Jul 2026· Pharmacology and Therapeutics· pp.
109086
· 1 citation· 98 references
Medicine
TL;DR
This treatise evaluates the pharmacological potential of modulating mitochondrial dynamics-ranging from direct Drp1 inhibitors and unfractionated heparin to metabolic stabilizers (e.g., GLP-1 receptor agonists), multi-pronged disruptors (e.g., Antimycin A), targeted nanomedicine, and communication-driven mitochondrial transplantation-positioning this axis as a promising frontier for precision pharmacology.
Abstract
Beyond their canonical role in bioenergetics, mitochondria are now recognized as critical signaling platforms that orchestrate innate immune responses. Central to this function is mitochondrial dynamics-the controlled equilibrium between fission and fusion-which serves as a critical structural and thermodynamic checkpoint for cellular fate and immunological status. A substantial body of evidence indicates that pathological mitochondrial fission, frequently driven by Dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1), is a hallmark of numerous inflammatory conditions. Mechanistically, fragmented mitochondria release damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) and induce acute ATP suppression, metabolically "licensing" NLRP3 activation by collapsing the ATP hydrolysis potential (ΔGATP). Recent breakthroughs have redefined this axis, distinguishing between physical damage and metabolic triggers, such as pyrimidine imbalance via the YME1L-SLC25A33 axis. Furthermore, the immunogenicity of DAMPs is strictly context-dependent; oxidized or "fragile" mtDNA containing ribonucleotides act as hyper-immunogenic ligands for cytosolic sensors like cGAS-STING. Emerging evidence further highlights that endosomal-mitochondrial crosstalk, intercellular mitochondrial transfer, and lipid-driven metabolic rewiring profoundly govern macrophage polarization and tissue homeostasis. Conversely, promoting mitochondrial fusion and robust quality control preserves organellar integrity and attenuates inflammatory cascades. This review critically synthesizes current literature, deconstructing the molecular linkages between organelle structure and metabolic signaling. By exploring the consequences in sepsis, neuroinflammation, osteoarthritis, and cancer, this treatise evaluates the pharmacological potential of modulating mitochondrial dynamics-ranging from direct Drp1 inhibitors and unfractionated heparin to metabolic stabilizers (e.g., GLP-1 receptor agonists), multi-pronged disruptors (e.g., Antimycin A), targeted nanomedicine, and communication-driven mitochondrial transplantation-positioning this axis as a promising frontier for precision pharmacology.
This review elucidates the core mechanisms underpinning this dysfunction, including reactive oxygen species (ROS)-induced redox imbalance, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) damage accumulation, impaired mitophagy, and metabolic reprogramming, and critically examines how mitochondria act as signaling hubs for inter-organ crosstalk.
C. Han, Zilian Zhang, Yafeng Song· Gerontology· 0 citations
Mitochondria are central hubs of metabolic activities in eukaryotic cells and play pivotal roles in various physiological and pathological processes. To accommodate fluctuating metabolic demands and respond to intracellular and extracellular stress, mitochondria undergo highly coordinated fission, fusion, mitophagy, and transport events mediated by dynamics-related proteins. Disrupting this delicate balance impairs mitochondrial bioenergetics and quality control, driving the onset and progression of numerous diseases, including neurodegeneration, heart failure, and cancer. Protein post-translational modifications (PTMs) constitute a critical regulatory layer, conferring remarkable functional diversity upon mitochondrial dynamics proteins beyond their genetic regulation. While extensive studies have characterized canonical PTMs such as phosphorylation and ubiquitination, the intricate roles of a broader spectrum of modifications - particularly those considered “atypical” - in fine-tuning mitochondrial behavior remain underexplored. In this review, we systematically summarize ten key PTMs, including lactylation, succinylation, SUMOylation, and S-nitrosylation, acting on core regulators such as dynamin-related protein 1(DRP1), optic atrophy 1 (OPA1), Parkin, and mitochondrial Rho GTPase 1 (MIRO1). We emphasize how these modifications integrate metabolic cues with mitochondrial dynamics and highlight their potential as diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Furthermore, we discuss the sophisticated crosstalk between different PTM types and review emerging protein modification omics and genetic code expansion (GCE) tools designed to dissect the spatiotemporal dynamics of these modifications. By synthesizing current knowledge on these regulatory mechanisms, we aim to provide a comprehensive resource for understanding mitochondrial plasticity in health and disease.
