Increased mitochondrial biogenesis in muscle improves aging phenotypes in the mtDNA mutator mouse

Aging is an intricate process that increases susceptibility to sarcopenia and cardiovascular diseases. The accumulation of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations is believed to contribute to mitochondrial dysfunction, potentially shortening lifespan. The mtDNA mutator mouse, a mouse model with a proofreading-deficient mtDNA polymerase γ, was shown to develop a premature aging phenotype, including sarcopenia, cardiomyopathy and decreased lifespan. This phenotype was associated with an accumulation of mtDNA mutations and mitochondrial dysfunction. We found that increased expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α), a crucial regulator of mitochondrial biogenesis and function, in the muscle of mutator mice increased mitochondrial biogenesis and function and also improved the skeletal muscle and heart phenotypes of the mice. Deep sequencing analysis of their mtDNA showed that the increased mitochondrial biogenesis did not reduce the accumulation of mtDNA mutations but rather caused a small increase. These results indicate that increased muscle PGC-1α expression is able to improve some premature aging phenotypes in the mutator mice without reverting the accumulation of mtDNA mutations.     

Life span is related to the free energy of mitochondrial DNA

Broadly speaking, the mitochondrial theory of aging relates aging to the rate of damage to mitochondria. In this work, I concentrate on a DNA sequence property, the free energy, which can be interpreted as a factor in the susceptibility of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) to mutation. I show that life spans across a broad range of species are a function of the mtDNA free energy and are proportional to the probability of opening of bubbles of single-stranded mtDNA of approximately 20 base pairs in length, in agreement with the measured nucleation size of these bubbles. These transient separations of the mtDNA strands are a possible aging mechanism, through increased mtDNA mutations. In comparisons of species with similar life spans, avian mtDNA has more negative free energy than does mammalian mtDNA, suppressing the predicted probability of mtDNA bubble formation in birds by over 80% and thus protecting them against mutation. Based on these results I propose three hypotheses about the conflicting evolutionary forces that have acted on the free energy of mtDNA.     

The pathophysiology of mitochondrial disease as modeled in the mouse

It is now clear that mitochondrial defects are associated with a plethora of clinical phenotypes in man and mouse. This is the result of the mitochondria''s central role in energy production, reactive oxygen species (ROS) biology, and apoptosis, and because the mitochondrial genome consists of roughly 1500 genes distributed across the maternal mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and the Mendelian nuclear DNA (nDNA). While numerous pathogenic mutations in both mtDNA and nDNA mitochondrial genes have been identified in the past 21 years, the causal role of mitochondrial dysfunction in the common metabolic and degenerative diseases, cancer, and aging is still debated. However, the development of mice harboring mitochondrial gene mutations is permitting demonstration of the direct cause-and-effect relationship between mitochondrial dysfunction and disease. Mutations in nDNA-encoded mitochondrial genes involved in energy metabolism, antioxidant defenses, apoptosis via the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mtPTP), mitochondrial fusion, and mtDNA biogenesis have already demonstrated the phenotypic importance of mitochondrial defects. These studies are being expanded by the recent development of procedures for introducing mtDNA mutations into the mouse. These studies are providing direct proof that mtDNA mutations are sufficient by themselves to generate major clinical phenotypes. As more different mtDNA types and mtDNA gene mutations are introduced into various mouse nDNA backgrounds, the potential functional role of mtDNA variation in permitting humans and mammals to adapt to different environments and in determining their predisposition to a wide array of diseases should be definitively demonstrated.     

