In Vivo Deletion of β-Cell Drp1 Impairs Insulin Secretion Without Affecting Islet Oxygen Consumption

Analysis of beta-cell maturity and mitochondrial morphology in juvenile non-human primates exposed to maternal Western-style diet during development

Introduction

Using a non-human primate (NHP) model of maternal Western-style diet (mWSD) feeding during pregnancy and lactation, we previously reported altered offspring beta:alpha cell ratio in vivo and insulin hyper-secretion ex vivo. Mitochondria are known to maintain beta-cell function by producing ATP for insulin secretion. In response to nutrient stress, the mitochondrial network within beta cells undergoes morphological changes to maintain respiration and metabolic adaptability. Given that mitochondrial dynamics have also been associated with cellular fate transitions, we assessed whether mWSD exposure was associated with changes in markers of beta-cell maturity and/or mitochondrial morphology that might explain the offspring islet phenotype.

Methods

We evaluated the expression of beta-cell identity/maturity markers (NKX6.1, MAFB, UCN3) via florescence microscopy in islets of Japanese macaque pre-adolescent (1 year old) and peri-adolescent (3-year-old) offspring born to dams fed either a control diet or WSD during pregnancy and lactation and weaned onto WSD. Mitochondrial morphology in NHP offspring beta cells was analyzed in 2D by transmission electron microscopy and in 3D using super resolution microscopy to deconvolve the beta-cell mitochondrial network.

Results

There was no difference in the percent of beta cells expressing key maturity markers in NHP offspring from WSD-fed dams at 1 or 3 years of age; however, beta cells of WSD-exposed 3 year old offspring showed increased levels of NKX6.1 per beta cell at 3 years of age. Regardless of maternal diet, the beta-cell mitochondrial network was found to be primarily short and fragmented at both ages in NHP; overall mitochondrial volume increased with age. In utero and lactational exposure to maternal WSD consumption may increase mitochondrial fragmentation.

Discussion

Despite mWSD consumption having clear developmental effects on offspring beta:alpha cell ratio and insulin secretory response to glucose, this does not appear to be mediated by changes to beta-cell maturity or the beta-cell mitochondrial network. In general, the more fragmented mitochondrial network in NHP beta cells suggests greater ability for metabolic flexibility.

Unique features of β-cell metabolism are lost in type 2 diabetes

Pancreatic β cells play an essential role in the control of systemic glucose homeostasis as they sense blood glucose levels and respond by secreting insulin. Upon stimulating glucose uptake in insulin-sensitive tissues post-prandially, this anabolic hormone restores blood glucose levels to pre-prandial levels. Maintaining physiological glucose levels thus relies on proper β-cell function. To fulfill this highly specialized nutrient sensor role, β cells have evolved a unique genetic program that shapes its distinct cellular metabolism. In this review, the unique genetic and metabolic features of β cells will be outlined, including their alterations in type 2 diabetes (T2D). β cells selectively express a set of genes in a cell type-specific manner; for instance, the glucose activating hexokinase IV enzyme or Glucokinase (GCK), whereas other genes are selectively "disallowed", including lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA) and monocarboxylate transporter 1 (MCT1). This selective gene program equips β cells with a unique metabolic apparatus to ensure that nutrient metabolism is coupled to appropriate insulin secretion, thereby avoiding hyperglycemia, as well as life-threatening hypoglycemia. Unlike most cell types, β cells exhibit specialized bioenergetic features, including supply-driven rather than demand-driven metabolism and a high basal mitochondrial proton leak respiration. The understanding of these unique genetically programmed metabolic features and their alterations that lead to β-cell dysfunction is crucial for a comprehensive understanding of T2D pathophysiology and the development of innovative therapeutic approaches for T2D patients.

