MitoCeption.
A novel compound heterozygous mutation in the COA7 gene responsible for a Chinese patient with spinocerebellar ataxia with axonal neuropathy type 3.
Novel homozygous pathogenic mitochondrial DNAJC19 variant in a patient with dilated cardiomyopathy and global developmental delay.
Mitochondria-Targeted, Nanoparticle-Based Drug-Delivery Systems: Therapeutics for Mitochondrial Disorders.
Depletion of skeletal muscle satellite cells attenuates pathology in muscular dystrophy.
PACT Establishes a Post-transcriptional Brake on Mitochondrial Biogenesis by Promoting the Maturation of miR-181c.
A new hope: Mitochondria, a critical factor in the war against prions.
Supercomplex supercomplexes: Raison d'etre and functional significance of supramolecular organization in oxidative phosphorylation.
Comparison of the Effects of Three Dual-Nucleos(t)ide Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitor Backbones on Placenta Mitochondria Toxicity and Oxidative Stress Using a Mouse Pregnancy Model.

Nature. 2022 May 25.

Defining mitochondrial protein functions through deep multiomic profiling.

Jarred W Rensvold, Evgenia Shishkova, Yuriy Sverchkov, Ian J Miller, Arda Cetinkaya, Angela Pyle, Mateusz Manicki, Dain R Brademan, Yasemin Alanay, Julian Raiman, Adam Jochem, Paul D Hutchins, Sean R Peters, Vanessa Linke, Katherine A Overmyer, Austin Z Salome, Alexander S Hebert, Catherine E Vincent, Nicholas W Kwiecien, Matthew J P Rush, Michael S Westphall, Mark Craven, Nurten A Akarsu, Robert W Taylor, Joshua J Coon, David J Pagliarini.

Mitochondria are epicentres of eukaryotic metabolism and bioenergetics. Pioneering efforts in recent decades have established the core protein componentry of these organelles1 and have linked their dysfunction to more than 150 distinct disorders2,3. Still, hundreds of mitochondrial proteins lack clear functions4, and the underlying genetic basis for approximately 40% of mitochondrial disorders remains unresolved5. Here, to establish a more complete functional compendium of human mitochondrial proteins, we profiled more than 200 CRISPR-mediated HAP1 cell knockout lines using mass spectrometry-based multiomics analyses. This effort generated approximately 8.3 million distinct biomolecule measurements, providing a deep survey of the cellular responses to mitochondrial perturbations and laying a foundation for mechanistic investigations into protein function. Guided by these data, we discovered that PIGY upstream open reading frame (PYURF) is an S-adenosylmethionine-dependent methyltransferase chaperone that supports both complex I assembly and coenzyme Q biosynthesis and is disrupted in a previously unresolved multisystemic mitochondrial disorder. We further linked the putative zinc transporter SLC30A9 to mitochondrial ribosomes and OxPhos integrity and established RAB5IF as the second gene harbouring pathogenic variants that cause cerebrofaciothoracic dysplasia. Our data, which can be explored through the interactive online MITOMICS.app resource, suggest biological roles for many other orphan mitochondrial proteins that still lack robust functional characterization and define a rich cell signature of mitochondrial dysfunction that can support the genetic diagnosis of mitochondrial diseases.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-022-04765-3
Trends Genet. 2022 May 19. pii: S0168-9525(22)00107-X. [Epub ahead of print]

Mitochondrial genome engineering coming-of-age.

Jose Domingo Barrera-Paez, Carlos T Moraes.

  The mitochondrial genome has been difficult to manipulate because it is shielded by the organelle double membranes, preventing efficient nucleic acid entry. Moreover, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) recombination is not a robust system in most species. This limitation has forced investigators to rely on naturally occurring alterations to study both mitochondrial function and pathobiology. Because most pathogenic mtDNA mutations are heteroplasmic, the development of specific nucleases has allowed us to selectively eliminate mutant species. Several 'protein only' gene-editing platforms have been successfully used for this purpose. More recently, a DNA double-strand cytidine deaminase has been identified and adapted to edit mtDNA. This enzyme was also used as a component to adapt a DNA single-strand deoxyadenosine deaminase to mtDNA editing. These are major advances in our ability to precisely alter the mtDNA in animal cells.

Keywords:  TALEN; gene editing; genetic engineering; mitochondria

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tig.2022.04.011
Aging Cell. 2022 May 22. e13622

Defective mitophagy in aged macrophages promotes mitochondrial DNA cytosolic leakage to activate STING signaling during liver sterile inflammation.

Weizhe Zhong, Zhuqing Rao, Jian Xu, Yu Sun, Haoran Hu, Ping Wang, Yongxiang Xia, Xiongxiong Pan, Weiwei Tang, Ziyi Chen, Haoming Zhou, Xuehao Wang.

