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Neurology Jul 2023Primary mitochondrial myopathies (PMMs) encompass a group of genetic disorders that impair mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation, adversely affecting physical... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
Primary mitochondrial myopathies (PMMs) encompass a group of genetic disorders that impair mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation, adversely affecting physical function, exercise capacity, and quality of life (QoL). Current PMM standards of care address symptoms, with limited clinical impact, constituting a significant therapeutic unmet need. We present data from MMPOWER-3, a pivotal, phase-3, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial that evaluated the efficacy and safety of elamipretide in participants with genetically confirmed PMM.
METHODS
After screening, eligible participants were randomized 1:1 to receive either 24 weeks of elamipretide at a dose of 40 mg/d or placebo subcutaneously. Primary efficacy endpoints included change from baseline to week 24 on the distance walked on the 6-minute walk test (6MWT) and total fatigue on the Primary Mitochondrial Myopathy Symptom Assessment (PMMSA). Secondary endpoints included most bothersome symptom score on the PMMSA, NeuroQoL Fatigue Short-Form scores, and the patient global impression and clinician global impression of PMM symptoms.
RESULTS
Participants (N = 218) were randomized (n = 109 elamipretide; n = 109 placebo). The m0ean age was 45.6 years (64% women; 94% White). Most of the participants (n = 162 [74%]) had mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) alteration, with the remainder having nuclear DNA (nDNA) defects. At screening, the most frequent bothersome PMM symptom on the PMMSA was tiredness during activities (28.9%). At baseline, the mean distance walked on the 6MWT was 336.7 ± 81.2 meters, the mean score for total fatigue on the PMMSA was 10.6 ± 2.5, and the mean T score for the Neuro-QoL Fatigue Short-Form was 54.7 ± 7.5. The study did not meet its primary endpoints assessing changes in the 6MWT and PMMSA total fatigue score (TFS). Between the participants receiving elamipretide and those receiving placebo, the difference in the least squares mean (SE) from baseline to week 24 on distance walked on the 6MWT was -3.2 (95% CI -18.7 to 12.3; = 0.69) meters, and on the PMMSA, the total fatigue score was -0.07 (95% CI -0.10 to 0.26; = 0.37). Elamipretide treatment was well-tolerated with most adverse events being mild to moderate in severity.
DISCUSSION
Subcutaneous elamipretide treatment did not improve outcomes in the 6MWT and PMMSA TFS in patients with PMM. However, this phase-3 study demonstrated that subcutaneous elamipretide is well-tolerated.
TRIAL REGISTRATION INFORMATION
Trial registered with clinicaltrials.gov, Clinical Trials Identifier: NCT03323749; submitted on October 12, 2017; first patient enrolled October 9, 2017.
CLINICALTRIALS
gov/ct2/show/NCT03323749?term = elamipretide&draw = 2&rank = 9.
CLASSIFICATION OF EVIDENCE
This study provides Class I evidence that elamipretide does not improve the 6MWT or fatigue at 24 weeks compared with placebo in patients with primary mitochondrial myopathy.
Topics: Humans; Female; Middle Aged; Male; Quality of Life; Merozoite Surface Protein 1; Mitochondrial Myopathies; Fatigue; Double-Blind Method; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 37268435
DOI: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000207402 -
Circulation Research Jul 2023Chronic kidney disease (CKD) accelerates the development of atherosclerosis, decreases muscle function, and increases the risk of amputation or death in patients with...
BACKGROUND
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) accelerates the development of atherosclerosis, decreases muscle function, and increases the risk of amputation or death in patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD). However, the mechanisms underlying this pathobiology are ill-defined. Recent work has indicated that tryptophan-derived uremic solutes, which are ligands for AHR (aryl hydrocarbon receptor), are associated with limb amputation in PAD. Herein, we examined the role of AHR activation in the myopathy of PAD and CKD.
