Pink1 regulates the oxidative phosphorylation machinery via mitochondrial fission

Mutations in PTEN-induced kinase 1 (PINK1), a mitochondrial Ser/Thr kinase, cause an autosomal recessive form of Parkinson''s disease (PD), PARK6. To investigate the mechanism of PINK1 pathogenesis, we used the Drosophila Pink1 knockout (KO) model. In mitochondria isolated from Pink1-KO flies, mitochondrial respiration driven by the electron transport chain (ETC) is significantly reduced. This reduction is the result of a decrease in ETC complex I and IV enzymatic activity. As a consequence, Pink1-KO flies also display a reduced mitochondrial ATP synthesis. Because mitochondrial dynamics is important for mitochondrial function and Pink1-KO flies have defects in mitochondrial fission, we explored whether fission machinery deficits underlie the bioenergetic defect in Pink1-KO flies. We found that the bioenergetic defects in the Pink1-KO can be ameliorated by expression of Drp1, a key molecule in mitochondrial fission. Further investigation of the ETC complex integrity in wild type, Pink1-KO, PInk1-KO/Drp1 transgenic, or Drp1 transgenic flies indicates that the reduced ETC complex activity is likely derived from a defect in the ETC complex assembly, which can be partially rescued by increasing mitochondrial fission. Taken together, these results suggest a unique pathogenic mechanism of PINK1 PD: The loss of PINK1 impairs mitochondrial fission, which causes defective assembly of the ETC complexes, leading to abnormal bioenergetics.     

Melatonin prevents the dynamin‐related protein 1‐dependent mitochondrial fission and oxidative insult in the cortical neurons after 1‐methyl‐4‐phenylpyridinium treatment

Mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress are involved in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD). Mitochondrial morphology is dynamic and precisely regulated by the mitochondrial fission and fusion machinery. Aberrant mitochondrial fragmentation controlled by the mitochondrial fission protein, dynamin‐related protein 1 (Drp1), may result in cell death. Our previous results showed that melatonin protected neurons by inhibiting oxidative stress in a 1‐methyl‐4‐phenylpyridinium (MPP⁺)‐induced PD model. However, the effect of melatonin on mitochondrial dynamics remains uncharacterized. Herein, we investigated the effect of melatonin and the role of Drp1 on MPP⁺‐induced mitochondrial fission in rat primary cortical neurons. We found that MPP⁺ induced a rapid increase in the ratio of GSSG:total glutathione (a marker of oxidative stress) and mitochondrial fragmentation, Drp1 upregulation within 4 hours, and finally resulted in neuron loss 48 hours after the treatment. Neurons overexpressing wild‐type Drp1 promoted mitochondrial and nuclear fragmentation; however, neurons overexpressing dominant‐negative Drp1^K38A or cotreated with melatonin exhibited significantly reduced MPP⁺‐induced mitochondrial fragmentation and neuron death. Moreover, melatonin cotreatment prevented an MPP⁺‐induced high ratio of GSSG and mitochondrial Drp1 upregulation. The prevention of mitochondrial fission by melatonin was not found in neurons transfected with wild‐type Drp1. These results provide a new insight that the neuroprotective effect of melatonin against MPP⁺ toxicity is mediated by inhibiting the oxidative stress and Drp1‐mediated mitochondrial fragmentation.     

All the little pieces. -Regulation of mitochondrial fusion and fission by ubiquitin and small ubiquitin-like modifer and their potential relevance in the heart.-

Mitochondria are dynamic organelles that undergo a constant cycle of division and fusion to maintain their function. The process of mitochondrial fusion has the effect of mixing their content, allowing complementation of protein components, mtDNA repair, and distribution of metabolic intermediates. Fission, on the other hand, enables mitochondria to increase in number and capacity, and to segregate mitochondria for autophagy by the lysosome ("mitophagy"). Disruption of these protein quality control mechanisms has recently been identified in multiple cardiac diseases, including cardiac hypertrophy, heart failure, dilated cardiomyopathy, and ischemic heart disease, and is intimately tied to mitochondrial control of apoptosis. Proteins that regulate mitochondrial fusion and fission have been discovered, including Mfn1, Mfn2, and Opa1 (fusion) and Drp1 and Fis1 (fission). In this review, we discuss how these proteins are regulated by post-translational modification with ubiquitin and SUMO (small ubiquitin-like modifier). We then present what is known about the ubiquitin and SUMO ligases that regulate these post-translational modifications and regulation of mitochondrial fusion and fission, exploring their potential as therapeutic targets of cardiac disease.     