Mitochondrial bioenergetics, metabolism, and beyond in pancreatic β-cells and diabetes

In Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, pancreatic β-cell survival and function are impaired. Additional etiologies of diabetes include dysfunction in insulin-sensing hepatic, muscle, and adipose tissues as well as immune cells. An important determinant of metabolic health across these various tissues is mitochondria function and structure. This review focuses on the role of mitochondria in diabetes pathogenesis, with a specific emphasis on pancreatic β-cells. These dynamic organelles are obligate for β-cell survival, function, replication, insulin production, and control over insulin release. Therefore, it is not surprising that mitochondria are severely defective in diabetic contexts. Mitochondrial dysfunction poses challenges to assess in cause-effect studies, prompting us to assemble and deliberate the evidence for mitochondria dysfunction as a cause or consequence of diabetes. Understanding the precise molecular mechanisms underlying mitochondrial dysfunction in diabetes and identifying therapeutic strategies to restore mitochondrial homeostasis and enhance β-cell function are active and expanding areas of research. In summary, this review examines the multidimensional role of mitochondria in diabetes, focusing on pancreatic β-cells and highlighting the significance of mitochondrial metabolism, bioenergetics, calcium, dynamics, and mitophagy in the pathophysiology of diabetes. We describe the effects of diabetes-related gluco/lipotoxic, oxidative and inflammation stress on β-cell mitochondria, as well as the role played by mitochondria on the pathologic outcomes of these stress paradigms. By examining these aspects, we provide updated insights and highlight areas where further research is required for a deeper molecular understanding of the role of mitochondria in β-cells and diabetes.

Mitochondrial Dynamics, Diabetes, and Cardiovascular Disease

Mitochondria undergo repeated cycles of fusion and fission that regulate their size and shape by a process known as mitochondrial dynamics. Numerous studies have revealed the importance of this process in maintaining mitochondrial health and cellular homeostasis, particularly in highly metabolically active tissues such as skeletal muscle and the heart. Here, we review the literature on the relationship between mitochondrial dynamics and the pathophysiology of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Importantly, we emphasize divergent outcomes resulting from downregulating distinct mitochondrial dynamics proteins in various tissues. This review underscores compensatory mechanisms and adaptive pathways that offset potentially detrimental effects, resulting instead in improved metabolic health. Finally, we offer a perspective on potential therapeutic implications of modulating mitochondrial dynamics proteins for treatment of diabetes and CVD.

ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS

Mitochondrial GTP metabolism controls reproductive aging in C. elegans

Healthy mitochondria are critical for reproduction. During aging, both reproductive fitness and mitochondrial homeostasis decline. Mitochondrial metabolism and dynamics are key factors in supporting mitochondrial homeostasis. However, how they are coupled to control reproductive health remains unclear. We report that mitochondrial GTP (mtGTP) metabolism acts through mitochondrial dynamics factors to regulate reproductive aging. We discovered that germline-only inactivation of GTP- but not ATP-specific succinyl-CoA synthetase (SCS) promotes reproductive longevity in Caenorhabditis elegans. We further identified an age-associated increase in mitochondrial clustering surrounding oocyte nuclei, which is attenuated by GTP-specific SCS inactivation. Germline-only induction of mitochondrial fission factors sufficiently promotes mitochondrial dispersion and reproductive longevity. Moreover, we discovered that bacterial inputs affect mtGTP levels and dynamics factors to modulate reproductive aging. These results demonstrate the significance of mtGTP metabolism in regulating oocyte mitochondrial homeostasis and reproductive longevity and identify mitochondrial fission induction as an effective strategy to improve reproductive health.

Advances in mitochondria-centered mechanism behind the roles of androgens and androgen receptor in the regulation of glucose and lipid metabolism

An increasing number of studies have reported that androgens and androgen receptors (AR) play important roles in the regulation of glucose and lipid metabolism. Impaired glucose and lipid metabolism and the development of obesity-related diseases have been found in either hypogonadal men or male rodents with androgen deficiency. Exogenous androgens supplementation can effectively improve these disorders, but the mechanism by which androgens regulate glucose and lipid metabolism has not been fully elucidated. Mitochondria, as powerhouses within cells, are key organelles influencing glucose and lipid metabolism. Evidence from both pre-clinical and clinical studies has reported that the regulation of glucose and lipid metabolism by androgens/AR is strongly associated with the impact on the content and function of mitochondria, but few studies have systematically reported the regulatory effect and the molecular mechanism. In this paper, we review the effect of androgens/AR on mitochondrial content, morphology, quality control system, and function, with emphases on molecular mechanisms. Additionally, we discuss the sex-dimorphic effect of androgens on mitochondria. This paper provides a theoretical basis for shedding light on the influence and mechanism of androgens on glucose and lipid metabolism and highlights the mitochondria-based explanation for the sex-dimorphic effect of androgens on glucose and lipid metabolism.

