MOTS-c, a 16 amino acid mitochondrial derived peptide, is encoded from the 12S rRNA region of the mitochondrial genome. Under stress conditions, MOTS-c translocates to the nucleus where it regulates a wide range of genes in response to metabolic dysfunction. It is colocalized to mitochondria in various tissues and is found in plasma, but the levels decline with age. Since MOTS-c has important cellular functions as well as a possible hormonal role, it has been shown to have beneficial effects on age-related diseases including Diabetes, Cardiovascular diseases, Osteoporosis, postmenopausal obesity and Alzheimer. Aging is characterized by gradual loss of (mitochondrial) metabolic balance, decreased muscle homeostasis and eventual diminished physical capability, which potentially can be reversed with MOTS-c treatment. This review examines the latest findings on biological effects of MOTS-c as a nuclear regulatory peptide and focuses on the role of MOTS-c in aging and age-related disorders, including mechanisms of action and therapeutic potential.

This study uses personalized chronic lymphoblastic leukemia (CLL) cybrid cells to test various drugs/agents designed to improve mitochondrial function and cell longevity. Age-matched control (NL) and CLL cybrids were created. The NL and CLL cybrids were treated with ibrutinib (Ibr-10 μM), mitochondrial-targeted nutraceuticals such as alpha lipoic acid (ALA-1 mM), amla (Aml-300 μg), melatonin (Mel-1 mM), resveratrol (Res-100 μM) alone, or a combination of ibrutinib with nutraceuticals (Ibr + ALA, Ibr + Aml, Ibr + Mel, or Ibr + Res) for 48 h. MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazolyl-2)-2,5-diphenyltetrazoliumbromide), H2DCFDA(2',7' Dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate), and JC1 assays were used to measure the cellular metabolism, intracellular ROS levels, and mitochondrial membrane potential (∆ψm), respectively. The expression levels of genes associated with antioxidant enzymes (SOD2, GPX3, and NOX4), apoptosis (BAX and CASP3), and inflammation (IL6, IL-1β, TNFα, and TGFβ) were measured using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). CLL cybrids treated with Ibr + ALA, Ibr + Aml, Ibr + Mel, and Ibr + Res had (a) reduced cell survivability, (b) increased ROS production, (c) increased ∆ψm levels, (d) decreased antioxidant gene expression levels, and (e) increased apoptotic and inflammatory genes in CLL cybrids when compared with ibrutinib-alone-treated CLL cybrids. Our findings show that the addition of nutraceuticals makes the CLL cybrids more pro-apoptotic with decreased cell survival compared with CLL cybrids exposed to ibrutinib alone.

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is the most common diabetic microvascular complication and cause of blindness in adults under the age of 65. Our results suggest that, when comparing transcriptomes of cultures grown in hypoxic conditions versus room-air, cybrids containing mitochondria from African and Asian diabetic subjects ([Afr + Asi]/DM) have some uniquely different transcriptome profiles compared to European/diabetic (Euro/DM) cybrids (e.g., fatty acid metabolism: EnrichR rank 10 in [Afr + Asi]/DM, rank 85 in Euro/DM; Endocytosis: rank 25 in [Afr + Asi]/DM, rank 5 in Euro/DM; Ubiquitin Mediated Proteolysis: rank 34 in [Afr + Asi]/DM, rank 7 in Euro/DM). As determined by both RNA-seq and qRT-PCR results, transcription of the gene encoding oleoyl-ACP hydrolase (OLAH) was significantly increased in [Afr + Asi]/DM cybrids compared to Euro/DM cybrids in hypoxic conditions. Additionally, our results show that in hypoxic conditions, Euro/DM cybrids and [Afr + Asi]/DM cybrids show similar decreases in ROS production. All cybrids showed decreased ZO1-minus protein levels, but their phagocytic functions were not significantly altered in hypoxic conditions. In conclusion, our findings suggest that the "molecular memory" imparted by [Afr + Asi]/DM mtDNA may act through one of the molecular pathways seen in transcriptome analysis, such as fatty acid metabolism, without significantly changing essential RPE functions.

