Neuronal health is primarily governed by the integrity and functionality of mitochondria. A hierarchical system of cellular surveillance mechanisms protects mitochondria against stress, by precisely monitoring the mitochondrial damage and ensuring the selective removal of dysfunctional mitochondrial proteins or organelles through a highly specialized intracellular event termed “mitophagy”.
Neurons critically rely upon healthy mitochondrial function and oxygen supply, as most of the neuronal ATP is produced by oxidative phosphorylation. Moreover, mitochondrial dysfunction plays a central role in glutamate-evoked neuronal excitotoxicity, and mitochondrial fission/fusion dynamics are crucial events for mitochondrial morphology and function. Recent studies highlighted a novel role for actin dynamics in the regulation of mitochondrial morphology and function, for example, through mitochondrial recruitment of Drp1 (dynamin-related protein 1), a key factor in the mitochondrial fission machinery. Neuron-specific, inducible in vivo ablation of the mitochondrial fission protein Drp1 causes ER stress, that activates integrated stress response to inhibit neuronal expression of the cytokine Fgf21 [
33]. Another study supporting inevitable role of Drp1 demonstrated that inducible Drp1 ablation in neurons of the adult mouse forebrain results in progressive alterations of mitochondrial morphology in the hippocampal region that are less responsive to antioxidant treatment [
34]. Under stress conditions, another key mitochondrial mechanism i.e., Mul1-Mfn2 pathway maintains neuronal mitochondrial integrity, where Mul1 deficiency increases Mfn2 activity that triggers the first phasic mitochondrial hyperfusion and also acts as an ER-Mito tethering antagonist. Overall reduction in ER-Mito coupling triggers an increase in cytoplasmic Ca
2+ load that in turn activates calcineurin and induces the second phasic Drp1-dependent mitochondrial fragmentation and mitophagy. Thus, by tightly regulating mitochondrial morphology and ER-Mito contacts, Mul1-Mfn2 pathway plays an early key checkpoint role in maintaining mitochondrial integrity [
35]. Mitochondrial protein composition determines the mitochondrial quality. In neurons, nucleoid-associated proteins are highly enriched as a major cargo compared with other mitochondrial components. Axonal Drp1-dependent fission of nucleoid-enriched fragments near the sites of autophagosomes augments their capture to prevent accumulation of mtDNA in the neuron, hence mitigate activation of proinflammatory pathways involved in neurodegeneration [
36]. Mitochondrial SNPH protein helps in placing mitochondria along axons to match metabolic needs. In contrast, dendritic SNPH toxicity involves pathologic molecules that trigger toxic misplacement of SNPH into dendrites. Pro-inflammatory cytokines and NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate) interact and converge to trigger toxic misplacement of SNPH into dendrites, thus ameliorating diverse inflammatory and excitatory injuries in neurodegenerative diseases [
37]. Intracellular migration of mitochondria is tightly regulated to maintain energy homeostasis and prevent oxidative stress inside the cell. Miro (an outer mitochondrial membrane protein) helps in anchoring the mitochondria to microtubule motors and is detached to stop mitochondrial motility as an early step in the clearance of dysfunctional mitochondria. Caspase-cleaved tau may affect mitochondrial migration through the increase of TRAK2 (trafficking kinesin-binding protein 2)-mitochondria binding and reduction of ATP production available for the movement of mitochondria [
38]. Metabolic dysfunction and protein aggregation are common characteristics that occur in age-related neurodegenerative disease. Interestingly, α-syn accumulation has been shown to induce upregulation of Miro protein levels due to an interaction via the N-terminus of α-syn [
39]. Exposure of agrochemicals selectively triggers a deficit in mitochondrial transport by nitrating the microtubules in neurons harboring the synuclein,
SNCA-A53T mutation thus demonstrating a gene environment interaction in PD [
40]. Defective mitochondrial biogenesis is another causal event that leads to elevated oxidative stress and neuronal death. Mfn2 ablation and mitochondrial fragmentation in adult neurons cause neurodegeneration through oxidative stress and neuroinflammation in vivo via both apoptosis and aberrant cell-cycle-event-dependent cell death pathways [
41]. In motor neurons, glutamate excitotoxicity induces mitochondrial dysfunction by disrupting mitochondrial dynamics via calpain-mediated Mfn2 degradation [