  Macrophage-stimulator of interferon genes (STING) signaling mediated sterile inflammation has been implicated in various age-related diseases. However, whether and how macrophage mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) regulates STING signaling in aged macrophages remains largely unknown. We found that hypoxia-reoxygenation (HR) induced STING activation in macrophages by triggering the release of macrophage mtDNA into the cytosol. Aging promoted the cytosolic leakage of macrophage mtDNA and enhanced STING activation, which was abrogated upon mtDNA depletion or cyclic GMP-AMP Synthase (cGAS) inhibition. Aged macrophages exhibited increased mitochondrial injury with impaired mitophagy. Mechanistically, a decline in the PTEN-induced kinase 1 (PINK1)/Parkin-mediated polyubiquitination of mitochondria was observed in aged macrophages. Pink1 overexpression reversed the inhibition of mitochondrial ubiquitination but failed to promote mitolysosome formation in the aged macrophages. Meanwhile, aging impaired lysosomal biogenesis and function in macrophages by modulating the mTOR/transcription factor EB (TFEB) signaling pathway, which could be reversed by Torin-1 treatment. Consequently, Pink1 overexpression in combination with Torin-1 treatment restored mitophagic flux and inhibited mtDNA/cGAS/STING activation in aged macrophages. Moreover, besides HR-induced metabolic stress, other types of oxidative and hepatotoxic stresses inhibited mitophagy and promoted the cytosolic release of mtDNA to activate STING signaling in aged macrophages. STING deficiency protected aged mice against diverse types of sterile inflammatory liver injuries. Our findings suggest that aging impairs mitophagic flux to facilitate the leakage of macrophage mtDNA into the cytosol and promotes STING activation, and thereby provides a novel potential therapeutic target for sterile inflammatory liver injury in aged patients.

Keywords:  aging; macrophage; mitochondrial DNA; mitophagy; sterile inflammation; stimulator of interferon genes

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1111/acel.13622
Trends Endocrinol Metab. 2022 May 18. pii: S1043-2760(22)00087-X. [Epub ahead of print]

Shifting metabolism to increase lifespan.

João Pessoa.

  Lionaki et al. report that reducing mitochondrial protein import increases Caenorhabditis elegans lifespan, through a metabolic shift that enhances the conversion of glucose into serine. Here, I discuss the promise held by these findings in the framework of therapeutic approaches to metabolic and neurodegenerative diseases.

Keywords:  C. elegans; fructose; glucose; lifespan; metabolic shift; mitochondrial protein import

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tem.2022.05.001
Pediatr Neurol. 2022 Apr 30. pii: S0887-8994(22)00065-0. [Epub ahead of print]132 11-18

Phenotype-Genotype Analysis Based on Molecular Classification in 135 Children With Mitochondrial Disease.

Tenghui Wu, Fang He, Neng Xiao, Yunli Han, Liming Yang, Jing Peng.

   OBJECTIVES: Over the past decades, mitochondrial disease classification has been mainly based on molecular defects. We aim to analyze phenotype-genotype correlation of mitochondrial disorders according to molecular classification.
METHODS: In this cohort study, we identified 135 individuals diagnosed with mitochondrial disorders, and all patients were divided into four subgroups based on molecular functions: the Respiratory Chain group (including subunits and assembly proteins in the respiratory chain), the Protein Synthesis group (including mitochondrial RNA metabolism, mitochondrial translation), the mitcohindrial DNA (mtDNA) Replication group, and the Others group (including cofactors, homeostasis, substrates, and inhibitors).
RESULTS: We found that in China, patients with the mtDNA variant constituted a large percentage of mitochondrial disease and were associated with a male preponderance in the Respiratory Chain group, whereas those in the Protein Synthesis group showed a relatively later onset and higher serum lactate level. In contrast, patients with nuclear DNA variants were younger at onset, with no specific lactate or cranial imaging features, especially in the Others group, which contained several mitochondrial diseases with corresponding treatment.
CONCLUSION: The mtDNA was recommended to detect first in patients with typical lactate and cranial imaging features. A broader consideration and detection are necessary for a better prognosis in an atypical patient.

Keywords:  Genotypes; Mitochondrial disease; Molecular classification; Pediatrics; Phenotypes

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pediatrneurol.2022.04.013
Mol Genet Metab. 2022 May 13. pii: S1096-7192(22)00320-1. [Epub ahead of print]

Time to harmonize mitochondrial syndrome nomenclature and classification: A consensus from the North American Mitochondrial Disease Consortium (NAMDC).

North American Mitochondrial Disease Consortium (NAMDC)

   OBJECTIVE: To harmonize terminology in mitochondrial medicine, we propose revised clinical criteria for primary mitochondrial syndromes.
METHODS: The North American Mitochondrial Disease Consortium (NAMDC) established a Diagnostic Criteria Committee comprised of members with diverse expertise. It included clinicians, researchers, diagnostic laboratory directors, statisticians, and data managers. The Committee conducted a comprehensive literature review, an evaluation of current clinical practices and diagnostic modalities, surveys, and teleconferences to reach consensus on syndrome definitions for mitochondrial diseases. The criteria were refined after manual application to patients enrolled in the NAMDC Registry.
RESULTS: By building upon published diagnostic criteria and integrating recent advances, NAMDC has generated updated consensus criteria for the clinical definition of classical mitochondrial syndromes.
CONCLUSIONS: Mitochondrial diseases are clinically, biochemically, and genetically heterogeneous and therefore challenging to classify and diagnose. To harmonize terminology, we propose revised criteria for the clinical definition of mitochondrial disorders. These criteria are expected to standardize the diagnosis and categorization of mitochondrial diseases, which will facilitate future natural history studies and clinical trials.

