Article
Neurosciences
Kristina Xiao Liang, Guro Helen Vatne, Cecilie Katrin Kristiansen, Oleksandr Ievglevskyi, Elena Kondratskaya, Joel C. Glover, Anbin Chen, Gareth John Sullivan, Laurence A. Bindoff
Summary: The study successfully generated functional dopaminergic neurons using human induced pluripotent stem cells, which replicated the molecular and biochemical changes found in post-mortem brain samples of POLG patients. POLG-DA neurons exhibited mitochondrial dysfunction, loss of mtDNA and complex I compared to disease-free DA neurons, and NACA showed promising therapeutic effects on this deficit.
EXPERIMENTAL NEUROLOGY
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Laura Scott, Senthilkumar S. Karuppagounder, Stewart Neifert, Bong Gu Kang, Hu Wang, Valina L. Dawson, Ted M. Dawson
Summary: In this study, a transgenic model was generated to examine the impact of Parkin loss on mitochondrial function in PolgAD257A/D257A mice. Surprisingly, no dopaminergic neurodegeneration or nigral-striatal neurobehavioral deficits were observed in these mice. These findings suggest a lack of synergism between Parkin loss and mitochondrial dysfunction in this mouse model of mitochondrial deficits.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Review
Cell Biology
Mansour Akbari, Hilde Loge Nilsen, Nicola Pietro Montaldo
Summary: Mitochondria are essential for cellular energy production and play a crucial role in organismal development and normal function. Understanding the mechanisms of mtDNA maintenance and transcription can provide insights into the pathogenesis of various diseases.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Changfeng Li, Ying Zhang, Jiao Liu, Rui Kang, Daniel J. Klionsky, Daolin Tang
Summary: The study reveals that zalcitabine, an antiviral drug, can suppress pancreatic cancer cell growth through inducing ferroptosis, a type of cell death. This effect is mediated by zalcitabine-induced mitochondrial DNA stress and the activation of a DNA sensing pathway, leading to cell death via lipid peroxidation. Genetically or pharmacologically inhibiting this pathway reduces the anticancer effects of zalcitabine.
Article
Cell Biology
Anbin Chen, Cecilie Katrin Kristiansen, Yu Hong, Atefeh Kianian, Evandro Fei Fang, Gareth John Sullivan, Jian Wang, Xingang Li, Laurence A. Bindoff, Kristina Xiao Liang
Summary: This study reveals impaired mitophagy in astrocytes with POLG mutations, and demonstrates that dual treatment with nicotinamide riboside (NR) and metformin can rescue mitophagy defects. This has implications for potential therapeutic approaches for POLG-related diseases.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Xiaowei Wang, Mengyan Wang, Meilian Cai, Rongguang Shao, Guimin Xia, Wuli Zhao
Summary: This study reports a lipo-some loaded with miriplatin (MPt) called LMPt, which has lower toxicity and higher efficacy, and exhibits a completely different anti-cancer mechanism compared to other platinum agents. LMPt demonstrates significant anti-cancer activity in pancreatic cancer cells and achieves therapeutic effects by affecting the interaction between mitochondria and the drug.
ACTA PHARMACEUTICA SINICA B
(2023)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Hua Li, Wei Wang, Xiaodi Han, Yujia Zhang, Lifang Dai, Manting Xu, Jie Deng, Changhong Ding, Xiaohui Wang, Chunhong Chen, Xiaofeng Yang, Fang Fang
Summary: Alpers' syndrome is an early neurodegenerative disorder with characteristics of developmental regression, intractable epilepsy, and hepatic dysfunction. Through a study on different genotypes of the syndrome, it was found that patients with distinctive gene variants exhibited comparable clinical phenotypes and similar EEG patterns. Specific EEG characteristics, such as RHADS, were defined in Alpers' syndrome, providing clues for early diagnosis of the disease.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Eugenia Borgione, Mariangela Lo Giudice, Sandro Santa Paola, Marika Giuliano, Giuseppe Lanza, Mariagiovanna Cantone, Raffaele Ferri, Carmela Scuderi
Summary: This study investigated the frequency of POLG gene mutations in neurodegenerative disorders. The results showed the presence of the heterozygous Y831C mutation in two patients with frontotemporal dementia and Lewy body dementia. The allele frequency of this mutation in the patient group was 3.03%, which was significantly different from the 0.22% reported in the healthy population, supporting the hypothesis of a pathogenic role of the Y831C mutation in neurodegeneration.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Azadeh Sarfallah, Angelica Zamudio-Ochoa, Michael Anikin, Dmitry Temiakov
Summary: The intricate process of human mtDNA replication involves the coordinated action of transcription and replication machineries, but the mechanisms of transcription initiation at OriL and transfer of the primer to the replisome are poorly understood. Transcript slippage at OriL plays a crucial role in stabilizing the initiation complex and enabling efficient primer synthesis and transfer to protect it from degradation.