Mitochondrial Dynamics and Insulin Secretion

Mitochondria are involved in the regulation of cellular energy metabolism, calcium homeostasis, and apoptosis. For mitochondrial quality control, dynamic processes, such as mitochondrial fission and fusion, are necessary to maintain shape and function. Disturbances of mitochondrial dynamics lead to dysfunctional mitochondria, which contribute to the development and progression of numerous diseases, including Type 2 Diabetes (T2D). Compelling evidence has been put forward that mitochondrial dynamics play a significant role in the metabolism-secretion coupling of pancreatic β cells. The disruption of mitochondrial dynamics is linked to defects in energy production and increased apoptosis, ultimately impairing insulin secretion and β cell death. This review provides an overview of molecular mechanisms controlling mitochondrial dynamics, their dysfunction in pancreatic β cells, and pharmaceutical agents targeting mitochondrial dynamic proteins, such as mitochondrial division inhibitor-1 (mdivi-1), dynasore, P110, and 15-oxospiramilactone (S3).

Exercise prevents fatal stress-induced myocardial injury in obese mice

Introduction

This study aimed to explore whether aerobic exercise (AE) can prevent fatal stress-induced myocardial injury.

Methods

Thirty C57BL/6J mice were divided into either a normal diet, high-fat diet, or high-fat diet plus AE (n=10 per group). The AE protocol consisted of eight weeks of swimming. At the end of the diet and AE interventions, the mice were stimulated with fatal stress caused by exhaustive exercise (forced weight-loaded swimming until exhaustion), after which cardiac function was evaluated using echocardiography, myocardial ultrastructure was examined using transmission electron microscopy, and myocardial apoptosis was assessed using western blotting and TUNEL. Mitophagy, mitochondrial biogenesis and dynamics, and activation of the macrophage migration inhibitor factor (MIF)/AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathway were evaluated using quantitative PCR and western blotting. Obesity phenotypes were assessed once per week.

Results

AE reversed high-fat diet-induced obesity as evidenced by reductions in body weight and visceral fat compared to obese mice without AE. Obesity exacerbated fatal stress-induced myocardial damage, as demonstrated by impaired left ventricular ejection fraction and myocardial structure. The apoptotic rate was also elevated upon fatal stress, and AE ameliorated this damage. Obesity suppressed mitophagy, mitochondrial fission and fusion, and mitochondrial biogenesis, and these effects were accompanied by suppression of the MIF/AMPK pathway in the myocardium of mice subjected to fatal stress. AE alleviated or reversed these effects.

Conclusion

This study provides evidence that AE ameliorated fatal stress-induced myocardial injury in obese mice. The cardioprotective effect of AE in obese mice might be attributed to improved mitochondrial quality.

Restoration of PITPNA in Type 2 diabetic human islets reverses pancreatic beta-cell dysfunction

Defects in insulin processing and granule maturation are linked to pancreatic beta-cell failure during type 2 diabetes (T2D). Phosphatidylinositol transfer protein alpha (PITPNA) stimulates activity of phosphatidylinositol (PtdIns) 4-OH kinase to produce sufficient PtdIns-4-phosphate (PtdIns-4-P) in the trans-Golgi network to promote insulin granule maturation. PITPNA in beta-cells of T2D human subjects is markedly reduced suggesting its depletion accompanies beta-cell dysfunction. Conditional deletion of Pitpna in the beta-cells of Ins-Cre, Pitpnaflox/flox mice leads to hyperglycemia resulting from decreasing glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) and reducing pancreatic beta-cell mass. Furthermore, PITPNA silencing in human islets confirms its role in PtdIns-4-P synthesis and leads to impaired insulin granule maturation and docking, GSIS, and proinsulin processing with evidence of ER stress. Restoration of PITPNA in islets of T2D human subjects reverses these beta-cell defects and identify PITPNA as a critical target linked to beta-cell failure in T2D.