Keywords:  Mitochondrial DNA; Mitochondrial disease; Mitochondrial disorders; Oxidative-phosphorylation

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ymgme.2022.05.001
J Clin Invest. 2022 May 26. pii: e145660. [Epub ahead of print]

RRM1 variants cause a mitochondrial DNA maintenance disorder via impaired de novo nucleotide synthesis.

Jonathan Shintaku, Wolfgang M Pernice, Wafaa Eyaid, Jeevan B Gc, Zuben P Brown, Marti Juanola-Falgarona, Javier Torres-Torronteras, Ewen W Sommerville, Debby Mei Hellebrekers, Emma L Blakely, Alan Donaldson, Ingrid Mbh van de Laar, Cheng-Shiun Leu, Ramon Marti, Joachim Frank, Kurenai Tanji, David A Koolen, Richard J Rodenburg, Patrick F Chinnery, H J M Smeets, Gráinne S Gorman, Penelope E Bonnen, Robert W Taylor, Michio Hirano.

  Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) depletion/deletions syndromes (MDDS) encompass a clinically and etiologically heterogenous group of mitochondrial disorders due to impaired mtDNA maintenance. Among the most frequent causes of MDDS are defects in nucleoside/nucleotide metabolism, which is critical for synthesis and homeostasis of the deoxynucleoside triphosphate (dNTP) substrates of mtDNA replication. A central enzyme for generating dNTPs is ribonucleotide reductase, a critical mediator of de novo nucleotide synthesis composed of catalytic RRM1 subunits in complex with RRM2 or p53R2. Here, we report five probands from four families who presented with ptosis and ophthalmoplegia, plus other manifestations and multiple mtDNA deletions in muscle. We identified three RRM1 loss-of-function variants, including a dominant catalytic site variant (NP_001024.1: p.N427K) and two homozygous recessive variants at p.R381, which has evolutionarily conserved interactions with the specificity site. Atomistic molecular dynamics simulations indicate mechanisms by which RRM1 variants affect protein structure. Cultured primary skin fibroblasts of probands manifested mtDNA depletion under cycling conditions, indicating impaired de novo nucleotide synthesis. Fibroblasts also exhibited aberrant nucleoside diphosphate and dNTP pools and mtDNA ribonucleotide incorporation. Our data reveal primary RRM1 deficiency and, by extension, impaired de novo nucleotide synthesis are causes of MDDS.

Keywords:  Genetic diseases; Genetics; Mitochondria; Molecular pathology

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI145660
STAR Protoc. 2022 Jun 17. 3(2): 101401

Integrative analysis of mitochondrial metabolic dynamics in reprogramming human fibroblast cells.

Young Cha, Pierre Leblanc, Yean Ju Hong, Kwang-Soo Kim.

  Mitochondrial dynamics play critical roles in both tissue homeostasis and somatic cell reprogramming. Here, we provide integrated guidance for assessing mitochondrial function and dynamics while reprogramming human fibroblasts via an integrated analysis approach. This protocol includes instructions for mitochondrial metabolic analysis in real time and flow cytometry-based assessment of mitochondrial mass and membrane potential. We also describe a protocol for quantification of mitochondrial network and key metabolites. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Cha et al. (2021).

Keywords:  Cell Biology; Cell culture; Cell-based Assays; Flow Cytometry/Mass Cytometry; Metabolism; Microscopy; Stem Cells

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xpro.2022.101401
J Inherit Metab Dis. 2022 May 27.

A homozygous splice variant in ATP5PO, disrupts mitochondrial complex V function and causes Leigh syndrome in two unrelated families.

