MSC-Mediated Mitochondrial Transfer Restores Mitochondrial DNA and Function in Neural Progenitor Cells of Leber's Hereditary Optic Neuropathy
Researchersled byProf. LIU Xingguo fromGuangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Healthof Chinese Academy of Sciences and Prof. ZHANG QingjiongfromZhongshan Ophthalmic Centerhave discovered that that MSC-mediated mitochondrial transfer can effectively restore mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and improve mitochondrial function in neural progenitor cells derived from patients with Leber's Hereditary Optic Neuropathy (LHON).
The study was publishedin Science China Life Sciences.
LHON is a genetic disorder that leads to vision loss and blindness, primarily due to mutations in mtDNA that impair the function of the respiratory chain.
The researchers reprogrammed urine cells from LHON patients into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and subsequently differentiated them into neural progenitor cells. By co-culturing these neural progenitor cells with MSCs, the study observed significant improvements in mitochondrial function and an increase in the proportion of normal mtDNA.
The results suggest that MSCs can transfer functional mitochondria to neural progenitor cells, thus restoring their function and potentially offering a new therapeutic strategy for mitochondrial diseases. This study provides a promising avenue for future research and clinical applications in treating mitochondrial disorders.
Electrophysiological evaluation of LHON neurons derived from NPCs bo-cultured with MSCs shows improvement
Patch-clamp recordings demonstrated that LHON neurons, which typically exhibit impaired sodium and potassium currents, showed restored electrophysiological function after co-culture with MSCs. Specifically, both inward sodium and outward potassium currents were significantly enhanced in LHON neurons following the mitochondrial transfer from MSCs.(Image by GIBh)
Contacts:
Xingguo Liu, Ph.D., Principal Investigator
GuangzhouInstitutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Guangzhou,China, 510530
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ContactXingguo Liu, Ph.D.liu_xingguo@gibh.ac.cn
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