SLC25A46 promotes mitochondrial fission and mediates resistance to lipotoxic stress in INS-1E insulin-secreting cells

Glucose sensing in pancreatic β-cells depends on oxidative phosphorylation and mitochondria-derived signals that promote insulin secretion. Using mass spectrometry-based phosphoproteomics to search for downstream effectors of glucose-dependent signal transduction in INS-1E insulinoma cells, we identified the outer mitochondrial membrane protein SLC25A46. Under resting glucose concentrations, SLC25A46 was phosphorylated on a pair of threonine residues (T44/T45) and was dephosphorylated in response to glucose-induced Ca2+ signals. Overexpression of SLC25A46 in INS-1E cells caused complete mitochondrial fragmentation, resulting in a mild mitochondrial defect associated with lowered glucose-induced insulin secretion. In contrast, inactivation of the Slc25a46 gene resulted in dramatic mitochondrial hyperfusion, without affecting respiratory activity or insulin secretion. Consequently, SLC25A46 is not essential for metabolism-secretion coupling under normal nutrient conditions. Importantly, insulin-secreting cells lacking SLC25A46 had an exacerbated sensitivity to lipotoxic conditions, undergoing massive apoptosis when exposed to palmitate. Therefore, in addition to its role in mitochondrial dynamics, SLC25A46 plays a role in preventing mitochondria-induced apoptosis in INS-E cells exposed to nutrient stress. By protecting mitochondria, SLC25A46 might help to maintain β-cell mass essential for blood glucose control.

Mitochondrial GTP Metabolism Regulates Reproductive Aging

Healthy mitochondria are critical for reproduction. During aging, both reproductive fitness and mitochondrial homeostasis decline. Mitochondrial metabolism and dynamics are key factors in supporting mitochondrial homeostasis. However, how they are coupled to control reproductive health remains unclear. We report that mitochondrial GTP metabolism acts through mitochondrial dynamics factors to regulate reproductive aging. We discovered that germline-only inactivation of GTP- but not ATP-specific succinyl-CoA synthetase (SCS), promotes reproductive longevity in Caenorhabditis elegans. We further revealed an age-associated increase in mitochondrial clustering surrounding oocyte nuclei, which is attenuated by the GTP-specific SCS inactivation. Germline-only induction of mitochondrial fission factors sufficiently promotes mitochondrial dispersion and reproductive longevity. Moreover, we discovered that bacterial inputs affect mitochondrial GTP and dynamics factors to modulate reproductive aging. These results demonstrate the significance of mitochondrial GTP metabolism in regulating oocyte mitochondrial homeostasis and reproductive longevity and reveal mitochondrial fission induction as an effective strategy to improve reproductive health.

Mitofusins Mfn1 and Mfn2 Are Required to Preserve Glucose- but Not Incretin-Stimulated β-Cell Connectivity and Insulin Secretion

Mitochondrial glucose metabolism is essential for stimulated insulin release from pancreatic β-cells. Whether mitofusin gene expression, and hence, mitochondrial network integrity, is important for glucose or incretin signaling has not previously been explored. Here, we generated mice with β-cell-selective, adult-restricted deletion knock-out (dKO) of the mitofusin genes Mfn1 and Mfn2 (βMfn1/2 dKO). βMfn1/2-dKO mice displayed elevated fed and fasted glycemia and a more than fivefold decrease in plasma insulin. Mitochondrial length, glucose-induced polarization, ATP synthesis, and cytosolic and mitochondrial Ca2+ increases were all reduced in dKO islets. In contrast, oral glucose tolerance was more modestly affected in βMfn1/2-dKO mice, and glucagon-like peptide 1 or glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide receptor agonists largely corrected defective glucose-stimulated insulin secretion through enhanced EPAC-dependent signaling. Correspondingly, cAMP increases in the cytosol, as measured with an Epac-camps-based sensor, were exaggerated in dKO mice. Mitochondrial fusion and fission cycles are thus essential in the β-cell to maintain normal glucose, but not incretin, sensing. These findings broaden our understanding of the roles of mitofusins in β-cells, the potential contributions of altered mitochondrial dynamics to diabetes development, and the impact of incretins on this process.