Undiagnosed Diseases Network

  Mitochondrial complex V plays an important role in oxidative phosphorylation by catalyzing the generation of ATP. Most complex V subunits are nuclear encoded and not yet associated with recognized Mendelian disorders. Using exome sequencing, we identified a rare homozygous splice variant (c.87+3A>G) in ATP5PO, the complex V subunit which encodes the oligomycin sensitivity conferring protein, in three individuals from two unrelated families, with clinical suspicion of a mitochondrial disorder. These individuals had a similar severe infantile and often lethal multi-systemic disorder that included hypotonia, developmental delay, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, progressive epileptic encephalopathy, progressive cerebral atrophy, and white matter abnormalities on brain MRI consistent with Leigh syndrome. cDNA studies showed a predominant shortened transcript with skipping of exon 2 and low levels of the normal full-length transcript. Fibroblasts from the affected individuals demonstrated decreased ATP5PO protein, defective assembly of complex V with greatly reduced amounts of peripheral stalk proteins, and greatly reduced complex V hydrolytic activity. Further, expression of human ATP5PO cDNA without exon 2 (hATP5PO-∆ex2) in yeast cells deleted for yATP5 (ATP5PO homolog) was unable to rescue growth on media which requires oxidative phosphorylation when compared to the wild type construct (hATP5PO-WT), indicating that exon 2 deletion leads to a non-functional protein. Collectively, our findings support the pathogenicity of the ATP5PO c.87+3A>G variant, which significantly reduces but does not eliminate complex V activity. These data along with the recent report of an affected individual with ATP5PO variants, add to the evidence that rare biallelic variants in ATP5PO result in defective complex V assembly, function and are associated with Leigh syndrome. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Keywords:  ATP synthase; ATP5PO; Leigh syndrome; complex V; hypertrophic cardiomyopathy; mitochondria; mitochondrial disease; seizure; splice variant

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1002/jimd.12526
J Vis Exp. 2022 May 05.

Assessing Mitochondrial Function in Sciatic Nerve by High-Resolution Respirometry.

Marcos A Formiga-Jr, Juliana Camacho-Pereira.

Mitochondrial dysfunction in peripheral nerves accompanies several diseases associated with peripheral neuropathy, which can be triggered by multiple causes, including autoimmune diseases, diabetes, infections, inherited disorders, and tumors. Assessing mitochondrial function in mouse peripheral nerves can be challenging due to the small sample size, a limited number of mitochondria present in the tissue, and the presence of a myelin sheath. The technique described in this work minimizes these challenges by using a unique permeabilization protocol adapted from one used for muscle fibers, to assess sciatic nerve mitochondrial function instead of isolating the mitochondria from the tissue. By measuring fluorimetric reactive species production with Amplex Red/Peroxidase and comparing different mitochondrial substrates and inhibitors in saponin-permeabilized nerves, it was possible to detect mitochondrial respiratory states, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and the activity of mitochondrial complexes simultaneously. Therefore, the method presented here offers advantages compared to the assessment of mitochondrial function by other techniques.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3791/63690
Autophagy. 2022 May 23.

An intrinsically disordered protein region encoded by the human disease gene CLEC16A regulates mitophagy.

Morgan A Gingerich, Xueying Liu, Biaoxin Chai, Gemma L Pearson, Michael P Vincent, Tracy Stromer, Jie Zhu, Vaibhav Sidarala, Aaron Renberg, Debashish Sahu, Daniel J Klionsky, Santiago Schnell, Scott A Soleimanpour.

  CLEC16A regulates mitochondrial health through mitophagy and is associated with over 20 human diseases. However, the key structural and functional regions of CLEC16A, and their relevance for human disease, remain unknown. Here, we report that a disease-associated CLEC16A variant lacks a C-terminal intrinsically disordered protein region (IDPR) that is critical for mitochondrial quality control. IDPRs comprise nearly half of the human proteome, yet their mechanistic roles in human disease are poorly understood. Using carbon detect NMR, we find that the CLEC16A C terminus lacks secondary structure, validating the presence of an IDPR. Loss of the CLEC16A C-terminal IDPR in vivo impairs mitophagy, mitochondrial function, and glucose-stimulated insulin secretion, ultimately causing glucose intolerance. Deletion of the CLEC16A C-terminal IDPR increases CLEC16A ubiquitination and degradation, thus impairing assembly of the mitophagy regulatory machinery. Importantly, CLEC16A stability is dependent on proline bias within the C-terminal IDPR, but not amino acid sequence order or charge. Together, we elucidate how an IDPR in CLEC16A regulates mitophagy and implicate pathogenic human gene variants that disrupt IDPRs as novel contributors to diabetes and other CLEC16A-associated diseases.

Keywords:  Diabetes; NMR; insulin; mitophagy; splicing

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1080/15548627.2022.2080383
Mitochondrion. 2022 May 24. pii: S1567-7249(22)00043-5. [Epub ahead of print]

Mitochondria transfer and transplantation in human health and diseases.

Zi-Hao Wang, Lu Chen, Wei Li, Lingchao Chen, Yi-Ping Wang.

  Mitochondria are dynamic organelles responsible for energy production and cell metabolism. Disorders in mitochondrial function impair tissue integrity and have been implicated in multiple human diseases. Rather than constrained in host cells, mitochondria were recently found to actively travel between cells through nanotubes or extracellular vesicles. Mitochondria transportation represents a key mechanism of intercellular communication implicated in metabolic homeostasis, immune response, and stress signaling. Here we reviewed recent progress in mitochondria transfer under physiological and pathological conditions. Specifically, tumor cells imported mitochondria from adjacent cells in the microenvironment which potentially modulated cancer progression. Intercellular mitochondria trafficking also inspired therapeutic intervention of human diseases with mitochondria transplantation. Artificial mitochondria, generated through mitochondria genome engineering or mitochondria-nucleus hybridization, further advanced our understanding of mitochondrial biology and its therapeutic potential. Innovative tools and animal models of mitochondria transplantation will assist the development of new therapies for mitochondrial dysfunction-related diseases.

