Inheritance of mitochondrial DNA in humans: implications for rare and common diseases

The first draft human mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequence was published in 1981, paving the way for two decades of discovery linking mtDNA variation with human disease. Severe pathogenic mutations cause sporadic and inherited rare disorders that often involve the nervous system. However, some mutations cause mild organ‐specific phenotypes that have a reduced clinical penetrance, and polymorphic variation of mtDNA is associated with an altered risk of developing several late‐onset common human diseases including Parkinson’s disease. mtDNA mutations also accumulate during human life and are enriched in affected organs in a number of age‐related diseases. Thus, mtDNA contributes to a wide range of human pathologies. For many decades, it has generally been accepted that mtDNA is inherited exclusively down the maternal line in humans. Although recent evidence has challenged this dogma, whole‐genome sequencing has identified nuclear‐encoded mitochondrial sequences (NUMTs) that can give the false impression of paternally inherited mtDNA. This provides a more likely explanation for recent reports of ‘bi‐parental inheritance’, where the paternal alleles are actually transmitted through the nuclear genome. The presence of both mutated and wild‐type variant alleles within the same individual (heteroplasmy) and rapid shifts in allele frequency can lead to offspring with variable severity of disease. In addition, there is emerging evidence that selection can act for and against specific mtDNA variants within the developing germ line, and possibly within developing tissues. Thus, understanding how mtDNA is inherited has far‐reaching implications across medicine. There is emerging evidence that this highly dynamic system is amenable to therapeutic manipulation, raising the possibility that we can harness new understanding to prevent and treat rare and common human diseases where mtDNA mutations play a key role.     

线粒体及其蛋白质质量控制失调与动脉粥样硬化的关系

线粒体是哺乳动物细胞内重要的细胞器,作为细胞能量代谢和细胞死亡的调控中心,其功能异常会导致多种疾病的发生与发展。 线粒体功能依赖于线粒体蛋白质组的完整性和稳态,因此线粒体蛋白质质量控制系统对于维持线粒体稳态和机体健康十分重要。当线粒体及其蛋白质质量控制系统出现异常时,会直接损伤线粒体并出现异常线粒体蛋白堆积,发生细胞内环境紊乱,甚至细胞功能障碍,进而影响动脉粥样硬化性疾病的发生与发展。文章回顾了线粒体及其蛋白质质量控制系统在动脉粥样硬化性疾病发生发展中的作用,并对该领域未来的发展前景和挑战进行展望,以期为寻找与动脉粥样硬化性疾病密切相关的特异性线粒体蛋白提供线索。     

PTEN-inducible kinase 1 (PINK1)/Park6 is indispensable for normal heart function

Oxidative stress is caused by an imbalance between reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and the ability of an organism to eliminate these toxic intermediates. Mutations in PTEN-inducible kinase 1 (PINK1) link mitochondrial dysfunction, increased sensitivity to ROS, and apoptosis in Parkinson's disease. Whereas PINK1 has been linked to the regulation of oxidative stress, the exact mechanism by which this occurs has remained elusive. Oxidative stress with associated mitochondrial dysfunction leads to cardiac dysfunction and heart failure (HF). We hypothesized that loss of PINK1 in the heart would have deleterious consequences on mitochondrial function. Here, we observed that PINK1 protein levels are markedly reduced in end-stage human HF. We also report that PINK1 localizes exclusively to the mitochondria. PINK1(-/-) mice develop left ventricular dysfunction and evidence of pathological cardiac hypertrophy as early as 2 mo of age. Of note, PINK1(-/-) mice have greater levels of oxidative stress and impaired mitochondrial function. There were also higher degrees of fibrosis, cardiomyocyte apoptosis, and a reciprocal reduction in capillary density associated with this baseline cardiac phenotype. Collectively, our in vivo data demonstrate that PINK1 activity is crucial for postnatal myocardial development, through its role in maintaining mitochondrial function, and redox homeostasis in cardiomyocytes. In conclusion, PINK1 possesses a distinct, nonredundant function in the surveillance and maintenance of cardiac tissue homeostasis.     