The aim of this study was to determine the role of retrograde signaling (mitochondria to nucleus) in MCF7 breast cancer cells. Therefore, in the present study, MCF7-H and MCF7-J cybrids were produced using the mitochondria from the same H and J individuals that were already used in our non-diseased retinal pigment epithelium (ARPE19) cybrids. MCF7 cybrids were treated with cisplatin and analyzed for cell viability, mitochondrial membrane potential, ROS, and expression levels of genes associated with the cGAS-STING and cancer-related pathways. Results showed that unlike the ARPE19-H and ARPE19-J cybrids, the untreated MCF7-H and MCF7-J cybrids had similar levels of ATP, lactate, and OCR: ECAR ratios. After cisplatin treatment, MCF7-H and MCF7-J cybrids showed similar (a) decreases in cell viability and ROS levels; (b) upregulation of ABCC1, BRCA1 and CDKN1A/P21; and (c) downregulation of EGFR. Cisplatin-treated ARPE19-H and ARPE19-J cybrids showed increased expression of six cGAS-STING pathway genes, while two were increased for MCF7-J cybrids. In summary, the ARPE19-H and ARPE19-J cybrids behave differentially from each other with or without cisplatin. In contrast, the MCF7-H and MCF7-J cybrids had identical metabolic/bioenergetic profiles and cisplatin responses. Our findings suggest that cancer cell nuclei might have a diminished ability to respond to the modulating signaling of the mtDNA that occurs via the cGAS-STING pathway.

We assessed the potential negative effects of bacteriostatic and bactericidal antibiotics on the AMD cybrid cell lines (K, U and J haplogroups). AMD cybrid cells were created and cultured in 96-well plates and treated with tetracycline (TETRA) and ciprofloxacin (CPFX) for 24 h. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔψM), cellular metabolism and ratio of apoptotic cells were measured using H2DCFDA, JC1, MTT and flow cytometry assays, respectively. Expression of genes of antioxidant enzymes, and pro-inflammatory and pro-apoptotic pathways were evaluated by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). Higher ROS levels were found in U haplogroup cybrids when treated with CPFX 60 µg/mL concentrations, lower ΔψM of all haplogroups by CPFX 120 µg/mL, diminished cellular metabolism in all cybrids with CPFX 120 µg/mL, and higher ratio of dead cells in K and J cybrids. CPFX 120 µg/mL induced overexpression of IL-33, CASP-3 and CASP-9 in all cybrids, upregulation of TGF-β1 and SOD2 in U and J cybrids, respectively, along with decreased expression of IL-6 in J cybrids. TETRA 120 µg/mL induced decreased ROS levels in U and J cybrids, increased cellular metabolism of treated U cybrids, higher ratio of dead cells in K and J cybrids and declined ΔψM via all TETRA concentrations in all haplogroups. TETRA 120 µg/mL caused upregulation of IL-6 and CASP-3 genes in all cybrids, higher CASP-7 gene expression in K and U cybrids and downregulation of the SOD3 gene in K and U cybrids. Clinically relevant dosages of ciprofloxacin and tetracycline have potential adverse impacts on AMD cybrids possessing K, J and U mtDNA haplogroups in vitro.

Mitochondrial (mt) DNA can be classified into haplogroups, which represent populations with different geographic origins. Individuals of maternal African backgrounds (L haplogroup) are more prone to develop specific diseases compared those with maternal European-H haplogroups. Using a cybrid model, effects of amyloid-β (Amyβ), sub-lethal ultraviolet (UV) radiation, and 5-Aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5-aza-dC), a methylation inhibitor, were investigated. Amyβ treatment decreased cell metabolism and increased levels of reactive oxygen species in European-H and African-L cybrids, but lower mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨM) was found only in African-L cybrids. Sub-lethal UV radiation induced higher expression levels of CFH, EFEMP1, BBC3, and BCL2L13 in European-H cybrids compared to African-L cybrids. With respect to epigenetic status, the African-L cybrids had (a) 4.7-fold higher total global methylation levels (p = 0.005); (b) lower expression patterns for DNMT3B; and (c) elevated levels for HIST1H3F. The European-H and African-L cybrids showed different transcription levels for CFH, EFEMP1, CXCL1, CXCL8, USP25, and VEGF after treatment with 5-aza-dC. In conclusion, compared to European-H haplogroup cybrids, the African-L cybrids have different (i) responses to exogenous stressors (Amyβ and UV radiation), (ii) epigenetic status, and (iii) modulation profiles of methylation-mediated downstream complement, inflammation, and angiogenesis genes, commonly associated with various human diseases.