Keywords:  artificial mitochondria; intercellular nanotube; microvesicle; mitochondria genome editing; mitochondria transfer; mitochondria transplantation; synthetic biology

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mito.2022.05.002
Front Aging Neurosci. 2022 ;14 845330

Regulation of Mitophagy by Sirtuin Family Proteins: A Vital Role in Aging and Age-Related Diseases.

Wei Wan, Fuzhou Hua, Pu Fang, Chang Li, Fumou Deng, Shoulin Chen, Jun Ying, Xifeng Wang.

  Sirtuins are protein factors that can delay aging and alleviate age-related diseases through multiple molecular pathways, mainly by promoting DNA damage repair, delaying telomere shortening, and mediating the longevity effect of caloric restriction. In the last decade, sirtuins have also been suggested to exert mitochondrial quality control by mediating mitophagy, which targets damaged mitochondria and delivers them to lysosomes for degradation. This is especially significant for age-related diseases because dysfunctional mitochondria accumulate in aging organisms. Accordingly, it has been suggested that sirtuins and mitophagy have many common and interactive aspects in the aging process. This article reviews the mechanisms and pathways of sirtuin family-mediated mitophagy and further discusses its role in aging and age-related diseases.

Keywords:  age-related disease; aging; mitochondria; mitophagy; neurodegenerative diseases; sirtuins

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2022.845330
Mitochondrion. 2022 May 23. pii: S1567-7249(22)00047-2. [Epub ahead of print]

Early evidence of the artificial transfer/transplant of mitochondria to oocytes and zygotes by MitoCeption.

Francisco Cabrera, Verónica Castañeda, Emilia Morales, Francesca Velarde, Mayra Ortega, Ariana Leon-Sosa, Christian Jorgensen, Andrés Caicedo.

  Oocytes may carry mutations in their mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) which affect fertility and embryo development leading to hereditary diseases or rejection. Mitochondrial replacement therapies (MRTs) such as polar body transfer, spindle transfer and pronuclear transfer, aim to change dysfunctional to normal mitochondria inside oocytes and zygotes resulting in healthier offspring. Even with promising results, MRTs techniques are invasive to oocytes and may negatively affect their viability and the success of the procedure. This article shows early evidence of the use of MitoCeption, a mitochondria transfer/transplant (AMT/T) technique to possibly induce the internalization of exogenous mitochondria in a dose-dependent manner to recipient oocytes in comparison to coincubation. By using human isolated mitochondria in a mix obtained from different donors we were able to identify their mtDNA in murine oocytes by qPCR. Fluorescence microscopy showed that exogenous and transferred mitochondria (MitoTracker ® Red) by MitoCeption were internalized in oocytes and zygotes (CellTracker® Green). After maintaining mitocepted zygotes to two-cell embryos, we transferred them to subrogate female mice and obtained healthy mice pups; however, without clear evidence of the maintenance of human mtDNA in the tissues of mice pups. These early results are puzzling, and they open the path to generate more research regarding the use of MitoCeption in comparison to coincubation in order to transfer mitochondria to oocytes using less invasive procedures.

Keywords:  MitoCeption; Mitochondria replacement therapy (MRT); coincubation; heteroplasmy; mitochondrial disease; oocytes; xenogeneic transfer/transplant; zygotes

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mito.2022.05.006
Clin Neuropathol. 2022 May 23.

A novel compound heterozygous mutation in the COA7 gene responsible for a Chinese patient with spinocerebellar ataxia with axonal neuropathy type 3.

Yuwei Tang, Meng Yu, Wei Zhang, He Lv, Jianwen Deng, Jing Liu, Xin Shi, Wei Liang, Zhirong Jia, Yun Yuan, Zhaoxia Wang, Lingchao Meng.

OBJECTIVE: Spinocerebellar ataxia with axonal neuropathy type 3 (SCAN3) is a very rare autosomal recessive hereditary disease. Mutations in the COA7 gene, which encodes cytochrome c oxidase assembly factor 7, have been recently reported as the causative gene of SCAN3. So far, only five SCAN3 patients with COA7 mutations have been documented. Herein, we report the clinical, electrophysiological, histological, and genetic findings of a Chinese patient with SCAN3.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: The patient was a 31-year-old woman who presented with early-onset peripheral neuropathy and progressive ataxia. She was asked about her medical history and underwent electrophysiological examination, nerve and muscle biopsy, and gene detection.
RESULTS: Whole exome next-generation sequencing identified a novel compound heterozygous mutation of COA7 (c.17A>G p.D6G; c.554G>A, p.W185*) in this patient. Magnetic resonance imaging showed cerebellum and spinal cord atrophy. Nerve conduction studies and sural nerve biopsies revealed sensorimotor axonal neuropathy. Muscle biopsies showed mitochondrial abnormalities. Respiratory chain enzyme assay of skin fibroblasts showed normal respiratory chain complex activities. Additionally, the clinical data on previously reported SCAN patients with identified genetic causes in PubMed was summarized. Compared with SCAN1 and SCAN2 patients, SCAN3 patients had earlier onset age, less cognitive impairment, and no ocular signs.
CONCLUSION: We reported the first patient diagnosed with SCAN3 in China. A novel mutation in the gene COA7 (c.554G>A, p.W185*) expanded the genetic spectrum of the disease.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5414/NP301457
Mol Genet Genomic Med. 2022 May 25. e1969