Glucose-Dependent miR-125b Is a Negative Regulator of β-Cell Function

Impaired pancreatic β-cell function and insulin secretion are hallmarks of type 2 diabetes. miRNAs are short, noncoding RNAs that silence gene expression vital for the development and function of β cells. We have previously shown that β cell-specific deletion of the important energy sensor AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) results in increased miR-125b-5p levels. Nevertheless, the function of this miRNA in β cells is unclear. We hypothesized that miR-125b-5p expression is regulated by glucose and that this miRNA mediates some of the deleterious effects of hyperglycemia in β cells. Here, we show that islet miR-125b-5p expression is upregulated by glucose in an AMPK-dependent manner and that short-term miR-125b-5p overexpression impairs glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) in the mouse insulinoma MIN6 cells and in human islets. An unbiased, high-throughput screen in MIN6 cells identified multiple miR-125b-5p targets, including the transporter of lysosomal hydrolases M6pr and the mitochondrial fission regulator Mtfp1. Inactivation of miR-125b-5p in the human β-cell line EndoCβ-H1 shortened mitochondria and enhanced GSIS, whereas mice overexpressing miR-125b-5p selectively in β cells (MIR125B-Tg) were hyperglycemic and glucose intolerant. MIR125B-Tg β cells contained enlarged lysosomal structures and had reduced insulin content and secretion. Collectively, we identify miR-125b as a glucose-controlled regulator of organelle dynamics that modulates insulin secretion.

Is Type 2 Diabetes a Primary Mitochondrial Disorder?

Diabetes mellitus is the most common endocrine disturbance in inherited mitochondrial diseases. It is essential to increase awareness of the correct diagnosis and treatment of diabetes in these patients and screen for the condition in family members, as diabetes might appear with distinctive clinical features, complications and at different ages of onset. The severity of mitochondrial-related diabetes is likely to manifest on a large scale of phenotypes depending on the location of the mutation and whether the number of affected mitochondria copies (heteroplasmy) reaches a critical threshold. Regarding diabetes treatment, the first-choice treatment for type 2 diabetes (T2D), metformin, is not recommended because of the risk of lactic acidosis. The preferred treatment for diabetes in patients with mitochondrial disorders is SGLT-2i and mitochondrial GLP-1-related substances. The tight relationship between mitochondrial dysfunction, reduced glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS), and diabetes development in human patients is acknowledged. However, despite the well-characterized role of mitochondria in GSIS, there is a relative lack of data in humans implicating mitochondrial dysfunction as a primary defect in T2D. Our recent studies have provided data supporting the significant role of the mitochondrial respiratory-chain enzyme, cytochrome c oxidase (COX), in regulating GSIS in a rodent model of T2D, the Cohen diabetic sensitive (CDs) rat. The nutritionally induced diabetic CDs rat demonstrates several features of mitochondrial diseases: markedly reduced COX activity in several tissues, increased reactive oxygen production, decreased ATP generation, and increased lactate dehydrogenase expression in islets. Moreover, our data demonstrate that reduced islet-COX activity precedes the onset of diabetes, suggesting that islet-COX deficiency is the primary defect causing diabetes in this model. This review examines the possibility of including T2D as a primary mitochondrial-related disease. Understanding the critical interdependence between diabetes and mitochondrial dysfunction, centering on the role of COX, may open novel avenues to diagnose and treat diabetes in patients with mitochondrial diseases and mitochondrial dysfunction in diabetic patients.

SENP2 regulates mitochondrial function and insulin secretion in pancreatic β cells

Increasing evidence has shown that small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) modification plays an important role in metabolic regulation. We previously demonstrated that SUMO-specific protease 2 (SENP2) is involved in lipid metabolism in skeletal muscle and adipogenesis. In this study, we investigated the function of SENP2 in pancreatic β cells by generating a β cell-specific knockout (Senp2-βKO) mouse model. Glucose tolerance and insulin secretion were significantly impaired in the Senp2-βKO mice. In addition, glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) was decreased in the islets of the Senp2-βKO mice without a significant change in insulin synthesis. Furthermore, islets of the Senp2-βKO mice exhibited enlarged mitochondria and lower oxygen consumption rates, accompanied by lower levels of S616 phosphorylated DRP1 (an active form of DRP1), a mitochondrial fission protein. Using a cell culture system of NIT-1, an islet β cell line, we found that increased SUMO2/3 conjugation to DRP1 due to SENP2 deficiency suppresses the phosphorylation of DRP1, which possibly induces mitochondrial dysfunction. In addition, SENP2 overexpression restored GSIS impairment induced by DRP1 knockdown and increased DRP1 phosphorylation. Furthermore, palmitate treatment decreased phosphorylated DRP1 and GSIS in β cells, which was rescued by SENP2 overexpression. These results suggest that SENP2 regulates mitochondrial function and insulin secretion at least in part by modulating the phosphorylation of DRP1 in pancreatic β cells.