Article
Virology
Gabriel J. Starrett, Michael J. Tisza, Nicole L. Welch, Anna K. Belford, Alberto Peretti, Diana Pastrana, Christopher B. Buck
Summary: Polintons, a class of eukaryotic transposons, may actually be viruses capable of cell-to-cell spread. Through data mining, a family of viruses named Adintoviridae was identified, with degraded sequences found in a wide range of animal germlines.
Article
Virology
Gabriel J. Starrett, Michael J. Tisza, Nicole L. Welch, Anna K. Belford, Alberto Peretti, Diana Pastrana, Christopher B. Buck
Summary: Polintons, initially identified as a class of eukaryotic transposons, have been found to encode viral genes and form a discrete virus family. These viruses exhibit varied distribution among different animals and are endogenized into the germlines of a wide range of species.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Jessica Mercolino, Alessandra Lo Sciuto, Maria Concetta Spinnato, Giordano Rampioni, Francesco Imperi
Summary: In the pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa, SOS response is not necessary for antibiotic-induced mutagenesis, unlike in Escherichia coli. RecA plays a crucial role in homologous recombination and SOS response induction in P. aeruginosa. Antibiotic-induced mutagenesis only occurs in P. aeruginosa.
Article
Immunology
Shubham Chakravarty, Layla Ramos-Hegazy, Abigail Gasparovic, Gregory G. Anderson
Summary: The overexpression of polB significantly reduced T3SS transcription and repressed translation of the master T3SS regulator ExsA. Furthermore, polB does not act through previously described genetic pathways that post-transcriptionally regulate ExsA.
MICROBES AND INFECTION
(2021)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Friedemann Bender, Dagmar Timmann, Bart P. van de Warrenburg, Astrid D. Adarmes-Gomez, Benjamin Bender, Andreas Thieme, Matthis Synofzik, Ludger Schoels
Summary: The study highlights the rapid progression of polymerase gamma-related ataxia over time, with younger patients showing faster disease progression. The main features include worsening ataxic symptoms and the emergence of non-ataxic characteristics. MRI results indicate structural changes primarily affecting the cerebellum and brainstem regions, alongside abnormal nerve conduction.
MOVEMENT DISORDERS
(2021)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Ieva Golubickaite, Rasa Ugenskiene, Egle Ziliene, Jurgita Beniusyte, Arturas Inciura, Lina Poskiene, Elona Juozaityte
Summary: This study found significant associations between single-nucleotide variants in the POLG gene and tumor phenotype and patient outcome in cervical cancer, suggesting that specific genotypes may affect adenocarcinoma type, disease stage, and tumor size.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Tyler G. Demarest, Vijay R. Varma, Darlene Estrada, Mansi Babbar, Sambuddha Basu, Uma Mahajan, Ruin Moaddel, Deborah L. Croteau, Madhav Thambisetty, Mark P. Mattson, Vilhelm A. Bohr
ACTA NEUROPATHOLOGICA
(2020)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Shunlei Duan, Xuerui Han, Mansour Akbari, Deborah L. Croteau, Lene Juel Rasmussen, Vilhelm A. Bohr
NUCLEIC ACIDS RESEARCH
(2020)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Xiuli Dan, Mansi Babbar, Anthony Moore, Noah Wechter, Jingyan Tian, Joy G. Mohanty, Deborah L. Croteau, Vilhelm A. Bohr
NUCLEIC ACIDS RESEARCH
(2020)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jong-Hyuk Lee, Edward W. Kim, Deborah L. Croteau, Vilhelm A. Bohr
EXPERIMENTAL AND MOLECULAR MEDICINE
(2020)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jose Fernandez Navarro, Deborah L. Croteau, Aleksandra Jurek, Zaneta Andrusivova, Beimeng Yang, Yue Wang, Benjamin Ogedegbe, Tahira Riaz, Mari Stoen, Claus Desler, Lene Juel Rasmussen, Tone Tonjum, Marie-Christine Galas, Joakim Lundeberg, Vilhelm A. Bohr
Review
Dermatology
Mansoor Hussain, Sudarshan Krishnamurthy, Jaimin Patel, Edward Kim, Beverly A. Baptiste, Deborah L. Croteau, Vilhelm A. Bohr
Summary: Defects in DNA repair pathways and mitochondrial energy metabolism can lead to various skin disorders, including rashes and pigmentation abnormalities. Accumulation of oxidative DNA damage and dysfunctional mitochondria disrupt cellular homeostasis, increasing apoptosis. Genetic disorders of premature aging affecting DNA repair pathways and causing mitochondrial dysfunction, such as Rothmund-Thomson syndrome, Werner syndrome, and Cockayne syndrome, are also associated with skin diseases. Recent research has provided insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying these syndromes and their skin pathologies.