Novel homozygous pathogenic mitochondrial DNAJC19 variant in a patient with dilated cardiomyopathy and global developmental delay.

Abeer Al Tuwaijri, Yusra Alyafee, Mashael Alharbi, Maryam Ballow, Mohammed Aldrees, Qamre Alam, Rola A Sleiman, Muhammad Umair, Majid Alfadhel.

   BACKGROUND: Dilated cardiomyopathy with ataxia syndrome (DCMA) or 3-methylglutaconic aciduria type V is a rare global autosomal recessive mitochondrial syndrome that is clinically and genetically heterogeneous. It is characterized by early-onset dilated cardiomyopathy and increased urinary excretion of 3-methylglutaconic acid. As a result, some patients die due to cardiac failure, while others manifest with growth retardation, microcytic anemia, mild ataxia, and mild muscle weakness. DCMA is caused by variants in the DnaJ heat shock protein family (Hsp40) member C19 gene (DNAJC19), which plays an important role in mitochondrial protein import machinery in the inner mitochondrial membrane.
METHODS: We describe a single affected family member who presented with cardiomyopathy, global developmental delay, chest infection, seizures, elevated excretion of 3-methylglutaconic acid, and 3-methylglutaric acid in the urine.
RESULTS: Whole-exome sequencing followed by Sanger sequencing revealed a homozygous frameshift variant in the reading frame starting at codon 54 in exon 4 in the DNAJC19 gene (c.159del [Phe54Leufs*5]), which results in a stop codon four positions downstream. Quantitative gene expression analysis revealed that DNAJC19 mRNA expression in this patient was substantially reduced compared to the control.
CONCLUSIONS: We present a novel variant in the DNAJC19 gene that causes rare autosomal recessive mitochondrial 3-methylglutaconic aciduria type V. By comparing the current case with previously reported ones, we conclude that the disease is extremely heterogeneous for reasons that are still unknown.

Keywords:   DNAJC19 ; 3-methylglutaconic aciduria; cardiolipin; dilated cardiomyopathy; global developmental delay; homozygous; mitochondria

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1002/mgg3.1969
Life (Basel). 2022 Apr 29. pii: 657. [Epub ahead of print]12(5):

Mitochondria-Targeted, Nanoparticle-Based Drug-Delivery Systems: Therapeutics for Mitochondrial Disorders.

Sakshi Buchke, Muskan Sharma, Anusuiya Bora, Maitrali Relekar, Piyush Bhanu, Jitendra Kumar.

  Apart from ATP generation, mitochondria are involved in a wide range of functions, making them one of the most prominent organelles of the human cell. Mitochondrial dysfunction is involved in the pathophysiology of several diseases, such as cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and metabolic disorders. This makes it a target for a variety of therapeutics for the diagnosis and treatment of these diseases. The use of nanoparticles to target mitochondria has significant importance in modern times because they provide promising ways to deliver drug payloads to the mitochondria by overcoming challenges, such as low solubility and poor bioavailability, and also resolve the issues of the poor biodistribution of drugs and pharmacokinetics with increased specificity. This review assesses nanoparticle-based drug-delivery systems, such as liposomes, DQAsome, MITO-Porters, micelles, polymeric and metal nanocarriers, as well as quantum dots, as mitochondria-targeted strategies and discusses them as a treatment for mitochondrial disorders.

Keywords:  Alzheimer disease; NP; ROS; cancer; diabetes mellitus; ischemia-reperfusion injury; mitochondrial dysfunction

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3390/life12050657
Nat Commun. 2022 May 26. 13(1): 2940

Depletion of skeletal muscle satellite cells attenuates pathology in muscular dystrophy.

Justin G Boyer, Jiuzhou Huo, Sarah Han, Julian R Havens, Vikram Prasad, Brian L Lin, David A Kass, Taejeong Song, Sakthivel Sadayappan, Ramzi J Khairallah, Christopher W Ward, Jeffery D Molkentin.