Hypothalamic glucose-sensing mechanisms

Chronic metabolic diseases, including diabetes and obesity, have become a major global health threat of the twenty-first century. Maintaining glucose homeostasis is essential for survival in mammals. Complex and highly coordinated interactions between glucose-sensing mechanisms and multiple effector systems are essential for controlling glucose levels in the blood. The central nervous system (CNS) plays a crucial role in regulating glucose homeostasis. Growing evidence indicates that disruption of glucose sensing in selective CNS areas, such as the hypothalamus, is closely interlinked with the pathogenesis of obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus. However, the underlying intracellular mechanisms of glucose sensing in the hypothalamus remain elusive. Here, we review the current literature on hypothalamic glucose-sensing mechanisms and discuss the impact of alterations of these mechanisms on the pathogenesis of diabetes.

Function and regulation of the divisome for mitochondrial fission

Mitochondria form dynamic networks in the cell that are balanced by the flux of iterative fusion and fission events of the organelles. It is now appreciated that mitochondrial fission also represents an end-point event in a signalling axis that allows cells to sense and respond to external cues. The fission process is orchestrated by membrane-associated adaptors, influenced by organellar and cytoskeletal interactions and ultimately executed by the dynamin-like GTPase DRP1. Here we invoke the framework of the 'mitochondrial divisome', which is conceptually and operationally similar to the bacterial cell-division machinery. We review the functional and regulatory aspects of the mitochondrial divisome and, within this framework, parse the core from the accessory machinery. In so doing, we transition from a phenomenological to a mechanistic understanding of the fission process.

The Functional Impact of Mitochondrial Structure Across Subcellular Scales

Mitochondria are key determinants of cellular health. However, the functional role of mitochondria varies from cell to cell depending on the relative demands for energy distribution, metabolite biosynthesis, and/or signaling. In order to support the specific needs of different cell types, mitochondrial functional capacity can be optimized in part by modulating mitochondrial structure across several different spatial scales. Here we discuss the functional implications of altering mitochondrial structure with an emphasis on the physiological trade-offs associated with different mitochondrial configurations. Within a mitochondrion, increasing the amount of cristae in the inner membrane improves capacity for energy conversion and free radical-mediated signaling but may come at the expense of matrix space where enzymes critical for metabolite biosynthesis and signaling reside. Electrically isolating individual cristae could provide a protective mechanism to limit the spread of dysfunction within a mitochondrion but may also slow the response time to an increase in cellular energy demand. For individual mitochondria, those with relatively greater surface areas can facilitate interactions with the cytosol or other organelles but may be more costly to remove through mitophagy due to the need for larger phagophore membranes. At the network scale, a large, stable mitochondrial reticulum can provide a structural pathway for energy distribution and communication across long distances yet also enable rapid spreading of localized dysfunction. Highly dynamic mitochondrial networks allow for frequent content mixing and communication but require constant cellular remodeling to accommodate the movement of mitochondria. The formation of contact sites between mitochondria and several other organelles provides a mechanism for specialized communication and direct content transfer between organelles. However, increasing the number of contact sites between mitochondria and any given organelle reduces the mitochondrial surface area available for contact sites with other organelles as well as for metabolite exchange with cytosol. Though the precise mechanisms guiding the coordinated multi-scale mitochondrial configurations observed in different cell types have yet to be elucidated, it is clear that mitochondrial structure is tailored at every level to optimize mitochondrial function to meet specific cellular demands.

Control by Ca2+ of mitochondrial structure and function in pancreatic β-cells

Mitochondria play a central role in glucose metabolism and the stimulation of insulin secretion from pancreatic β-cells. In this review, we discuss firstly the regulation and roles of mitochondrial Ca2+ transport in glucose-regulated insulin secretion, and the molecular machinery involved. Next, we discuss the evidence that mitochondrial dysfunction in β-cells is associated with type 2 diabetes, from a genetic, functional and structural point of view, and then the possibility that these changes may in part be mediated by dysregulation of cytosolic Ca2+. Finally, we review the importance of preserved mitochondrial structure and dynamics for mitochondrial gene expression and their possible relevance to the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes.