Mitochondrial pathology and muscle and dopaminergic neuron degeneration caused by inactivation of Drosophila Pink1 is rescued by Parkin

Mutations in Pink1, a gene encoding a Ser/Thr kinase with a mitochondrial-targeting signal, are associated with Parkinson's disease (PD), the most common movement disorder characterized by selective loss of dopaminergic neurons. The mechanism by which loss of Pink1 leads to neurodegeneration is not understood. Here we show that inhibition of Drosophila Pink1 (dPink1) function results in energy depletion, shortened lifespan, and degeneration of select indirect flight muscles and dopaminergic neurons. The muscle pathology was preceded by mitochondrial enlargement and disintegration. These phenotypes could be rescued by the wild type but not the pathogenic C-terminal deleted form of human Pink1 (hPink1). The muscle and dopaminergic phenotypes associated with dPink1 inactivation show similarity to that seen in parkin mutant flies and could be suppressed by the overexpression of Parkin but not DJ-1. Consistent with the genetic rescue results, we find that, in dPink1 RNA interference (RNAi) animals, the level of Parkin protein is significantly reduced. Together, these results implicate Pink1 and Parkin in a common pathway that regulates mitochondrial physiology and cell survival in Drosophila.     

Mitochondrial dynamics and cell death in heart failure

The highly regulated processes of mitochondrial fusion (joining), fission (division) and trafficking, collectively called mitochondrial dynamics, determine cell-type specific morphology, intracellular distribution and activity of these critical organelles. Mitochondria are critical for cardiac function, while their structural and functional abnormalities contribute to several common cardiovascular diseases, including heart failure (HF). The tightly balanced mitochondrial fusion and fission determine number, morphology and activity of these multifunctional organelles. Although the intracellular architecture of mature cardiomyocytes greatly restricts mitochondrial dynamics, this process occurs in the adult human heart. Fusion and fission modulate multiple mitochondrial functions, ranging from energy and reactive oxygen species production to Ca²⁺ homeostasis and cell death, allowing the heart to respond properly to body demands. Tightly controlled balance between fusion and fission is of utmost importance in the high energy-demanding cardiomyocytes. A shift toward fission leads to mitochondrial fragmentation, while a shift toward fusion results in the formation of enlarged mitochondria and in the fusion of damaged mitochondria with healthy organelles. Mfn1, Mfn2 and OPA1 constitute the core machinery promoting mitochondrial fusion, whereas Drp1, Fis1, Mff and MiD49/51 are the core components of fission machinery. Growing evidence suggests that fusion/fission factors in adult cardiomyocytes play essential noncanonical roles in cardiac development, Ca²⁺ signaling, mitochondrial quality control and cell death. Impairment of this complex circuit causes cardiomyocyte dysfunction and death contributing to heart injury culminating in HF. Pharmacological targeting of components of this intricate network may be a novel therapeutic modality for HF treatment.     

U50，488H抑制心肌细胞缺氧/复氧诱导Drp1线粒体转位的作用及机制

目的 研究κ-阿片受体（κ-OR）激动剂U50,488H对缺氧/复氧（H/R）原代心肌细胞Drp1线粒体转位的作用与机制。 方法 将心肌细胞共分为6组,分别为常氧（Control）组、H/R组、H/R+U50,488H组、Control+Scramble RNAi组、H/R+Scramble RNAi组、H/R+Mid51 RNAi组。利用CCK-8试剂盒检测细胞活力;AnnexinV、PI试剂盒检测细胞凋亡;采用激光共聚焦显微镜观察线粒体的形态变化和Drp1与线粒体共定位情况,Western blotting检测细胞内线粒体外膜Drp1相关结合蛋白（Fis1、Mff、Mid49和Mid51）的表达水平。 结果 与常氧组相比,H/R组细胞凋亡与死亡率明显增加（P<0.01）,线粒体分裂明显增加（P<0.01）,Drp1的线粒体转位明显增多,Mid51表达显著上调（P<0.01）,但Fis1、Mff与Mid49的表达无明显差异;而κ-OR激动剂U50,488H可降低H/R后细胞凋亡与死亡率（P<0.01）,抑制线粒体分裂（P<0.01）,减少Drp1与线粒体的结合同时下调Mid51的表达水平（P<0.01）,但Fis1、Mff与Mid49的表达无明显变化;进一步研究发现,敲低Mid51可降低H/R后细胞凋亡与死亡率（P<0.01,P<0.05）,抑制线粒体的分裂（P<0.01）,减少Drp1的线粒体的转位。 结论 H/R可引起线粒体分裂与心肌细胞损伤,激活κ-OR可通过下调Mid51抑制Drp1的线粒体转位,进而抑制线粒体分裂,从而减轻H/R损伤。     