Mitochondria function not only as metabolic and bioenergetic centers but also as critical signaling hubs that integrate cellular context with innate immune response. The mitochondrial antiviral-signaling protein (MAVS), anchored to the outer mitochondrial membrane, is a central adaptor in the RIG-I-like receptor (RLR) pathway, orchestrating type I interferon (IFN) production and apoptosis. Although long regarded as a docking platform for RLR-derived signals, recent advances, particularly concerning its diverse post-translational modifications (PTMs), reveal MAVS as a dynamic integrator that decodes cellular stress and metabolic cues to fine-tune antiviral immunity. Canonical PTMs such as ubiquitination and phosphorylation highlight the importance of precisely controlling both the initiation and downregulation of MAVS signaling, but recent discoveries substantially broaden this regulatory landscape. Stress-responsive phosphorylation mediated via the ASK1–p38 MAPK pathway enhances MAVS signaling capacity under oxidative and ER stress, linking cellular damage to amplified interferon production. In parallel, a newly identified vitamin K–dependent carboxylation of MAVS reshapes downstream signaling by promoting interferon induction while restraining apoptosis, introducing a regulatory layer that may reflect the metabolic context surrounding GGCX activity, including vitamin K availability. Understanding this multilayered regulatory network not only redefines MAVS as a stress-sensitive mitochondrial signaling hub responsive to cellular context but also highlights new avenues for therapeutic modulation of innate immunity and cell fate during viral infection. This review summarizes emerging insights into PTM-mediated regulation of MAVS and outlines their broader implications for mitochondrial antiviral signaling.
Nao Morimoto, Tomohiko Okazaki· Frontiers in Physiology· 0 citations
Although mtISR has been characterized in primary mitochondrial myopathies, secondary mitochondrial dysfunction in neuromuscular disorders suggests that mtISR-related pathways may also be activated in these conditions, and its roles in skeletal muscle pathology are discussed.
İsra Şinik, Evrim Aksu-Mengeş, B. Balci-Hayta· Bratislava Medical Journal· 0 citations
Skeletal muscle mitochondria possess the ability to autoregulate their health and functioning by the orchestration of mitochondrial quality control (MQC) pathways. This plasticity allows them to adapt to various stimuli, such as exercise. However, under pathological conditions, mitochondria can become dysfunctional, generating damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), such as reactive oxygen species (ROS) and oxidized mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). These DAMPs can launch an innate immune response, with consequences of widespread inflammation and atrophy. Integral to this is the NLRP3 inflammasome complex. Activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome results in maturation of caspase-1, which processes pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β and IL-18, as well as GSDMD. Consequently, the pore-forming GSDMD-N fragment induces pyroptosis, releasing mature IL-1β and IL-18. Exercise training is widely accepted as a potent mechanism to promote skeletal muscle health, particularly by remodeling the mitochondrial network and reducing the production of DAMPs. It has also been shown promote an anti-inflammatory milieu with the release of various myokines. Indeed, the potential of exercise to mitigate NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated inflammation and atrophy is promising. This review will examine the mechanisms underpinning inflammasome priming and activation, as well the effects of exercise, with an emphasis on the skeletal muscle.
Jada Sangha, David A. Hood· Biomolecules· 0 citations
Abstract Sepsis is increasingly viewed as a disorder of inflammatory, metabolic, and mitochondrial homeostasis, but the path from metabolic disturbance to regulated cell death (RCD) and organ injury remains incompletely defined. Human studies show clinically meaningful metabolic and bioenergetic heterogeneity, while experimental models link mitochondrial stress, inflammatory signaling, membrane disruption, and pathway-specific RCD to tissue dysfunction. This review asks how evidence can be moved from co-occurrence toward mechanism. We synthesize findings across systemic metabolic phenotypes, cell-intrinsic immunometabolism, mitochondrial stress, RCD execution, membrane failure, inflammatory cargo release, organ injury, and therapeutic relevance. Apoptosis has the strongest direct human support as a non-lytic route of immune-cell depletion and epithelial loss; pyroptosis, ferroptosis, necroptosis, and PANoptosis are supported mainly by sepsis-relevant models and remain context dependent. Stronger mechanistic inference requires aligned measurements of metabolic flux, mitochondrial state, RCD execution, membrane integrity, extracellular cargo, host-defense effects, and tissue outcomes within matched cellular, organ, model, and temporal contexts. This framework separates association, susceptibility, execution, inflammatory release, tissue consequence, and therapeutic relevance when interpreting links among metabolic stress, mitochondrial stress, and RCD in sepsis.
Guohairong Pan, Lulu Zhou, Ruochong Wang et al.· Journal of Inflammation Rese...· 0 citations