Maternally inherited mitochondrial DNA disease in consanguineous families

Mitochondrial respiratory chain disease represents one of the most common inborn errors of metabolism and is genetically heterogeneous, with biochemical defects arising from mutations in the mitochondrial genome (mtDNA) or the nuclear genome. As such, inheritance of mitochondrial respiratory chain disease can either follow dominant or recessive autosomal (Mendelian) inheritance patterns, the strictly matrilineal inheritance observed with mtDNA point mutations or X-linked inheritance. Parental consanguinity in respiratory chain disease is often assumed to infer an autosomal recessive inheritance pattern, and the analysis of mtDNA may be overlooked in the pursuit of a presumed nuclear genetic defect. We report the histochemical, biochemical and molecular genetic investigations of two patients with suspected mitochondrial disease who, despite being born to consanguineous first-cousin parents, were found to harbour well-characterised pathogenic mtDNA mutations, both of which were maternally transmitted. Our findings highlight that any diagnostic algorithm for the investigation of mitochondrial respiratory chain disease must include a full and complete analysis of the entire coding sequence of the mitochondrial genome in a clinically relevant tissue. An autosomal basis for respiratory chain disease should not be assumed in consanguineous families and that 'maternally inherited consanguineous' mitochondrial disease may thus be going undiagnosed.     

Gene expression profile in dilated cardiomyopathy caused by elevated frequencies of mitochondrial DNA mutations in the mouse heart.

BACKGROUND: Elevated mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations are associated with aging and age-related diseases, but their pathogenic potential is unclear. METHODS: We performed expression profiling using an Incyte cDNA array of a mouse model of elevated mtDNA mutations wherein random mutations accumulate specifically in the heart. At frequencies of about 1 mutation/10,000 base pairs, these mice show apoptosis of cardiomyocytes and development of four-chamber dilated cardiomyopathy. RESULTS: Significant Analysis of Microarrays (SAM) revealed that 117 genes were altered in their expression in the transgenic (Tg) heart at a threshold of less than one false positive, of which 34 were up-regulated and 83 were down-regulated. Some of the changes were confirmed by Northern and Western blots. By classification of these genes into functional categories, we identified changes that reflected cardiac pathology. The results indicated that cardiomyopathy caused by mtDNA mutations was largely characterized by gene expression changes indicative of increased fibrosis and cardiac remodeling of the extracellular matrix. Few changes were observed, suggesting an alteration in either mitochondrial energy production or generation of increased oxidative stress. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated frequencies of mtDNA mutations in the mouse heart lead to gene expression changes that are associated with remodeling of the extracellular matrix. Because cardiomyocytic death by apoptosis is also a feature of the dilated cardiomyopathy evident in these mice, extracellular remodeling may be a response to apoptotic signaling originating from the mitochondria with mtDNA mutations.     

Mitochondrial base excision repair in mouse synaptosomes during normal aging and in a model of Alzheimer's disease

Brain aging is associated with synaptic decline and synaptic function is highly dependent on mitochondria. Increased levels of oxidative DNA base damage and accumulation of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations or deletions lead to mitochondrial dysfunction, playing an important role in the aging process and the pathogenesis of several neurodegenerative diseases. Here we have investigated the repair of oxidative base damage, in synaptosomes of mouse brain during normal aging and in an AD model. During normal aging, a reduction in the base excision repair (BER) capacity was observed in the synaptosomal fraction, which was associated with a decrease in the level of BER proteins. However, we did not observe changes between the synaptosomal BER activities of presymptomatic and symptomatic AD mice harboring mutated amyolid precursor protein (APP), Tau, and presinilin-1 (PS1) (3xTgAD). Our findings suggest that the age-related reduction in BER capacity in the synaptosomal fraction might contribute to mitochondrial and synaptic dysfunction during aging. The development of AD-like pathology in the 3xTgAD mouse model was, however, not associated with deficiencies of the BER mechanisms in the synaptosomal fraction when the whole brain was analyzed.     

Defects in maintenance of mitochondrial DNA are associated with intramitochondrial nucleotide imbalances