From the Cover: Impaired mitochondrial transport and Parkin-independent degeneration of respiratory chain-deficient dopamine neurons in vivo

Mitochondrial dysfunction is heavily implicated in Parkinson disease (PD) as exemplified by the finding of an increased frequency of respiratory chain-deficient dopamine (DA) neurons in affected patients. An inherited form of PD is caused by impaired function of Parkin, an E3 ubiquitin ligase reported to translocate to defective mitochondria in vitro to facilitate their clearance. We have developed a reporter mouse to assess mitochondrial morphology in DA neurons in vivo and show here that respiratory chain deficiency leads to fragmentation of the mitochondrial network and to the formation of large cytoplasmic bodies derived from mitochondria. Surprisingly, the dysfunctional mitochondria do not recruit Parkin in vivo, and neither the clearance of defective mitochondria nor the neurodegeneration phenotype is affected by the absence of Parkin. We also show that anterograde axonal transport of mitochondria is impaired in respiratory chain-deficient DA neurons, leading to a decreased supply of mitochondria to the axonal terminals.     

Early deficits in synaptic mitochondria in an Alzheimer's disease mouse model

Synaptic dysfunction and the loss of synapses are early pathological features of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Synapses are sites of high energy demand and extensive calcium fluctuations; accordingly, synaptic transmission requires high levels of ATP and constant calcium fluctuation. Thus, synaptic mitochondria are vital for maintenance of synaptic function and transmission through normal mitochondrial energy metabolism, distribution and trafficking, and through synaptic calcium modulation. To date, there has been no extensive analysis of alterations in synaptic mitochondria associated with amyloid pathology in an amyloid β (Aβ)-rich milieu. Here, we identified differences in mitochondrial properties and function of synaptic vs. nonsynaptic mitochondrial populations in the transgenic mouse brain, which overexpresses the human mutant form of amyloid precursor protein and Aβ. Compared with nonsynaptic mitochondria, synaptic mitochondria showed a greater degree of age-dependent accumulation of Aβ and mitochondrial alterations. The synaptic mitochondrial pool of Aβ was detected at an age as young as 4 mo, well before the onset of nonsynaptic mitochondrial and extensive extracellular Aβ accumulation. Aβ-insulted synaptic mitochondria revealed early deficits in mitochondrial function, as shown by increased mitochondrial permeability transition, decline in both respiratory function and activity of cytochrome c oxidase, and increased mitochondrial oxidative stress. Furthermore, a low concentration of Aβ (200 nM) significantly interfered with mitochondrial distribution and trafficking in axons. These results demonstrate that synaptic mitochondria, especially Aβ-rich synaptic mitochondria, are more susceptible to Aβ-induced damage, highlighting the central importance of synaptic mitochondrial dysfunction relevant to the development of synaptic degeneration in AD.     

A common mitochondrial DNA variant is associated with insulin resistance in adult life

Summary Mitochondrial DNA is maternally inherited. Mitochondrial DNA mutations could contribute to the excess of maternal over paternal inheritance of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). We therefore investigated the relationship between this variant, insulin resistance and other risk factors in a cohort which had been well characterised with respect to diabetes. Blood DNA was screened from 251 men born in Hertfordshire 1920–1930 in whom an earlier cohort study had shown that glucose tolerance was inversely related to birthweight. The 16 189 variant (T- > C transition) in the first hypervariable region of mitochondrial DNA was detected using the polymerase chain reaction and restriction digestion. DNA analysis showed that 28 of the 251 men (11 %) had the 16 189 variant. The prevalence of the 16 189 variant increased progressively with fasting insulin concentration (p < 0.01). The association was independent of age and body mass index and was present after exclusion of the patients with NIDDM or impaired glucose tolerance. We found that insulin resistance in adult life was associated with the 16 189 variant. This study provides the first evidence that a frequent mitochondrial variant may contribute to the phenotype in patients with a common multifactorial disorder. [Diabetologia (1998) 41: 54–58] Received: 20 May 1997 and in revised form: 7 August 1997     

线粒体功能障碍与血管内皮损伤的研究进展

线粒体功能障碍会导致ATP的生成减少,活性氧的产生增加,被认为是血管内皮损伤的触发因素之一。许多因素与线粒体功能障碍有关,如线粒体DNA突变、线粒体融合与分裂失衡、线粒体自噬受损等。本文综述了线粒体的质量控制过程和线粒体功能障碍在血管内皮损伤中的作用机制,以期为动脉粥样硬化的有效防治提供新的思路。     

Structural basis for recruitment of mitochondrial fission complexes by Fis1

Mitochondrial fission controls mitochondrial shape and physiology, including mitochondrial remodeling in apoptosis. During assembly of the yeast mitochondrial fission complex, the outer membrane protein Fis1 recruits the dynamin-related GTPase Dnm1 to mitochondria. Fis1 contains a tetratricopeptide repeat (TPR) domain and interacts with Dnm1 via the molecular adaptors Mdv1 and Caf4. By using crystallographic analysis of adaptor-Fis1 complexes, we show that these adaptors use two helices to bind to both the concave and convex surfaces of the Fis1 TPR domain. Fis1 therefore contains two interaction interfaces, a binding mode that, to our knowledge, has not been observed previously for TPR domains. Genetic and biochemical studies indicate that both binding interfaces are important for binding of Mdv1 and Caf4 to Fis1 and for mitochondrial fission activity in vivo. Our results reveal how Fis1 recruits the mitochondrial fission complex and will facilitate efforts to manipulate mitochondrial fission.     

