Impaired complex-I mitochondrial biogenesis in Parkinson disease frontal cortex

J Parkinsons Dis. 2012;2(1):67-76. doi: 10.3233/JPD-2012-11074.

Abstract

Parkinson's disease (PD) can include a progressive frontal lobe α-synucleinopathy with disability from cognitive decline and cortico-limbic dysregulation that may arise from bioenergetic impairments. We examined in PD frontal cortex regulation of mitochondrial biogenesis (mitobiogenesis) and its effects on Complex-I. We quantified expression of 33 nuclear genome (nDNA)-encoded and 7 mitochondrial genome (mtDNA)-encoded Complex-I genes, 6 Complex-I assembly factors and multiple mitobiogenesis genes. We related these findings to levels of Complex-I proteins and NADH-driven electron flow in mitochondria from these same specimens reported in earlier studies. We found widespread, decreased expression of nDNA Complex-I genes that correlated in some cases with mitochondrial Complex-I protein levels, and of ACAD9, a Complex-I assembly factor. mtDNA-transcribed Complex-I genes showed ~ constant expression within each PD sample but variable expression across PD samples that correlated with NRF1. Relationships among PGC-1α and its downstream targets NRF1 and TFAM were very similar in PD and CTL and were related to mitochondrial NADH-driven electron flow. MicroRNA arrays revealed multiple miRNA's regulated >2-fold predicted to interact with PGC-1α or its upstream regulators. Exposure of cultured human neurons to NO, rotenone and TNF-alpha partially reproduced mitobiogenesis down-regulation. In PD frontal cortex mitobiogenesis signaling relationships are maintained but down-regulated, correlate with impaired mitochondrial NADH-driven electron flow and may arise from combinations of nitrosative/oxidative stresses, inflammatory cytokines, altered levels of mitobiogenesis gene-interacting microRNA's, or other unknown mechanisms. Stimulation of mitobiogenesis in PD may inhibit rostral disease progression and appearance of secondary symptoms referable to frontal cortex.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acyl-CoA Dehydrogenases / genetics
  • Acyl-CoA Dehydrogenases / metabolism
  • Adolescent
  • Cell Line
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism
  • Dopaminergic Neurons / ultrastructure
  • Electron Transport Complex I / genetics*
  • Electron Transport Complex I / metabolism*
  • Female
  • Frontal Lobe / pathology*
  • Frontal Lobe / physiopathology*
  • Gene Expression Regulation / drug effects
  • Gene Expression Regulation / physiology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • MicroRNAs / genetics
  • MicroRNAs / metabolism
  • Microarray Analysis
  • Mitochondrial Proteins / genetics
  • Mitochondrial Proteins / metabolism
  • Mitochondrial Turnover / physiology*
  • Neural Stem Cells
  • Nuclear Respiratory Factor 1 / genetics
  • Nuclear Respiratory Factor 1 / metabolism
  • Parkinson Disease / pathology*
  • Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma Coactivator 1-alpha
  • Rotenone / pharmacology
  • Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / pharmacology

Substances

  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • MicroRNAs
  • Mitochondrial Proteins
  • NRF1 protein, human
  • Nuclear Respiratory Factor 1
  • PPARGC1A protein, human
  • Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma Coactivator 1-alpha
  • TFAM protein, human
  • Transcription Factors
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
  • Rotenone
  • Acyl-CoA Dehydrogenases
  • ACAD9 protein, human
  • Electron Transport Complex I