42]. Aberrant mitochondrial biogenesis drive adult-onset progressive loss of dopamine neurons and motor deficits in Drosophila models of PINK1 (PTEN induced putative kinase 1) or parkin insufficiency. Such defects result from PARIS (a novel KRAB and zinc finger protein, substrate of Parkin) dependent repression of dopaminergic PGC-1α (
Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma coactivator) and its downstream transcription factors NRF1 and TFAM that cooperatively promote mitochondrial biogenesis [
43]. Selective degeneration of neurons is reasonably due to selective neuronal vulnerable property of the brain. Regional heterogeneity in mitochondrial and other cellular functions contribute to and protect regions such as medulla oblongata, while rendering frontal cortex and hippocampus vulnerable to neurodegenerative diseases [
44]. Chronic mitochondrial stress is apparently reported to be associated with major neurodegenerative diseases. Mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress are major contributors to the pathophysiology of other neurodegenerative diseases including AD and PD. Markedly, mitochondrial dysfunction is well documented during the pathogenesis of PD, and increasingly more supportive data in this line of thought suggests abnormal mitochondrial dynamics and quality control as important underlying mechanisms. Alterations in microtubule-dependent transport, mitochondrial dysfunction, and autophagic pathology are involved in neurodegeneration observed in sporadic PD. In addition, animal models of PD utilizing neurotoxins, such as 6-hydroxydopamine and 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine, have shown that these toxins disrupt mitochondrial respiration by targeting complex I of the electron transport chain, thereby impairing dopamine neurons in these models. Age-related decline in neuronal health or expression of disease-associated mutations in the pathway may exacerbate the slow kinetics of neuronal mitophagy, leading to neurodegeneration [
45]. Mitophagy, the selective removal of damaged mitochondria, is thought to be indispensable to maintain neuronal homeostasis. Mutations of proteins in the pathway cause neurodegenerative diseases, suggesting defective mitochondrial turnover contributes to neurodegeneration. Mutations in PINK1 and parkin cause autosomal recessive PD plausibly due to defective PINK1/Parkin mediated mitophagy [
46]. Age-related motor dysfunction and damaged mitochondria pathology in Parkin-deficient mice suggest that impairment of mitochondrial clearance may underlie the pathology of PD [
47]. MitoPark mice with defective mitochondria showed greater glutamate release in the dorsal striatum compared to control mice upon KCl stimulation. In addition, glutamate uptake kinetics were slower in MitoPark mice. These findings were coupled with reduced expression of the glutamate re-uptake transporter, GLT-1 (glutamate transporter 1), thus providing an environment suitable for glutamate excitotoxic events, leading to altered physiological function in these mice [
48]. Several histone modifications and its mediators have been linked to age dependent neurodegeneration. Sirtuins (SIRT, silent mating type information regulation 2 homolog in yeast) are NAD-dependent histone deacetylases reported to be involved in aging and longevity. Mechanistically, NAD+ metabolism is altered in sporadic PD patient-derived cells, which contributes to Sirtuin-2 activation and subsequent decrease in acetylated-α-tubulin levels [
49]. PD-associated VPS35 (Vacuolar protein sorting ortholog 35) mutations show mitochondrial fragmentation and cell death in cultured neurons
in vitro, in mouse substantia nigra neurons in vivo and in human fibroblasts from an individual with PD, who has the VPS35(D620N) mutation [
50]. Another PD-related protein, LRRK2 (leucine rich repeat kinase 2), promotes Miro removal by forming a complex with Miro. In contrast, pathogenic LRRK2G2019S mutant disrupts this function, thereby delaying the arrest of damaged mitochondria and consequently slowing the initiation of mitophagy. Additionally, Miro degradation and mitochondrial motility are also impaired in sporadic PD patients [
51]. PD-linked LRRK2 mutations have been shown to increase dendritic and mitochondrial calcium uptake in cortical neurons and familial PD patient fibroblasts, accompanied by increased expression of the MCU (mitochondrial calcium transporter) [