Clinical and genetic features of four patients with Pearson syndrome: An observational study

Pearson syndrome (PS) is a multisystem mitochondrial cytopathy arising from deletions in mitochondrial DNA. Pearson syndrome is a sporadic disease that affects the hematopoietic system, pancreas, eyes, liver, and heart and the prognosis is poor. Causes of morbidity include metabolic crisis, bone marrow dysfunction, sepsis, and liver failure in early infancy or childhood. Early diagnosis may minimize complications, but suspicion of the disease is difficult and only mitochondrial DNA gene testing can identify mutations. There is no specific treatment for PS, which remains supportive care according to symptoms; however, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation may be considered in cases of bone marrow failure.We herein describe the clinical and genetic characteristics of four patients with PS. One patient presented with hypoglycemia, two developed pancytopenia, and the final patient had hypoglycemia and acute hepatitis as the primary manifestation. All patients had lactic acidosis. Additionally, all patients showed a variety of clinical features including coagulation disorder, pancreatic, adrenal, and renal tubular insufficiencies. Two patients with pancytopenia died in their early childhood. Our experience expands the phenotypic spectrum associated with PS and its clinical understanding.     

Hepatocerebral Form of Mitochondrial DNA Depletion Syndrome Due to Mutation in MPV17 Gene

Mitochondrial DNA depletion syndromes (MDSs) are autosomal recessive diseases characterized by a severe decrease in mitochondrial DNA content leading to dysfunction of the affected organ. Autosomal recessive mutations in MPV17 have been identified in the hepatocerebral form of MDS. We describe the clinical features, biochemical and molecular results of a Saudi infant with a new mutation of MPV17 and compared the features to those of previously reported cases. We stress the importance of such rare cases particularly in countries with high consanguineous marriage rate.     

ARMC12 regulates spatiotemporal mitochondrial dynamics during spermiogenesis and is required for male fertility

The mammalian sperm midpiece has a unique double-helical structure called the mitochondrial sheath that wraps tightly around the axoneme. Despite the remarkable organization of the mitochondrial sheath, the molecular mechanisms involved in mitochondrial sheath formation are unclear. In the process of screening testis-enriched genes for functions in mice, we identified armadillo repeat-containing 12 (ARMC12) as an essential protein for mitochondrial sheath formation. Here, we engineered Armc12-null mice, FLAG-tagged Armc12 knock-in mice, and TBC1 domain family member 21 (Tbc1d21)-null mice to define the functions of ARMC12 in mitochondrial sheath formation in vivo. We discovered that absence of ARMC12 causes abnormal mitochondrial coiling along the flagellum, resulting in reduced sperm motility and male sterility. During spermiogenesis, sperm mitochondria in Armc12-null mice cannot elongate properly at the mitochondrial interlocking step which disrupts abnormal mitochondrial coiling. ARMC12 is a mitochondrial peripheral membrane protein and functions as an adherence factor between mitochondria in cultured cells. ARMC12 in testicular germ cells interacts with mitochondrial proteins MIC60, VDAC2, and VDAC3 as well as TBC1D21 and GK2, which are required for mitochondrial sheath formation. We also observed that TBC1D21 is essential for the interaction between ARMC12 and VDAC proteins in vivo. These results indicate that ARMC12 uses integral mitochondrial membrane proteins VDAC2 and VDAC3 as scaffolds to link mitochondria and works cooperatively with TBC1D21. Thus, our studies have revealed that ARMC12 regulates spatiotemporal mitochondrial dynamics to form the mitochondrial sheath through cooperative interactions with several proteins on the sperm mitochondrial surface.