Skeletal muscle can repair and regenerate due to resident stem cells known as satellite cells. The muscular dystrophies are progressive muscle wasting diseases underscored by chronic muscle damage that is continually repaired by satellite cell-driven regeneration. Here we generate a genetic strategy to mediate satellite cell ablation in dystrophic mouse models to investigate how satellite cells impact disease trajectory. Unexpectedly, we observe that depletion of satellite cells reduces dystrophic disease features, with improved histopathology, enhanced sarcolemmal stability and augmented muscle performance. Mechanistically, we demonstrate that satellite cells initiate expression of the myogenic transcription factor MyoD, which then induces re-expression of fetal genes in the myofibers that destabilize the sarcolemma. Indeed, MyoD re-expression in wildtype adult skeletal muscle reduces membrane stability and promotes histopathology, while MyoD inhibition in a mouse model of muscular dystrophy improved membrane stability. Taken together these observations suggest that satellite cell activation and the fetal gene program is maladaptive in chronic dystrophic skeletal muscle.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-30619-7
J Biol Chem. 2022 May 19. pii: S0021-9258(22)00490-2. [Epub ahead of print] 102050

PACT Establishes a Post-transcriptional Brake on Mitochondrial Biogenesis by Promoting the Maturation of miR-181c.

Asli E Dogan, Syed M Hamid, Asli D Yildirim, Zehra Yildirim, Ganes Sen, Celine E Riera, Roberta A Gottlieb, Ebru Erbay.

The double-stranded RNA-dependent protein kinase (PKR) activating protein (PACT), an RNA-binding protein (RNAbp) that is part of the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC), plays a key role in microRNA (miR)-mediated translational repression. Previous studies showed that PACT regulates the expression of various miRs, selects the miR strand to be loaded onto RISC, and determines proper miR length. Apart from PACT's role in mediating the anti-viral response in immune cells, what PACT does in other cell types is unknown. Strikingly, it has also been shown that cold exposure leads to marked downregulation of PACT protein in mouse brown adipose tissue (BAT), where mitochondrial biogenesis and metabolism play a central role. Here, we show that PACT establishes a post-transcriptional brake on mitochondrial biogenesis (mitobiogenesis) by promoting the maturation of miR-181c, a key suppressor of mitobiogenesis that has been shown to target mitochondrial Complex IV subunit I (Mtco1) and Sirtuin 1 (Sirt1). Consistently, we found that a partial reduction in PACT expression is sufficient to enhance mitobiogenesis in brown adipocytes in culture as well as during BAT activation in mice. In conclusion, we demonstrate an unexpected role for PACT in the regulation of mitochondrial biogenesis and energetics in cells and BAT.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbc.2022.102050
Mitochondrion. 2022 May 24. pii: S1567-7249(22)00045-9. [Epub ahead of print]

A new hope: Mitochondria, a critical factor in the war against prions.

Kevin Zambrano, Diego Barba, Karina Castillo, Paola Robayo, Eduardo Arizaga, Andrés Caicedo, Antonio W D Gavilanes.

  Prion diseases encompass a group of incurable neurodegenerative disorders that occur due to the misfolding and aggregation of infectious proteins. The most well-known prion diseases are Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), bovine spongiform encephalopathy (also known as mad cow disease), and kuru. It is estimated that around 1-2 persons per million worldwide are affected annually by prion disorders. Infectious prion proteins propagate in the brain, clustering in the cells and rapidly inducing tissue degeneration and death. Prion disease alters cell metabolism and energy production damaging mitochondrial function and dynamics leading to a fast accumulation of damage. Dysfunction of mitochondria could be considered as an early precursor and central element in the pathogenesis of prion diseases such as in sporadic CJD. Preserving mitochondria function may help to resist the rapid spread and damage of prion proteins and even clearance. In the war against prions and other degenerative diseases, studying how to preserve the function of mitochondria by using antioxidants and even replacing them with artificial mitochondrial transfer/transplant (AMT/T) may bring a new hope and lead to an increase in patients' survival. In this perspective review, we provide key insights about the relationship between the progression of prion disease and mitochondria, in which understanding how protecting mitochondria function and viability by using antioxidants or AMT/T may help to develop novel therapeutic interventions.

Keywords:  extracellular mitochondria; mitochondrial therapy; mtDNA; neurodegenerative disease; prions

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mito.2022.05.004
Biomol Concepts. 2022 May 26. 13(1): 272-288

Supercomplex supercomplexes: Raison d'etre and functional significance of supramolecular organization in oxidative phosphorylation.

Sunil Nath.