METHODS
AHR-related gene expression was evaluated in skeletal muscle obtained from mice and human PAD patients with and without CKD. AHR (skeletal muscle-specific AHR knockout) mice with and without CKD were subjected to femoral artery ligation, and a battery of assessments were performed to evaluate vascular, muscle, and mitochondrial health. Single-nuclei RNA sequencing was performed to explore intercellular communication. Expression of the constitutively active AHR was used to isolate the role of AHR in mice without CKD.
RESULTS
PAD patients and mice with CKD displayed significantly higher mRNA expression of classical AHR-dependent genes (, , and ) when compared with either muscle from the PAD condition with normal renal function (<0.05 for all 3 genes) or nonischemic controls. AHR significantly improved limb perfusion recovery and arteriogenesis, preserved vasculogenic paracrine signaling from myofibers, increased muscle mass and strength, as well as enhanced mitochondrial function in an experimental model of PAD/CKD. Moreover, viral-mediated skeletal muscle-specific expression of a constitutively active AHR in mice with normal kidney function exacerbated the ischemic myopathy evidenced by smaller muscle masses, reduced contractile function, histopathology, altered vasculogenic signaling, and lower mitochondrial respiratory function.
CONCLUSIONS
These findings establish AHR activation in muscle as a pivotal regulator of the ischemic limb pathology in CKD. Further, the totality of the results provides support for testing of clinical interventions that diminish AHR signaling in these conditions.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Mice; Ischemia; Mice, Knockout; Muscle, Skeletal; Muscular Diseases; Peripheral Arterial Disease; Receptors, Aryl Hydrocarbon; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic
PubMed: 37325935
DOI: 10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.123.322875 -
Annual Review of Physiology Feb 2024Mitochondria play a key role in kidney physiology and pathology. They produce ATP to fuel energy-demanding water and solute reabsorption processes along the nephron.... (Review)
Review
Mitochondria play a key role in kidney physiology and pathology. They produce ATP to fuel energy-demanding water and solute reabsorption processes along the nephron. Moreover, mitochondria contribute to cellular health by the regulation of autophagy, (oxidative) stress responses, and apoptosis. Mitochondrial abundance is particularly high in cortical segments, including proximal and distal convoluted tubules. Dysfunction of the mitochondria has been described for tubulopathies such as Fanconi, Gitelman, and Bartter-like syndromes and renal tubular acidosis. In addition, mitochondrial cytopathies often affect renal (tubular) tissues, such as in Kearns-Sayre and Leigh syndromes. Nevertheless, the mechanisms by which mitochondrial dysfunction results in renal tubular diseases are only scarcely being explored. This review provides an overview of mitochondrial dysfunction in the development and progression of kidney tubulopathies. Furthermore, it emphasizes the need for further mechanistic investigations to identify links between mitochondrial function and renal electrolyte reabsorption.
Topics: Humans; Kidney Tubules; Bartter Syndrome; Kearns-Sayre Syndrome; Kidney Diseases; Mitochondria
PubMed: 38012047
DOI: 10.1146/annurev-physiol-042222-025000 -
The Biochemical Journal Nov 2023Mitochondrial dysfunction in skeletal muscle fibres occurs with both healthy aging and a range of neuromuscular diseases. The impact of mitochondrial dysfunction in... (Review)
Review
Mitochondrial dysfunction in skeletal muscle fibres occurs with both healthy aging and a range of neuromuscular diseases. The impact of mitochondrial dysfunction in skeletal muscle and the way muscle fibres adapt to this dysfunction is important to understand disease mechanisms and to develop therapeutic interventions. Furthermore, interactions between mitochondrial dysfunction and skeletal muscle biology, in mitochondrial myopathy, likely have important implications for normal muscle function and physiology. In this review, we will try to give an overview of what is known to date about these interactions including metabolic remodelling, mitochondrial morphology, mitochondrial turnover, cellular processes and muscle cell structure and function. Each of these topics is at a different stage of understanding, with some being well researched and understood, and others in their infancy. Furthermore, some of what we know comes from disease models. Whilst some findings are confirmed in humans, where this is not yet the case, we must be cautious in interpreting findings in the context of human muscle and disease. Here, our goal is to discuss what is known, highlight what is unknown and give a perspective on the future direction of research in this area.