Fertilization, the union of female gametes (oocytes) with their male counterpart (spermatozoa), is essential for the continuation of species. Sperm, or spermatozoa, consists of a compact, haploid head attached to a flagellum that provides the locomotive force required to deliver the haploid male genome to the egg. The flagellum is divided into a midpiece, principal piece, and end-piece region, and the mammalian sperm midpiece is characterized by the mitochondrial sheath that packs tightly around the axoneme and the outer dense fibers (1). Because this mitochondrial sheath structure shows remarkable regularity in its organization (2), it is unsurprising that disruption of this structure leads to reduced sperm motility and infertility in mice (3–5). Likewise, morphological abnormalities in mitochondrial sheath are sometimes observed in infertile men (6). These findings suggest that proper mitochondrial sheath formation is essential for fertility in both humans and mice.The formation of the mitochondrial sheath in mammals occurs late in spermatogenesis (7). In this process, spherical-shaped mitochondria are recruited from the cytoplasm and line up around the flagellum. These spherical-shaped mitochondria elongate laterally to become crescent-like in shape. Subsequently, crescent-like mitochondria elongate continuously to coil tightly around the flagellum in a double helical structure (2, 8). Although formation of this well-organized mitochondrial sheath has been described ultrastructurally, the molecular mechanisms involved in mitochondrial sheath formation remain unclear due to a lack of good animal models and the identification of key pathway proteins.Because the mitochondrial sheath structures in humans and mice have common characteristics (9) and ultrastructural microscopic analysis of mitochondrial sheath formation has been established (8), mice are an excellent animal model for the study of mitochondrial sheath formation. To unveil the factor(s) involved in mitochondrial sheath formation, creating and analyzing male mice carrying null mutations is a feasible approach because we can observe protein function directly, and as yet no culture systems exist that produce fully functional spermatozoa in vitro. Therefore, we generated knockout (KO) male mice using CRISPR/Cas9-based genome engineering and screened their phenotypes (10–12) to find factors involved in mitochondrial sheath formation. In addition, we analyzed the functions of identified proteins to unveil the molecular mechanisms of mitochondrial sheath formation.In the process of conducting functional screens of testis-enriched genes in mice, we identified armadillo repeat-containing 12 (ARMC12) as an essential protein for mitochondrial sheath formation. ARMC12 belongs to the ARM family which consists of proteins with similar ARM-repeat motifs of ∼40 amino acids that form three α-helices (13). Several ARM family proteins were reported to be related to mitochondria (14–16) or spermatogenesis (17, 18), but there have been no reports related to mitochondrial sheath formation. ARMC12 was reported to be highly expressed in clinical neuroblastoma specimens and to drive the growth and aggressiveness of neuroblastoma cell lines (19). However, because Armc12 shows testis-enriched expression according to the Mouse ENCODE Project (20), the pathophysiological role of ARMC12 in this cancer is likely due to its ectopic expression.Here, we engineered the Armc12 locus to produce both KO mice and FLAG-tagged knock-in (KI) mice to define the functions of ARMC12 in mitochondrial sheath formation in vivo. Using these lines, we revealed that ARMC12 is essential for male fertility and proper mitochondrial elongation to coil along the flagellum during spermiogenesis. Our study reveals the molecular mechanisms involved in mitochondrial sheath formation during spermiogenesis and uncovers an aspect of “sperm mitochondrial dynamics” that is essential for generating functional spermatozoa and fertility.     

Spatio-temporal oscillations of individual mitochondria in cardiac myocytes reveal modulation of synchronized mitochondrial clusters

Mitochondrial networks in cardiac myocytes under oxidative stress show collective (cluster) behavior through synchronization of their inner membrane potentials (ΔΨ_m). However, it is unclear whether the oscillation frequency and coupling strength between individual mitochondria affect the size of the cluster and vice versa. We used the wavelet transform and developed advanced signal processing tools that allowed us to capture individual mitochondrial ΔΨ_m oscillations in cardiac myocytes and examine their dynamic spatio-temporal properties. Heterogeneous frequency behavior prompted us to sort mitochondria according to their frequencies. Signal analysis of the mitochondrial network showed an inverse relationship between cluster size and cluster frequency as well as between cluster amplitude and cluster size. High cross-correlation coefficients between neighboring mitochondria clustered longitudinally along the myocyte striations, indicated anisotropic communication between mitochondria. Isochronal mapping of the onset of myocyte-wide ΔΨ_m depolarization further exemplified heterogeneous ΔΨ_m among mitochondria. Taken together, the results suggest that frequency and amplitude modulation of clusters of synchronized mitochondria arises by means of strong changes in local coupling between neighboring mitochondria.     

