Enhanced glycolysis and GSK3 inactivation promote brain metabolic adaptations following neuronal mitochondrial stress

Abstract

We analyzed early brain metabolic adaptations in response to mitochondrial dysfunction in a mouse model of mitochondrial encephalopathy with complex IV deficiency [neuron-specific COX10 knockout (KO)]. In this mouse model, the onset of the mitochondrial defect did not coincide with immediate cell death, suggesting early adaptive metabolic responses to compensate for the energetic deficit. Metabolomic analysis in the KO mice revealed increased levels of glycolytic and pentose phosphate pathway intermediates, amino acids and lysolipids. Glycolysis was modulated by enhanced activity of glycolytic enzymes, and not by their overexpression, suggesting the importance of post-translational modifications in the adaptive response. Glycogen synthase kinase 3 inactivation was the most upstream regulation identified, implying that it is a key event in this adaptive mechanism. Because neurons are thought not to rely on glycolysis for adenosine triphosphate production in normal conditions, our results indicate that neurons still maintain their ability to upregulate this pathway when under mitochondrial respiration stress.

Document Details

Document Type
Pub Defense Publication
Publication Date
Sep 24, 2021
Source ID
10.1093/hmg/ddab282

Entities

People

  • Ami Pravinkant Raval
  • Amy Saldana-caboverde
  • Carlos T Moraes
  • Francisca Diaz
  • Milena Pinto
  • Mir Anwar
  • Nadee Nissanka
  • Sofia Garcia

Organizations

  • Army Research Office
  • National Institutes of Health
  • United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation
  • University of Miami

Tags

Fields of Study

  • Biology

Readers

  • Cardiovascular Physiology
  • Molecular Biology and Genetics
  • Molecular and Cellular Biology