Melatonin prevents Drp1‐mediated mitochondrial fission in diabetic hearts through SIRT1‐PGC1α pathway

Myocardial contractile dysfunction is associated with an increase in mitochondrial fission in patients with diabetes. However, whether mitochondrial fission directly promotes diabetes‐induced cardiac dysfunction is still unknown. Melatonin exerts a substantial influence on the regulation of mitochondrial fission/fusion. This study investigated whether melatonin protects against diabetes‐induced cardiac dysfunction via regulation of mitochondrial fission/fusion and explored its underlying mechanisms. Here, we show that melatonin prevented diabetes‐induced cardiac dysfunction by inhibiting dynamin‐related protein 1 (Drp1)‐mediated mitochondrial fission. Melatonin treatment decreased Drp1 expression, inhibited mitochondrial fragmentation, suppressed oxidative stress, reduced cardiomyocyte apoptosis, improved mitochondrial function and cardiac function in streptozotocin (STZ )‐induced diabetic mice, but not in SIRT 1^?/? diabetic mice. In high glucose‐exposed H9c2 cells, melatonin treatment increased the expression of SIRT 1 and PGC ‐1α and inhibited Drp1‐mediated mitochondrial fission and mitochondria‐derived superoxide production. In contrast, SIRT 1 or PGC ‐1α siRNA knockdown blunted the inhibitory effects of melatonin on Drp1 expression and mitochondrial fission. These data indicated that melatonin exerted its cardioprotective effects by reducing Drp1‐mediated mitochondrial fission in a SIRT 1/PGC ‐1α‐dependent manner. Moreover, chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis revealed that PGC ‐1α directly regulated the expression of Drp1 by binding to its promoter. Inhibition of mitochondrial fission with Drp1 inhibitor mdivi‐1 suppressed oxidative stress, alleviated mitochondrial dysfunction and cardiac dysfunction in diabetic mice. These findings show that melatonin attenuates the development of diabetes‐induced cardiac dysfunction by preventing mitochondrial fission through SIRT 1‐PGC 1α pathway, which negatively regulates the expression of Drp1 directly. Inhibition of mitochondrial fission may be a potential target for delaying cardiac complications in patients with diabetes.     

The PINK1/Parkin pathway regulates mitochondrial morphology

Loss-of-function mutations in the PTEN-induced kinase 1 (PINK1) or parkin genes, which encode a mitochondrially localized serine/threonine kinase and a ubiquitin-protein ligase, respectively, result in recessive familial forms of Parkinsonism. Genetic studies in Drosophila indicate that PINK1 acts upstream of Parkin in a common pathway that influences mitochondrial integrity in a subset of tissues, including flight muscle and dopaminergic neurons. The mechanism by which PINK1 and Parkin influence mitochondrial integrity is currently unknown, although mutations in the PINK1 and parkin genes result in enlarged or swollen mitochondria, suggesting a possible regulatory role for the PINK1/Parkin pathway in mitochondrial morphology. To address this hypothesis, we examined the influence of genetic alterations affecting the machinery that governs mitochondrial morphology on the PINK1 and parkin mutant phenotypes. We report that heterozygous loss-of-function mutations of drp1, which encodes a key mitochondrial fission-promoting component, are largely lethal in a PINK1 or parkin mutant background. Conversely, the flight muscle degeneration and mitochondrial morphological alterations that result from mutations in PINK1 and parkin are strongly suppressed by increased drp1 gene dosage and by heterozygous loss-of-function mutations affecting the mitochondrial fusion-promoting factors OPA1 and Mfn2. Finally, we find that an eye phenotype associated with increased PINK1/Parkin pathway activity is suppressed by perturbations that reduce mitochondrial fission and enhanced by perturbations that reduce mitochondrial fusion. Our studies suggest that the PINK1/Parkin pathway promotes mitochondrial fission and that the loss of mitochondrial and tissue integrity in PINK1 and parkin mutants derives from reduced mitochondrial fission.     