Metabolic and functional specialisations of the pancreatic beta cell: gene disallowance, mitochondrial metabolism and intercellular connectivity

All forms of diabetes mellitus involve the loss or dysfunction of pancreatic beta cells, with the former predominating in type 1 diabetes and the latter in type 2 diabetes. Deeper understanding of the coupling mechanisms that link glucose metabolism in these cells to the control of insulin secretion is therefore likely to be essential to develop new therapies. Beta cells display a remarkable metabolic specialisation, expressing high levels of metabolic sensing enzymes, including the glucose transporter GLUT2 (encoded by SLC2A2) and glucokinase (encoded by GCK). Genetic evidence flowing from both monogenic forms of diabetes and genome-wide association studies for the more common type 2 diabetes, supports the importance for normal glucose-stimulated insulin secretion of metabolic signalling via altered ATP generation, while also highlighting unsuspected roles for Zn2+ storage, intracellular lipid transfer and other processes. Intriguingly, genes involved in non-oxidative metabolic fates of the sugar, such as those for lactate dehydrogenase (LDHA) and monocarboxylate transporter-1 ([MCT-1] SLC16A1), as well as the acyl-CoA thioesterase (ACOT7) and others, are selectively repressed ('disallowed') in beta cells. Furthermore, mutations in genes critical for mitochondrial oxidative metabolism, such as TRL-CAG1-7 encoding tRNALeu, are linked to maternally inherited forms of diabetes. Correspondingly, impaired Ca2+ uptake into mitochondria, or collapse of a normally interconnected mitochondrial network, are associated with defective insulin secretion. Here, we suggest that altered mitochondrial metabolism may also impair beta cell-beta cell communication. Thus, we argue that defective oxidative glucose metabolism is central to beta cell failure in diabetes, acting both at the level of single beta cells and potentially across the whole islet to impair insulin secretion. Graphical abstract.

Nuclear Factor-Erythroid 2-Related Factor 2 (Nrf2) and Mitochondrial Dynamics/Mitophagy in Neurological Diseases

Mitochondria play an essential role in bioenergetics and respiratory functions for cell viability through numerous biochemical processes. To maintain mitochondria quality control and homeostasis, mitochondrial morphologies change rapidly in response to external insults and changes in metabolic status through fusion and fission (so called mitochondrial dynamics). Furthermore, damaged mitochondria are removed via a selective autophagosomal process, referred to as mitophagy. Although mitochondria are one of the sources of reactive oxygen species (ROS), they are themselves vulnerable to oxidative stress. Thus, endogenous antioxidant defense systems play an important role in cell survival under physiological and pathological conditions. Nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is a redox-sensitive transcription factor that maintains redox homeostasis by regulating antioxidant-response element (ARE)-dependent transcription and the expression of antioxidant defense enzymes. Although the Nrf2 system is positively associated with mitochondrial biogenesis and mitochondrial quality control, the relationship between Nrf2 signaling and mitochondrial dynamics/mitophagy has not been sufficiently addressed in the literature. This review article describes recent clinical and experimental observations on the relationship between Nrf2 and mitochondrial dynamics/mitophagy in various neurological diseases.

Loss of dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1) does not affect epidermal development or UVB-induced apoptosis but does accelerate UVB-induced carcinogenesis

BACKGROUND

Mitochondrial morphology is controlled by fission and fusion. Dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1, dynamin-1-like protein (Dnml1)) regulates mitochondrial fission, which is associated with cell division and apoptosis. We previously reported that DRP1 is indispensable for cell growth in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. However, little is known about Drp1 in normal epidermis/keratinocytes.

OBJECTIVES

We investigated the function of Drp1 in normal epidermis/keratinocytes.

METHODS

Epidermis-specific Drp1 knockout (EKO) mice were analyzed.

