中国神经再生研究(英文版) ›› 2024, Vol. 19 ›› Issue (2): 405-406.doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.379045

• 观点:退行性病与再生 • 上一篇    下一篇

神经变性中的线粒体 DNA 甲基化和线粒体相关表观遗传学

  

  • 出版日期:2024-02-15 发布日期:2023-08-30

Mitochondrial DNA methylation and mitochondria-related epigenetics in neurodegeneration

Fabio Coppedè*   

  1. Department of Translational Research and of New Surgical and Medical Technologies, Laboratory of Medical Genetics, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy; Interdepartmental Research Center of Biology and Pathology of Aging, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
  • Online:2024-02-15 Published:2023-08-30
  • Contact: Fabio Coppedè, PhD, fabio.coppede@unipi.it.

摘要: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3081-6647 (Fabio Coppedè)

Abstract: Mitochondria are cytoplasmic organelles referred to as the powerhouse of the cell because they are primarily involved in oxidative phosphorylation and energy production. They are particularly abundant in tissues with high energy demands, including muscle, liver, and brain, and mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) damage, and impaired mitochondrial dynamics have often been associated with neurodegeneration. The mtDNA is a circular, double-stranded molecule present in two to ten copies per mitochondrion and encodes 13 subunits of the mitochondrial respiratory chain as well as 22 transfer RNAs and two ribosomal RNAs. The existence of mitochondrial epigenetics, and in particular mtDNA methylation, has been largely debated, but a growing body of literature suggests that impaired mtDNA methylation may be involved in neurodegeneration (Coppedè and Stoccoro, 2019). Furthermore, there is increasing evidence for bidirectional crosstalk between the nuclear and mitochondrial genomes to allow coordinated gene expression in response to different cellular stressors. This crosstalk is mainly mediated by epigenetic mechanisms, but is unfortunately still poorly understood in neurodegenerative diseases (Coppedè, 2021). In this perspective, after a brief description of the available literature on impaired mtDNA methylation in neurodegenerative diseases, the author discusses the potential factors contributing to these alterations and their crosstalk with nuclear epigenetics.