Mst1敲除减轻高脂饮食诱发的心肌线粒体动力学紊乱

目的 探讨哺乳动物STE20样激酶1（Mst1）基因敲除是否可以减轻高脂饮食导致的心肌线粒体动力学紊乱并探究其机制。 方法 C57BL/6小鼠（WT）和Mst1基因敲除小鼠（Mst1-/-）(C57BL/6背景)随机分为正常饮食（Normal diet,ND）组和高脂饮食（High-fat diet,HFD）组,连续喂养16w后,检测各组小鼠体质量、心脏重量/胫骨长度和空腹血脂水平,超声心动图评估心脏功能,HE染色及透射电镜观察心肌肥厚和线粒体形态,心肌柠檬酸合酶(CS)活性和ATP含量评价线粒体功能,Western blot检测线粒体动力学相关蛋白的表达水平。 结果 与ND+WT组相比,HFD+WT组小鼠出现肥胖、高血脂、心肌肥厚和心脏舒张功能障碍,同时线粒体分裂增多、形态明显受损,心肌CS活性、ATP含量均降低,线粒体分裂蛋白Drp1、Fis1的表达明显上调（P<0.05）,融合蛋白Mfn2的表达明显下调（P<0.05）;与HFD+WT组相比,HFD+Mst1-/-组小鼠心脏舒张功能、线粒体形态与功能的损伤明显减轻,Drp1表达明显下调（P<0.05）,Mfn2表达明显上调（P<0.05）。 结论 Mst1基因敲除可以通过抑制线粒体分裂,促进线粒体融合,以维持线粒体动力学稳定,从而减轻脂毒性相关心肌损害。     

Dephosphorylation by calcineurin regulates translocation of Drp1 to mitochondria

Changes in mitochondrial morphology that occur during cell cycle, differentiation, and death are tightly regulated by the balance between fusion and fission processes. Excessive fragmentation can be caused by inhibition of the fusion machinery and is a common consequence of dysfunction of the organelle. Here, we show a role for calcineurin-dependent translocation of the profission dynamin related protein 1 (Drp1) to mitochondria in dysfunction-induced fragmentation. When mitochondrial depolarization is associated with sustained cytosolic Ca²⁺ rise, it activates the cytosolic phosphatase calcineurin that normally interacts with Drp1. Calcineurin-dependent dephosphorylation of Drp1, and in particular of its conserved serine 637, regulates its translocation to mitochondria as substantiated by site directed mutagenesis. Thus, fragmentation of depolarized mitochondria depends on a loop involving sustained Ca²⁺ rise, activation of calcineurin, and dephosphorylation of Drp1 and its translocation to the organelle.     

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.     