RESULTS

Epidermal development in the EKO mice were indistinguishable from those in the wild-type (WT) mice. Ultrastructural analysis and immunohistochemistry revealed that the mitochondria of keratinocytes in the EKO mice were neither elongated nor constricted. Drp1 knockdown did not diminish the cell growth of normal human keratinocytes. Both in vivo and in vitro, UVB-induced apoptosis in the EKO epidermis and keratinocytes did not differ from that in the WT mice. In chronic UVB-irradiation, the loss of Drp1 sensitized the epidermis to the development of skin tumors. Clinically, DRP1 is expressed more highly in sun-exposed skin than in non-exposed skin in individuals under age 40, but not in those over age 60.

CONCLUSION

EKO mice demonstrate that Drp1 is dispensable for the development and apoptosis of the epidermis. Drp1 plays critical roles in malignant tumors; thus, the molecular machinery of mitochondrial dynamics involving Drp1 could be a novel therapeutic target for malignant keratinocytic lesions. On the other hand, the anti-tumorigenic role of Drp1 in chronic UVB-induced carcinogenesis need to be further investigated.

Is Mitochondrial Dysfunction a Common Root of Noncommunicable Chronic Diseases?

Mitochondrial damage is implicated as a major contributing factor for a number of noncommunicable chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, obesity, and insulin resistance/type 2 diabetes. Here, we discuss the role of mitochondria in maintaining cellular and whole-organism homeostasis, the mechanisms that promote mitochondrial dysfunction, and the role of this phenomenon in noncommunicable chronic diseases. We also review the state of the art regarding the preclinical evidence associated with the regulation of mitochondrial function and the development of current mitochondria-targeted therapeutics to treat noncommunicable chronic diseases. Finally, we give an integrated vision of how mitochondrial damage is implicated in these metabolic diseases.

Selective monitoring of insulin secretion after CRISPR interference in intact pancreatic islets despite submaximal infection

Virus-mediated gene knockdown in intact pancreatic islets is technically challenging due to poor infection of the center of the islet. Because the cells that do not have knockdown have normal insulin secretion, measuring changes in insulin secretion after gene knockdown is challenging. We describe a method to monitor insulin secretion from only the beta cells with knockdown of a gene of interest in intact islets using a single lentivirus containing a guide RNA, a luciferase insulin secretion reporter and a dCas9-KRAB cassette. This method allows rapid and inexpensive monitoring of insulin secretion from only those beta cells with knockdown, circumventing the problem of incomplete islet infection.

A pipeline for multidimensional confocal analysis of mitochondrial morphology, function, and dynamics in pancreatic β-cells

Live-cell imaging of mitochondrial function and dynamics can provide vital insights into both physiology and pathophysiology, including of metabolic diseases like type 2 diabetes. However, without super-resolution microscopy and commercial analysis software, it is challenging to accurately extract features from dense multilayered mitochondrial networks, such as those in insulin-secreting pancreatic β-cells. Motivated by this, we developed a comprehensive pipeline and associated ImageJ plugin that enables 2D/3D quantification of mitochondrial network morphology and dynamics in mouse β-cells and by extension other similarly challenging cell types. The approach is based on standard confocal microscopy and shareware, making it widely accessible. The pipeline was validated using mitochondrial photolabeling and unsupervised cluster analysis and is capable of morphological and functional analyses on a per-organelle basis, including in 4D (xyzt). Overall, this tool offers a powerful framework for multiplexed analysis of mitochondrial state/function and provides a valuable resource to accelerate mitochondrial research in health and disease.

Dysregulated Mitochondrial Dynamics and Metabolism in Obesity, Diabetes, and Cancer

Metabolism describes the life-sustaining chemical reactions in organisms that provide both energy and building blocks for cellular survival and proliferation. Dysregulated metabolism leads to many life-threatening diseases including obesity, diabetes, and cancer. Mitochondria, subcellular organelles, contain the central energy-producing metabolic pathway, the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle. Also, mitochondria exist in a dynamic network orchestrated by extracellular nutrient levels and intracellular energy needs. Upon stimulation, mitochondria undergo consistent interchange through fusion (small to big) and fission (big to small) processes. Mitochondrial fusion is primarily controlled by three GTPases, mitofusin 1 (Mfn1), Mfn2, and optic atrophy 1 (Opa1), while mitochondrial fission is primarily regulated by GTPase dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1). Dysregulated activity of these GTPases results in disrupted mitochondrial dynamics and cellular metabolism. This review will update the metabolic roles of these GTPases in obesity, diabetes, and cancer.