Defects in mtDNA maintenance range from fatal multisystem childhood diseases, such as Alpers syndrome, to milder diseases in adults, including mtDNA depletion syndromes (MDS) and familial progressive external ophthalmoplegia (AdPEO). Most are associated with defects in genes involved in mitochondrial deoxynucleotide metabolism or utilization, such as mutations in thymidine kinase 2 (TK2) as well as the mtDNA replicative helicase, Twinkle and gamma polymerase (POLG). We have developed an in vitro system to measure incorporation of radiolabelled dNTPs into mitochondria of saponin permeabilized cells. We used this to compare the rates of mtDNA synthesis in cells from 12 patients with diseases of mtDNA maintenance. We observed reduced incorporation of exogenous alpha (32)P-dTTP in fibroblasts from a patient with Alpers syndrome associated with the A467T substitution in POLG, a patient with dGK mutations, and a patient with mtDNA depletion of unknown origin compared to controls. However, incorporation of alpha (32)P-dTTP relative to either cell doubling time or alpha (32)P-dCTP incorporation was increased in patients with thymidine kinase deficiency or PEO as the result of TWINKLE mutations compared with controls. The specific activity of newly synthesized mtDNA depends on the size of the endogenous pool diluting the exogenous labelled nucleotide. Our result is consistent with a deficiency in the intramitochondrial pool of dTTP relative to dCTP in cells from patients with TK2 deficiency and TWINKLE mutations. Such DNA precursor asymmetry could cause pausing of the replication complex and hence exacerbate the propensity for age-related mtDNA mutations. Because deviations from the normal concentrations of dNTPs are known to be mutagenic, we suggest that intramitochondrial nucleotide imbalance could underlie the multiple mtDNA mutations observed in these patients.     

Differential age-related changes in mitochondrial DNA repair activities in mouse brain regions

Aging in the brain is characterized by increased susceptibility to neuronal loss and functional decline, and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations are thought to play an important role in these processes. Due to the proximity of mtDNA to the main sites of mitochondrial free radical generation, oxidative stress is a major source of DNA mutations in mitochondria. The base excision repair (BER) pathway removes oxidative lesions from mtDNA, thereby constituting an important mechanism to avoid accumulation of mtDNA mutations. The complexity of the brain implies that exposure and defence against oxidative stress varies among brain regions and hence some regions may be particularly prone to accumulation of mtDNA damages. In the current study we investigated the efficiency of the BER pathway throughout the murine lifespan in mitochondria from cortex and hippocampus, regions that are central in mammalian cognition, and which are severely affected during aging and in neurodegenerative diseases. A regional specific regulation of mitochondrial DNA repair activities was observed with aging. In cortical mitochondria, DNA glycosylase activities peaked at middle-age followed by a significant drop at old age. However, only minor changes were observed in hippocampal mitochondria during the whole lifespan of the animals. Furthermore, DNA glycosylase activities were lower in hippocampal than in cortical mitochondria. Mitochondrial AP endonuclease activity increased in old animals in both brain regions. Our data suggest an important regional specific regulation of mitochondrial BER during aging.     

Improved detection of mitochondrial DNA instability in mitochondrial genome maintenance disorders

PurposeDiseases caused by defects in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) maintenance machinery, leading to mtDNA deletions, form a specific group of disorders. However, mtDNA deletions also appear during aging, interfering with those resulting from mitochondrial disorders.MethodsHere, using next-generation sequencing (NGS) data processed by eKLIPse and data mining, we established criteria distinguishing age-related mtDNA rearrangements from those due to mtDNA maintenance defects. MtDNA deletion profiles from muscle and urine patient samples carrying pathogenic variants in nuclear genes involved in mtDNA maintenance (n = 40) were compared with age-matched controls (n = 90). Seventeen additional patient samples were used to validate the data mining model.ResultsOverall, deletion number, heteroplasmy level, deletion locations, and the presence of repeats at deletion breakpoints were significantly different between patients and controls, especially in muscle samples. The deletion number was significantly relevant in adults, while breakpoint repeat lengths surrounding deletions were discriminant in young subjects.ConclusionAltogether, eKLIPse analysis is a powerful tool for measuring the accumulation of mtDNA deletions between patients of different ages, as well as in prioritizing novel variants in genes involved in mtDNA stability.     