  Following structural determination by recent advances in electron cryomicroscopy, it is now well established that the respiratory Complexes I-IV in oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) are organized into supercomplexes in the respirasome. Nonetheless, the reason for the existence of the OXPHOS supercomplexes and their functional role remains an enigma. Several hypotheses have been proposed for the existence of these supercomplex supercomplexes. A commonly-held view asserts that they enhance catalysis by substrate channeling. However, this - and other views - has been challenged based on structural and biophysical information. Hence, new ideas, concepts, and frameworks are needed. Here, a new model of energy transfer in OXPHOS is developed on the basis of biochemical data on the pure competitive inhibition of anionic substrates like succinate by the classical anionic uncouplers of OXPHOS (2,4-dinitrophenol, carbonyl cyanide 4-(trifluoromethoxy)phenylhydrazone, and dicoumarol), and pharmacological data on the unique site-selective, energy-linked inhibition of energy conservation pathways in mitochondria induced by the guanidine derivatives. It is further found that uncouplers themselves are site-specific and exhibit differential selectivity and efficacy in reversing the inhibition caused by the Site 1/Complex I or Site 2/Complexes II-III-selective guanidine derivatives. These results lead to new vistas and sufficient complexity in the network of energy conservation pathways in the mitochondrial respiratory chain that necessitate discrete points of interaction with two classes of guanidine derivatives and uncoupling agents and thereby separate and distinct energy transfer pathways between Site 1 and Site 2 and the intermediate that energizes adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthesis by Complex V. Interpretation based on Mitchell's single-ion chemiosmotic theory that postulates only a single energy pool is inadequate to rationalize the data and account for the required complexity. The above results and available information are shown to be explained by Nath's two-ion theory of energy coupling and ATP synthesis, involving coupled movement of succinate anions and protons, along with the requirement postulated by the theory for maintenance of homeostasis and ion translocation across the energy-transducing membrane of both succinate monoanions and succinate dianions by Complexes I-V in the OXPHOS supercomplexes. The new model of energy transfer in mitochondria is mapped onto the solved structures of the supercomplexes and integrated into a consistent model with the three-dimensional electron microscope computer tomography visualization of the internal structure of the cristae membranes in mammalian mitochondria. The model also offers valuable insights into diseased states induced in type 2 diabetes and especially in Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases that involve mitochondrial dysfunction.

Keywords:  2,4-dinitrophenol; Alzheimer’s disease; Complexes I–V; Gunnar Hollunger’s pioneering work in pharmacology; Mitchell’s single-ion chemiosmotic theory; Nath’s torsional mechanism of energy transduction and ATP synthesis; Nath’s two-ion theory of energy coupling; OXPHOS supercomplexes; Paolo Bernardi’s pioneering work on cell death and ATP; alkylguanidines; carbonyl cyanide 4-(trifluoromethoxy)phenylhydrazone; competitive inhibition of succinate with the anionic uncouplers of OXPHOS; coupling of proton and succinate anion transport; dicoumarol; differential release of inhibition by pharmacological agents by uncouplers; functional role of the OXPHOS supercomplexes; inhibition of succinate entry by uncouplers; integrated mitochondrial function; interaction of site-specific guanidine derivatives with mitochondria; mitochondrial dysfunction; new definition of mitochondrial respiration; new model of energy transfer in mitochondria; octylguanidines; oxidative phosphorylation; phenethylbiguanides; sensing of local electrical potential, Δψ; supramolecular biology; supramolecular chemistry; translocation of succinate monoanions and succinate dianions across cristae membranes; two distinct energy conservation pathways between the electron transport chain and FOF1-ATP synthase; type 2 diabetes

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1515/bmc-2022-0021
Pharmaceutics. 2022 May 15. pii: 1063. [Epub ahead of print]14(5):

Comparison of the Effects of Three Dual-Nucleos(t)ide Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitor Backbones on Placenta Mitochondria Toxicity and Oxidative Stress Using a Mouse Pregnancy Model.

Kayode Balogun, Lena Serghides.

  Nucleos(t)ide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) are the backbone of HIV antiretroviral therapy (ART). ART use in pregnancy has been associated with adverse birth outcomes, in part due to NRTI-induced mitochondrial toxicity. Direct comparison on the effects of commonly used dual-NRTI regimens on placental mitochondria toxicity in pregnancy is lacking. We compared zidovudine/lamivudine, abacavir/lamivudine, and tenofovir/emtricitabine using a mouse model and examined markers of placental mitochondrial function and oxidative stress. Zidovudine/lamivudine and abacavir/lamivudine were associated with lower fetal and placental weights compared to controls, whereas tenofovir/emtricitabine was associated with the least fetal and placental weight reduction, as well as lower resorption rates. Placental mitochondrial DNA content, as well as placental expression of cytochrome c-oxidase subunit-II, DNA polymerase gamma, and citrate synthase, was higher in tenofovir/emtricitabine-treated mice compared to other groups. Zidovudine/lamivudine-treated mice had elevated malondialdehyde levels (oxidative stress marker) compared to other groups and lower mRNA levels of manganese superoxide dismutase and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha in the placenta compared to tenofovir/emtricitabine-treated mice. We observed differences in effects between NRTI regimens on placental mitochondrial function and birth outcomes. Tenofovir/emtricitabine was associated with larger fetuses, increased mtDNA content, and higher expression of mitochondrial-specific antioxidant enzymes and mitochondrial biogenesis enzymes, whereas zidovudine/lamivudine was associated with markers of placental oxidative stress.

Keywords:  HIV antiretroviral; abacavir; emtricitabine; lamivudine; mitochondrial toxicity; oxidative stress; placenta; pregnancy outcomes; tenofovir; zidovudine

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics14051063