Topics: Humans; Muscle, Skeletal; Mitochondrial Myopathies; Mitochondria; Mitochondrial Turnover; Biology
PubMed: 37965929
DOI: 10.1042/BCJ20220233 -
Cells Aug 2023Mitochondria are the primary source of energy production and are implicated in a wide range of biological processes in most eukaryotic cells. Skeletal muscle heavily... (Review)
Review
Mitochondria are the primary source of energy production and are implicated in a wide range of biological processes in most eukaryotic cells. Skeletal muscle heavily relies on mitochondria for energy supplements. In addition to being a powerhouse, mitochondria evoke many functions in skeletal muscle, including regulating calcium and reactive oxygen species levels. A healthy mitochondria population is necessary for the preservation of skeletal muscle homeostasis, while mitochondria dysregulation is linked to numerous myopathies. In this review, we summarize the recent studies on mitochondria function and quality control in skeletal muscle, focusing mainly on in vivo studies of rodents and human subjects. With an emphasis on the interplay between mitochondrial functions concerning the muscle fiber type-specific phenotypes, we also discuss the effect of aging and exercise on the remodeling of skeletal muscle and mitochondria properties.
Topics: Humans; Muscle Fibers, Skeletal; Muscle, Skeletal; Aging; Calcium; Mitochondria
PubMed: 37681915
DOI: 10.3390/cells12172183 -
Annals of Clinical and Translational... Nov 2023Anti-mitochondrial antibodies (AMAs) are associated with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs). We aimed to summarize the clinicopathological characteristics, assess...
OBJECTIVE
Anti-mitochondrial antibodies (AMAs) are associated with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs). We aimed to summarize the clinicopathological characteristics, assess circulating cell-free mitochondrial DNA (ccf-mtDNA), and circulating cell-free nuclear DNA (ccf-nDNA) in AMA-associated IIMs.
METHODS
Medical records of 37 IIMs patients with AMAs were reviewed. Circulating cell-free mtDNA and ccf-nDNA levels in sera from IIMs patients with AMAs (n = 21), disease controls (n = 66) and healthy controls (HCs) (n = 23) were measured and compared. Twenty-eight immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy (IMNM) patients, 23 dermatomyositis (DM) patients, and 15 anti-synthetase syndrome (ASS) patients were enrolled as disease controls. Correlations between variables were analyzed.
RESULTS
Limb weakness was observed in 75.7% and neck weakness in 56.8% of patients. Cardiac involvement occurred in 51.4% of patients. Muscle pathology revealed 81.1% of IMNM, 5.4% polymyositis, and 13.5% nonspecific myositis. Microinfarction was observed in 8.1% of patients. Serum ccf-mtDNA levels in AMA-associated IIMs were significantly higher than those in HCs (p < 0.001), but no significant differences between AMA-associated IIMs and IMNM, DM, or ASS. Serum ccf-nDNA levels in AMA-associated IIMs were significantly higher than those in HCs (p = 0.02), and significantly lower than those in DM (p = 0.02). Serum ccf-nDNA levels correlated negatively with MMT8 total scores (rs = -0.458, p = 0.037) and positively with mRS scores (rs = 0.486, p = 0.025). Serum ccf-nDNA levels were significantly higher in the non-remission group (p < 0.01).
INTERPRETATION
AMA-associated IIMs exhibit distinct clinicopathological features. Serum ccf-nDNA may serve as a potential marker for disease severity and prognosis in AMA-associated IIMs.
Topics: Humans; Autoantibodies; Myositis; Autoimmune Diseases; Muscles; DNA, Mitochondrial
PubMed: 37723899
DOI: 10.1002/acn3.51901 -
Science Translational Medicine Oct 2023To date, there are no approved treatments for the diminished strength and paralysis that result from the loss of peripheral nerve function due to trauma, heritable...