Improving upon nature’s somatic mitochondrial DNA therapies

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) directs key metabolic functions in eukaryotic cells. While a number of mtDNA mutations are known causes of human diseases and age-related dysfunctions, some mtDNA haplotypes are associated with extreme longevity. Despite the mutagenic mitochondrial environment naturally enhancing somatic mtDNA mutation rates, mtDNA remains grossly stable along generations of plant and animal species including man. This relative stability can be accounted for by the purging of deleterious mutations by natural selection operating on growing cells, tissues, organisms and populations, as observed in gametogenesis, embryogenesis, oncogenesis and cladogenesis. In the adult multicellular organism, however, mtDNA mutations accumulate in slowly dividing cells, and, to a much higher degree, in postmitotic cells and tissues. Dynamic mitochondrial fusion and fission, by redistributing polymorphic mtDNA molecules; mitophagy, by clearing defective mitochondria and mutated mtDNA; compensatory mutations and mtDNA repair can compensate for the accumulation of mtDNA mutations only to a certain extent, thereby creating a dysfunctional threshold. Here we hypothesize that this threshold is naturally up-regulated by both vertical and horizontal transfers of mtDNA from stem cells or cell types which retain the capacity of purging deleterious mtDNA through cell division and natural selection in the adult organism. When these natural cell and tissue mtDNA reserves are exhausted, artificial mtDNA therapy may provide for additional threshold up-regulation. Replacement of mtDNA has been already successfully accomplished in early stage embryos and stem cells in a number of species including primates. It is thus simply a matter of refinement of technique that somatic mtDNA therapy, i.e., therapy of pathological conditions based on the transfer of mtDNA to somatic eukaryotic cells and tissues, becomes a medical reality.     

The pathophysiology of mitochondrial biogenesis: towards four decades of mitochondrial DNA research

Mitochondria are with very few exceptions ubiquitous organelles in eukaryotic cells where they are essential for cell life and death. Mitochondria play a central role not only in a variety of metabolic pathways including the supply of the bulk of cellular ATP through oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS), but also in complex processes such as development, apoptosis, and aging. Mitochondria contain their own genome that is replicated and expressed within the organelle. It encodes 13 polypeptides all of them components of the OXPHOS system, and thus, the integrity of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is critical for cellular energy supply. In the past 12 years more than 50 point mutations and around 100 rearrangements in the mtDNA have been associated with human diseases. Also in recent years, several mutations in nuclear genes that encode structural or regulatory factors of the OXPHOS system or the mtDNA metabolism have been described. The development of increasingly powerful techniques and the use of cellular and animal models are opening new avenues in the study of mitochondrial medicine. The detailed molecular characterization of the effects produced by different mutations that cause mitochondrial cytopathies will be critical for designing rational therapeutic strategies for this group of devastating diseases.     

Diagnosis of quantitative mitochondrial DNA defects by rapidly prepared whole mitochondrial DNA probe.

Analysis of disease-causing mutations in mitochondria genome requires rapid and reliable genetic approaches. However, the preparation of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) probe used for the determination of quantitative and qualitative mtDNA defects is time-consuming, cumbersome, and requires complicated instrumentation. To overcome the difficulties encountered during isolation and purification of mtDNA, the authors developed an alternative method based on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of whole mtDNA genome. In this study, they show that PCR-amplified and fluorescein-labeled mtDNA probe makes it possible, through Southern blot analysis, to identify quantitative defect of mtDNA. The results indicate that mtDNA probe can be prepared rapidly by PCR amplification and used to determine the level of mtDNA in the patients with mitochondrial diseases.     

The role of extracellular DNA in COVID-19: Clues from inflamm-aging

Epidemiological data convey severe prognosis and high mortality rate for COVID-19 in elderly men affected by age-related diseases. These subjects develop local and systemic hyper-inflammation, which are associated with thrombotic complications and multi-organ failure. Therefore, understanding SARS-CoV-2 induced hyper-inflammation in elderly men is a pressing need. Here we focus on the role of extracellular DNA, mainly mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and telomeric DNA (telDNA) in the modulation of systemic inflammation in these subjects. In particular, extracellular mtDNA is regarded as a powerful trigger of the inflammatory response. On the contrary, extracellular telDNA pool is estimated to be capable of inhibiting a variety of inflammatory pathways. In turn, we underpin that telDNA reservoir is progressively depleted during aging, and that it is scarcer in men than in women. We propose that an increase in extracellular mtDNA, concomitant with the reduction of the anti-inflammatory telDNA reservoir may explain hyper-inflammation in elderly male affected by COVID-19. This scenario is reminiscent of inflamm-aging, the portmanteau word that depicts how aging and aging related diseases are intimately linked to inflammation.