An ancestral bacterial division system is widespread in eukaryotic mitochondria

Bacterial division initiates at the site of a contractile Z-ring composed of polymerized FtsZ. The location of the Z-ring in the cell is controlled by a system of three mutually antagonistic proteins, MinC, MinD, and MinE. Plastid division is also known to be dependent on homologs of these proteins, derived from the ancestral cyanobacterial endosymbiont that gave rise to plastids. In contrast, the mitochondria of model systems such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae, mammals, and Arabidopsis thaliana seem to have replaced the ancestral α-proteobacterial Min-based division machinery with host-derived dynamin-related proteins that form outer contractile rings. Here, we show that the mitochondrial division system of these model organisms is the exception, rather than the rule, for eukaryotes. We describe endosymbiont-derived, bacterial-like division systems comprising FtsZ and Min proteins in diverse less-studied eukaryote protistan lineages, including jakobid and heterolobosean excavates, a malawimonad, stramenopiles, amoebozoans, a breviate, and an apusomonad. For two of these taxa, the amoebozoan Dictyostelium purpureum and the jakobid Andalucia incarcerata, we confirm a mitochondrial localization of these proteins by their heterologous expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The discovery of a proteobacterial-like division system in mitochondria of diverse eukaryotic lineages suggests that it was the ancestral feature of all eukaryotic mitochondria and has been supplanted by a host-derived system multiple times in distinct eukaryote lineages.     

Chronic intestinal pseudoobstruction with myopathy and ophthalmoplegia

Summary The association of chronic intestinal pseudoobstruction with ophthalmoplegia has been reported previously in visceral myopathies. We report a case of this association in which muscle mitochondria had a crystalline appearance, a dense core, and decreased cytochromec oxidase and succinate cytochromec reductase activities. The absence of evident mitochondrial DNA deletion in the skeletal muscle of this patient does not exclude the possibility of localized deletion or mutation of mitochondrial DNA in digestive muscle.     

Txnip balances metabolic and growth signaling via PTEN disulfide reduction

Thioredoxin-interacting protein (Txnip) inhibits thioredoxin NADPH-dependent reduction of protein disulfides. Total Txnip knockout (TKO) mice adapted inappropriately to prolonged fasting by shifting fuel dependence of skeletal muscle and heart from fat and ketone bodies to glucose. TKO mice exhibited increased Akt signaling, insulin sensitivity, and glycolysis in oxidative tissues (skeletal muscle and hearts) but not in lipogenic tissues (liver and adipose tissue). The selective activation of Akt in skeletal muscle and hearts was associated with impaired mitochondrial fuel oxidation and the accumulation of oxidized (inactive) PTEN, whose activity depends on reduction of two critical cysteine residues. Whereas muscle- and heart-specific Txnip knockout mice recapitulated the metabolic phenotype exhibited by TKO mice, liver-specific Txnip knockout mice were similar to WT mice. Embryonic fibroblasts derived from knockout mice also accumulated oxidized (inactive) PTEN and had elevated Akt phosphorylation. In addition, they had faster growth rates and increased dependence on anaerobic glycolysis due to impaired mitochondrial fuel oxidation, and they were resistant to doxorubicin-facilitated respiration-dependent apoptosis. In the absence of Txnip, oxidative inactivation of PTEN and subsequent activation of Akt attenuated mitochondrial respiration, resulting in the accumulation of NADH, a competitive inhibitor of thioredoxin NADPH-reductive activation of PTEN. These findings indicate that, in nonlipogenic tissues, Txnip is required to maintain sufficient thioredoxin NADPH activity to reductively reactivate oxidized PTEN and oppose Akt downstream signaling.     

Kissing and nanotunneling mediate intermitochondrial communication in the heart

Mitochondria in many types of cells are dynamically interconnected through constant fusion and fission, allowing for exchange of mitochondrial contents and repair of damaged mitochondria. However, constrained by the myofibril lattice, the ∼6,000 mitochondria in the adult mammalian cardiomyocyte display little motility, and it is unclear how, if at all, they communicate with each other. By means of target-expressing photoactivatable green fluorescent protein (PAGFP) in the mitochondrial matrix or on the outer mitochondrial membrane, we demonstrated that the local PAGFP signal propagated over the entire population of mitochondria in cardiomyocytes on a time scale of ∼10 h. Two elemental steps of intermitochondrial communications were manifested as either a sudden PAGFP transfer between a pair of adjacent mitochondria (i.e., “kissing”) or a dynamic nanotubular tunnel (i.e., “nanotunneling”) between nonadjacent mitochondria. The average content transfer index (fractional exchange) was around 0.5; the rate of kissing was 1‰ s⁻¹ per mitochondrial pair, and that of nanotunneling was about 14 times smaller. Electron microscopy revealed extensive intimate contacts between adjacent mitochondria and elongated nanotubular protrusions, providing a structural basis for the kissing and nanotunneling, respectively. We propose that, through kissing and nanotunneling, the otherwise static mitochondria in a cardiomyocyte form one dynamically continuous network to share content and transfer signals.