Atypical mitochondrial fission upon bacterial infection

We recently showed that infection by Listeria monocytogenes causes mitochondrial network fragmentation through the secreted pore-forming toxin listeriolysin O (LLO). Here, we examine factors involved in canonical fusion and fission. Strikingly, LLO-induced mitochondrial fragmentation does not require the traditional fission machinery, as Drp1 oligomers are absent from fragmented mitochondria following Listeria infection or LLO treatment, as the dynamin-like protein 1 (Drp1) receptor Mff is rapidly degraded, and as fragmentation proceeds efficiently in cells with impaired Drp1 function. LLO does not cause processing of the fusion protein optic atrophy protein 1 (Opa1), despite inducing a decrease in the mitochondrial membrane potential, suggesting a unique Drp1- and Opa1-independent fission mechanism distinct from that triggered by uncouplers or the apoptosis inducer staurosporine. We show that the ER marks LLO-induced mitochondrial fragmentation sites even in the absence of functional Drp1, demonstrating that the ER activity in regulating mitochondrial fission can be induced by exogenous agents and that the ER appears to regulate fission by a mechanism independent of the canonical mitochondrial fission machinery.Mitochondria are essential organelles that perform a multitude of functions, ranging from the production of biosynthetic intermediates and energy to innate immune signaling and cellular calcium buffering or the storage of proapoptotic components (1). To perform these diverse functions, mitochondria respond to cellular cues and display a highly variable and dynamic morphology, constantly undergoing fusion and fission. It is becoming increasingly clear that mitochondrial dynamics and function are deeply interconnected, and mitochondrial dysfunction is associated with a range of diseases.Wild-type mitochondrial morphology and function are maintained by a balance between mitochondrial fusion and fission. Fusion allows exchange of genetic material between single mitochondria and is mediated by two large guanosine triphosphate phosphohydrolases (GTPases) embedded in the outer membrane (mitofusin 1 and 2) and an inner membrane GTPase, Opa1 (2). Deletion mutants affecting these three proteins accumulate dysfunctional mitochondria, leading to neurodegenerative phenotypes and different forms of myopathy (1, 3).Mitochondrial fusion is balanced by fission, which is essential to ensure proper distribution of mitochondria and energy supply to daughter cells in mitosis or within a single cell. This necessity is particularly evident in neurons, where fission defects prevent efficient mitochondrial transport to synapses, the crucial sites of energy consumption (4, 5). The physiological importance of mitochondrial fission is further highlighted by its essential role in embryonic development in mice and nematodes (6–8).Mitochondrial fission is thought to be accomplished by the dynamin-like protein Drp1, a mainly cytosolic protein that is recruited to future fission sites, where it oligomerizes to form spirals that constrict mitochondria. Mitochondrial fission is regulated at several levels: by initial ER- and actin-mediated mitochondrial constriction (9, 10), leading to the accumulation of the membrane-bound Drp1 receptor Mff and by several posttranslational modifications of Drp1, which modulate its activity (11).Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen capable of invading nonphagocytic cells, where it can replicate and spread. The pathogenic potential of L. monocytogenes correlates with the expression of several virulence genes (12). One of the most important virulence factors is listeriolysin O (LLO), a highly regulated secreted pore-forming toxin (reviewed in ref. 13). LLO belongs to the family of cholesterol-dependent cytolysins (CDCs), most of which are produced by extracellular bacteria such as Streptococci or Clostridia. CDCs oligomerize on cholesterol-containing membranes to form nonselective ion-permeable pores of variable sizes (14) that act in concert with bacterial phospholipases to allow bacterial escape from the phagosome. More recently, LLO has been found to have several intracellular and extracellular roles that extend beyond phagosomal escape. For example, we have shown that infection with L. monocytogenes causes fragmentation of the host mitochondrial network by action of its pore-forming toxin LLO before bacterial entry (15).In this study, we demonstrate that LLO-induced mitochondrial fragmentation does not follow canonical pathways, because it is independent of key fusion and fission components, such as Opa1 and Drp1. We demonstrate that the ER marks mitochondrial fragmentation sites even in the absence of functional Drp1, and that the actin cytoskeleton also facilitates fragmentation. LLO-induced fragmentation is distinct from that observed upon treatment with uncouplers [such as carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP)] and apoptosis inducers (such as staurosporine), revealing a unique pathway for mitochondrial fragmentation that can be induced by an exogenous agent.     

Helicobacter pylori vacuolating cytotoxin A (VacA) engages the mitochondrial fission machinery to induce host cell death

A number of pathogenic bacteria target mitochondria to modulate the host's apoptotic machinery. Studies here revealed that infection with the human gastric pathogen Helicobacter pylori disrupts the morphological dynamics of mitochondria as a mechanism to induce host cell death. The vacuolating cytotoxin A (VacA) is both essential and sufficient for inducing mitochondrial network fragmentation through the mitochondrial recruitment and activation of dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1), which is a critical regulator of mitochondrial fission within cells. Inhibition of Drp1-induced mitochondrial fission within VacA-intoxicated cells inhibited the activation of the proapoptotic Bcl-2-associated X (Bax) protein, permeabilization of the mitochondrial outer membrane, and cell death. Our data reveal a heretofore unrecognized strategy by which a pathogenic microbe engages the host's apoptotic machinery.     

动力相关蛋白1抑制剂减轻糖尿病小鼠心肌缺血/再灌注损伤

目的 探究动力相关蛋白（Dynamin-related protein,Drp）1抑制剂Mdivi-1对糖尿病小鼠心肌缺血/再灌注（Myocardial ischemia/reperfusion,MI/R）损伤的作用及其机制。方法 高脂饮食加小剂量链脲佐菌素（STZ）诱导建立糖尿病小鼠模型。造模成功的糖尿病小鼠进行MI/R处理,再灌注前15 min腹腔注射Mdivi-1(1.2 mg/kg)或其溶剂二甲基亚砜。主要评价指标包括线粒体形态、心脏功能、心肌损伤及凋亡,蛋白免疫印迹检测Drp1表达。结果 糖尿病MI/R后线粒体分裂增加（P<0.01）,线粒体Drp1转位明显增加（P<0.01）,Mdivi-1可抑制缺血/再灌注心肌的Drp1线粒体转位及线粒体分裂,减少心肌梗死面积和心肌细胞凋亡（P<0.01）,减轻氧化应激（P<0.05）。结论 Drp1介导的线粒体分裂增加参与了糖尿病MI/R损伤,Drp1抑制剂Mdivi-1可抑制线粒体分裂,减轻糖尿病MI/R损伤。     