JOURNAL OF INVESTIGATIVE DERMATOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Marina Feric, Tyler G. Demarest, Jane Tian, Deborah L. Croteau, Vilhelm A. Bohr, Tom Misteli
Summary: Mitochondria contain an autonomous genome organized into nucleoids, and the primary physical mechanism for assembly and size control of the mitochondrial nucleoid (mt-nucleoid) is phase separation. The major mtDNA-binding protein TFAM can spontaneously phase separate into droplets with slow internal dynamics in vitro, which recapitulates the dynamics and behavior of mt-nucleoids in vivo. Mt-nucleoids coalesce into larger droplets in response to cellular stress, as seen in patients with Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome (HGPS), pointing to phase separation as an evolutionarily conserved mechanism of genome organization.
Article
Cell Biology
Beimeng Yang, Xiuli Dan, Yujun Hou, Jong-Hyuk Lee, Noah Wechter, Sudarshan Krishnamurthy, Risako Kimura, Mansi Babbar, Tyler Demarest, Ross McDevitt, Shiliang Zhang, Yongqing Zhang, Mark P. Mattson, Deborah L. Croteau, Vilhelm A. Bohr
Summary: The study shows that mitochondrial dysfunction and cellular senescence occur in A-T patient fibroblasts, ATM-deficient cells, and mice, and boosting intracellular NAD(+) levels can prevent senescence and senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) by promoting mitophagy in a PINK1-dependent manner. This suggests a central role for mitochondrial dysfunction-induced senescence in A-T pathogenesis and highlights enhancing mitophagy as a potential therapeutic intervention.
Article
Neurosciences
Stephanie L. Baringer, Elizabeth B. Neely, Kondaiah Palsa, Ian A. Simpson, James R. Connor
Summary: This study demonstrates the significant regulatory effects of apo- and holo-transferrin on brain iron uptake, which is influenced by both sex and type of iron delivery protein. The microvasculature acts as a reservoir of iron and releases it in response to cues from the brain interstitial fluid. These findings are important for understanding the regulation of brain iron uptake and drug delivery in disease treatment.
FLUIDS AND BARRIERS OF THE CNS
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Kondaiah Palsa, Stephanie L. Baringer, Ganesh Shenoy, Vladimir S. Spiegelman, Ian A. Simpson, James R. Connor
Summary: Iron is vital for brain development and function. This study investigated the role of exosomes in transporting iron across the blood-brain barrier endothelial cells (BBBECs). The results showed that iron activity in the exosome fraction was higher than in the supernatant fraction. The release of exosomes containing iron was regulated by the iron concentration in the endothelial cells and was independent of hepcidin regulation.
JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Stephanie L. Baringer, Ian A. Simpson, James R. Connor
Summary: Brain iron homeostasis is crucial for neurological health, and its imbalance is associated with various neurological disorders. Proper regulation of iron entry into the brain via transferrin and H-ferritin is important due to the detrimental effects of unrestricted iron. This review discusses the mechanisms of iron transport regulation at the blood-brain barrier and explores the dysregulation of brain iron in Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and restless legs syndrome.
JOURNAL OF NEUROCHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Mustafa N. Okur, Burcin Duan Sahbaz, Risako Kimura, Uri Manor, Jaimin Patel, Jae-Hyeon Park, Leo Andrade, Chandrakala Puligilla, Deborah L. Croteau, Vilhelm A. Bohr
Summary: Nicotinamide Riboside (NR), a NAD+ precursor, prevents the progression of age-related hearing loss (ARHL) by restoring NAD+ levels, upregulating synaptic transmission and PPAR signaling pathways, and targeting a novel lipid droplet pathway in the cochlea.
Article
Cell Biology
Stephanie L. Baringer, Kondaiah Palsa, Vladimir S. Spiegelman, Ian A. Simpson, James R. Connor
Summary: Using cell culture techniques, this study investigates the mechanism by which apo- and holo-Tf influence iron release from endothelial cells. It is found that holo-Tf induces ferroportin internalization, while apo-Tf directly interacts with hephaestin. Only pathophysiological levels of hepcidin disrupt the interaction between holo-Tf and ferroportin. These findings provide a molecular mechanism for the regulation of iron release.
JOURNAL OF BIOMEDICAL SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Marit A. E. van Bueren, Aniek Janssen
Summary: Eukaryotic nuclei rely on multiple repair pathways to accurately repair DNA damage, particularly in chromatin domains enriched for repetitive DNA sequences. Tailored repair mechanisms are necessary to maintain genome stability in these domains.