To date, there are no approved treatments for the diminished strength and paralysis that result from the loss of peripheral nerve function due to trauma, heritable neuromuscular diseases, or aging. Here, we showed that denervation resulting from transection of the sciatic nerve triggered a marked increase in the prostaglandin-degrading enzyme 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase (15-PGDH) in skeletal muscle in mice, providing evidence that injury drives early expression of this aging-associated enzyme or gerozyme. Treating mice with a small-molecule inhibitor of 15-PGDH promoted regeneration of motor axons and formation of neuromuscular synapses leading to an acceleration in recovery of force after an acute nerve crush injury. In aged mice with chronic denervation of muscles, treatment with the 15-PGDH inhibitor increased motor neuron viability and restored neuromuscular junctions and function. These presynaptic changes synergized with previously reported muscle tissue remodeling to result in a marked increase in the strength of aged muscles. We further found that 15-PGDH aggregates defined the target fibers that are histopathologic hallmarks of human neurogenic myopathies, suggesting that the gerozyme may be involved in their etiology. Our data suggest that inhibition of 15-PGDH may constitute a therapeutic strategy to physiologically boost prostaglandin E2, restore neuromuscular connectivity, and promote recovery of strength after acute or chronic denervation due to injury, disease, or aging.
Topics: Mice; Animals; Humans; Aged; Synapses; Hydroxyprostaglandin Dehydrogenases; Prostaglandins; Muscle, Skeletal; Denervation; Nerve Regeneration
PubMed: 37820010
DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.adg1485 -
Alcohol Research : Current Reviews 2023Alcohol-related myopathy is one of the earliest alcohol-associated pathological tissue changes that is progressively exacerbated by cumulative long-term alcohol misuse.... (Review)
Review
PURPOSE
Alcohol-related myopathy is one of the earliest alcohol-associated pathological tissue changes that is progressively exacerbated by cumulative long-term alcohol misuse. Acute and chronic alcohol use leads to changes in skeletal muscle mass and function. As discussed in this evidence-based review, alcohol-mediated mechanisms are multifactorial with effects on anabolic and catabolic signaling, mitochondrial bioenergetics, extracellular matrix remodeling, and epigenomic alterations. However, systematic studies are limited, especially regarding the acute effects of alcohol on skeletal muscle.
SEARCH METHODS
This review focuses on peer-reviewed manuscripts published between January 2012 and November 2022 using the search terms "alcohol" or "ethanol" and "skeletal muscle" in MEDLINE, PubMed, and Web of Science using EndNote reference management software.
SEARCH RESULTS
Eligible manuscripts included full-length research papers that discussed acute and chronic effects of alcohol on skeletal muscle mass and function in both clinical and preclinical studies. The review also includes alcohol-mediated skeletal muscle effects in the context of comorbidities. The three databases together yielded 708 manuscripts. Of these, the authors excluded from this review 548 papers that did not have "alcohol" or "muscle" in the title and 64 papers that were duplicates or did not discuss skeletal muscle. Thus, of all the manuscripts considered for this review, 96 are included and 612 are excluded. Additionally, relevant papers published earlier than 2012 are included to provide context to the review.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS
Both acute and chronic alcohol use decrease protein synthesis and increase protein degradation. Alcohol also impairs mitochondrial function and extracellular matrix remodeling. However, there is a gap in the literature on the known alcohol-mediated mechanisms, including senescence, role of immune activation, and interorgan communication, on the development of alcohol-related myopathy. With increased life expectancy, changing alcohol use patterns, and increasing frequency of alcohol use among females, current observational studies are needed on the prevalence of alcohol-related myopathy. Additionally, the compounding effects of acute and chronic alcohol use on skeletal muscle with aging or exercise, in response to injury or disuse, and in the context of comorbidities including diabetes and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), call for further investigation. Though evidence suggests that abstinence or reducing alcohol use can improve muscle mass and function, they are not restored to normal levels. Hence, understanding the pathophysiological mechanisms can help in the design of therapeutic strategies to improve skeletal muscle health.
Topics: Female; Humans; Ethanol; Muscle, Skeletal; Muscular Diseases; Alcohol Drinking; Signal Transduction
PubMed: 37937295
DOI: 10.35946/arcr.v43.1.04