Cytoplasmic Pink1 activity protects neurons from dopaminergic neurotoxin MPTP

PTEN-induced putative kinase 1 (Pink1) is a recently identified gene linked to a recessive form of familial Parkinson's disease (PD). The kinase contains a mitochondrial localization sequence and is reported to reside, at least in part, in mitochondria. However, neither the manner by which the loss of Pink1 contributes to dopamine neuron loss nor its impact on mitochondrial function and relevance to death is clear. Here, we report that depletion of Pink1 by RNAi increased neuronal toxicity induced by MPP(+). Moreover, wild-type Pink1, but not the G309D mutant linked to familial PD or an engineered kinase-dead mutant K219M, protects neurons against MPTP both in vitro and in vivo. Intriguingly, a mutant that contains a deletion of the putative mitochondrial-targeting motif was targeted to the cytoplasm but still provided protection against 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridine (MPP(+))/1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced toxicity. In addition, we also show that endogenous Pink1 is localized to cytosolic as well as mitochondrial fractions. Thus, our findings indicate that Pink1 plays a functional role in the survival of neurons and that cytoplasmic targets, in addition to its other actions in the mitochondria, may be important for this protective effect.     

Mitochondrial pathology and apoptotic muscle degeneration in Drosophila parkin mutants

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder characterized by loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. Several lines of evidence strongly implicate mitochondrial dysfunction as a major causative factor in PD, although the molecular mechanisms responsible for mitochondrial dysfunction are poorly understood. Recently, loss-of-function mutations in the parkin gene, which encodes a ubiquitin-protein ligase, were found to underlie a familial form of PD known as autosomal recessive juvenile parkinsonism (AR-JP). To gain insight into the molecular mechanism responsible for selective cell death in AR-JP, we have created a Drosophila model of this disorder. Drosophila parkin null mutants exhibit reduced lifespan, locomotor defects, and male sterility. The locomotor defects derive from apoptotic cell death of muscle subsets, whereas the male sterile phenotype derives from a spermatid individualization defect at a late stage of spermatogenesis. Mitochondrial pathology is the earliest manifestation of muscle degeneration and a prominent characteristic of individualizing spermatids in parkin mutants. These results indicate that the tissue-specific phenotypes observed in Drosophila parkin mutants result from mitochondrial dysfunction and raise the possibility that similar mitochondrial impairment triggers the selective cell loss observed in AR-JP.     

Mitochondrial-Shaping Proteins in Cardiac Health and Disease – the Long and the Short of It!

Mitochondrial health is critically dependent on the ability of mitochondria to undergo changes in mitochondrial morphology, a process which is regulated by mitochondrial shaping proteins. Mitochondria undergo fission to generate fragmented discrete organelles, a process which is mediated by the mitochondrial fission proteins (Drp1, hFIS1, Mff and MiD49/51), and is required for cell division, and to remove damaged mitochondria by mitophagy. Mitochondria undergo fusion to form elongated interconnected networks, a process which is orchestrated by the mitochondrial fusion proteins (Mfn1, Mfn2 and OPA1), and which enables the replenishment of damaged mitochondrial DNA. In the adult heart, mitochondria are relatively static, are constrained in their movement, and are characteristically arranged into 3 distinct subpopulations based on their locality and function (subsarcolemmal, myofibrillar, and perinuclear). Although the mitochondria are arranged differently, emerging data supports a role for the mitochondrial shaping proteins in cardiac health and disease. Interestingly, in the adult heart, it appears that the pleiotropic effects of the mitochondrial fusion proteins, Mfn2 (endoplasmic reticulum-tethering, mitophagy) and OPA1 (cristae remodeling, regulation of apoptosis, and energy production) may play more important roles than their pro-fusion effects. In this review article, we provide an overview of the mitochondrial fusion and fission proteins in the adult heart, and highlight their roles as novel therapeutic targets for treating cardiac disease.     