52]. DJ-1 is a multifunctional protein regulating different biological and mitochondrial function. Loss-of-function mutations in DJ-1 were found to cause an autosomal recessive form of PD. Proteins perturbed by the loss of DJ-1 were involved in several mitochondrial functional pathways, including the tricarboxylic acid cycle and electron transport chain. Synaptic mitochondrial respiration showed a significant change due to DJ-1 deficiency [
53]. FTD (frontotemporal dementia) is another neurodegenerative disease where mitochondrial quality control is markedly compromised. iPSC-derived neurons from patients with FTDP-17 (frontotemporal dementia and Parkinsonism linked to chromosome 17) present an increased mitochondrial membrane potential, which is partially maintained by the F1Fo ATPase working in reverse mode. Increased mitochondrial membrane potential in FTDP-17 neurons leads to overproduction of the ROS in mitochondria, which in turn causes oxidative stress and cell death [
54]. In AD, mitochondria are reportedly involved in Aβ (amyloid-β) deposition. Pathogenic mutation in a Norwegian family in the mitochondrial metallopeptidase PITRM1 (Pitrilysin metallopeptidase 1) is found to underlie a novel mitochondrial neurodegenerative phenotype associated with Aβ accumulation [
55]. Mitochondrial localizing protein SIRT3 (Sirtuin 3) protects the cell against oxidative or metabolic stress and it has been observed that SIRT3 mRNA and protein levels were significantly decreased in AD cerebral cortex. SIRT3 downregulation leads to p53-mediated mitochondrial and neuronal damage in AD [
56]. By preserving mitochondrial function, SIRT3 protects parvalbumin and calretinin interneurons against Aβ-associated dysfunction and degeneration in AppPs1 AD mice, thus controlling neuronal network hyperactivity [
57]. In another pertinent study, SIRT3-knockout mice exhibited poor remote memory, impaired long-term potentiation and decreased neuronal number in the anterior cingulate cortex, which seemed to contribute to their memory deficiencies [
58]. Apo (apolipoprotein) E4, the major genetic risk factor for AD, alters mitochondrial function and metabolism early in AD pathogenesis. Global proteomic analysis revealed widespread alterations in mitochondrial functions in apoE4 cells, including reduced levels of numerous respiratory complex subunits and major disruptions to all detected subunits in complex V (ATP synthase). In addition, protein levels linked to mitochondrial endoplasmic reticulum-associated membranes, mitochondrial fusion/fission, mitochondrial protein translocation, proteases, and mitochondrial ribosomal proteins were substantially altered in apoE4 cells [
59]. Loss of the mitochondrial m-AAA protease results in accumulation of constitutively active
MCU-EMRE (mitochondrial calcium uniporter and essential MCU regulator) channels that leads to mitochondrial Ca
2+ overload, mitochondrial permeability transition pore opening, and neuronal death. Mutations in subunits of mitochondrial m-AAA proteases in the inner membrane cause neurodegeneration in SCA28 (spinocerebellar ataxia) and HSP7 (hereditary spastic paraplegia) [
60]. Functional studies revealed that SLC25A46 (solute carrier family 25 member 46) may play an important role in mitochondrial dynamics. SLC25A46 deficient mice displayed severe ataxia primarily due to degeneration of Purkinje cells, suggesting the loss of SLC25A46 causes degeneration in neurons by affecting mitochondrial dynamics and energy production [
61]. TDP-43 is an RNA-binding protein and a major component of protein aggregates found in ALS and several other neurodegenerative diseases. Both full-length (mitochondrial matrix form) and truncated isoforms (mitochondrial intermembrane space protein) of TDP43 generate toxic aggregates, implying the presence of full-length TDP-43s in the matrix is a primary cause of mitochondrial damage [
62]. ALS is an adult-onset neurodegeneration of motor neuron death. Synaptosomes from the spinal cord and motor cortex of SOD1G93A mice (mouse model of ALS) displayed dysfunctional mitochondria exhibiting high activity of hexokinase and phosphofructokinase, key glycolysis enzymes, and of citrate synthase and malate dehydrogenase, key Krebs cycle enzymes [
63]. C9orf72 is a mitochondrial inner-membrane-associated protein regulating cellular energy homeostasis via its critical role in the control of oxidative phosphorylation. In C9orf72-ALS model, loss of mitochondrial function is a key mediator of axonal dysfunction [
64]. Intriguingly, in C9orf72-linked ALS/FTD patient-derived neurons, impairment of mitochondrial complex I function was reported [
65].