Amyloid-β overproduction causes abnormal mitochondrial dynamics via differential modulation of mitochondrial fission/fusion proteins

Mitochondrial dysfunction is a prominent feature of Alzheimer disease but the underlying mechanism is unclear. In this study, we investigated the effect of amyloid precursor protein (APP) and amyloid β on mitochondrial dynamics in neurons. Confocal and electron microscopic analysis demonstrated that ≈40% M17 cells overexpressing WT APP (APPwt M17 cells) and more than 80% M17 cells overexpressing APPswe mutant (APPswe M17 cells) displayed alterations in mitochondrial morphology and distribution. Specifically, mitochondria exhibited a fragmented structure and an abnormal distribution accumulating around the perinuclear area. These mitochondrial changes were abolished by treatment with β-site APP-cleaving enzyme inhibitor IV. From a functional perspective, APP overexpression affected mitochondria at multiple levels, including elevating reactive oxygen species levels, decreasing mitochondrial membrane potential, and reducing ATP production, and also caused neuronal dysfunction such as differentiation deficiency upon retinoic acid treatment. At the molecular level, levels of dynamin-like protein 1 and OPA1 were significantly decreased whereas levels of Fis1 were significantly increased in APPwt and APPswe M17 cells. Notably, overexpression of dynamin-like protein 1 in these cells rescued the abnormal mitochondrial distribution and differentiation deficiency, but failed to rescue mitochondrial fragmentation and functional parameters, whereas overexpression of OPA1 rescued mitochondrial fragmentation and functional parameters, but failed to restore normal mitochondrial distribution. Overexpression of APP or Aβ-derived diffusible ligand treatment also led to mitochondrial fragmentation and reduced mitochondrial coverage in neuronal processes in differentiated primary hippocampal neurons. Based on these data, we concluded that APP, through amyloid β production, causes an imbalance of mitochondrial fission/fusion that results in mitochondrial fragmentation and abnormal distribution, which contributes to mitochondrial and neuronal dysfunction.     

Dissociation of mitochondrial from sarcoplasmic reticular stress in Drosophila cardiomyopathy induced by molecularly distinct mitochondrial fusion defects

Mitochondrial dynamism (fusion and fission) is responsible for remodeling interconnected mitochondrial networks in some cell types. Adult cardiac myocytes lack mitochondrial networks, and their mitochondria are inherently “fragmented”. Mitochondrial fusion/fission is so infrequent in cardiomyocytes as to not be observable under normal conditions, suggesting that mitochondrial dynamism may be dispensable in this cell type. However, we previously observed that cardiomyocyte-specific genetic suppression of mitochondrial fusion factors optic atrophy 1 (Opa1) and mitofusin/MARF evokes cardiomyopathy in Drosophila hearts. We posited that fusion-mediated remodeling of mitochondria may be critical for cardiac homeostasis, although never directly observed. Alternately, we considered that inner membrane Opa1 and outer membrane mitofusin/MARF might have other as-yet poorly described roles that affect mitochondrial and cardiac function. Here we compared heart tube function in three models of mitochondrial fragmentation in Drosophila cardiomyocytes: Drp1 expression, Opa1 RNAi, and mitofusin MARF RNA1. Mitochondrial fragmentation evoked by enhanced Drp1-mediated fission did not adversely impact heart tube function. In contrast, RNAi-mediated suppression of either Opa1 or mitofusin/MARF induced cardiac dysfunction associated with mitochondrial depolarization and ROS production. Inhibiting ROS by overexpressing superoxide dismutase (SOD) or suppressing ROMO1 prevented mitochondrial and heart tube dysfunction provoked by Opa1 RNAi, but not by mitofusin/MARF RNAi. In contrast, enhancing the ability of endoplasmic/sarcoplasmic reticulum to handle stress by expressing Xbp1 rescued the cardiomyopathy of mitofusin/MARF insufficiency without improving that caused by Opa1 deficiency. We conclude that decreased mitochondrial size is not inherently detrimental to cardiomyocytes. Rather, preservation of mitochondrial function by Opa1 located on the inner mitochondrial membrane, and prevention of ER stress by mitofusin/MARF located on the outer mitochondrial membrane, are central functions of these “mitochondrial fusion proteins”.