Mitochondrial-related microRNAs and their roles in cellular senescence

Ling Luo; Xingna An; Yinghui Xiao; Xiguang Sun; Sijie Li; Yingzhao Wang; Weixia Sun; Dehai Yu

doi:10.3389/fphys.2023.1279548

Mitochondrial-related microRNAs and their roles in cellular senescence

Front Physiol. 2024 Jan 5:14:1279548. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1279548. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Ling Luo¹, Xingna An¹, Yinghui Xiao¹, Xiguang Sun², Sijie Li³, Yingzhao Wang⁴, Weixia Sun⁵, Dehai Yu¹

Affiliations

¹ Public Research Platform, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China.
² Department of Hand Surgery, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China.
³ Department of Breast Surgery, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China.
⁴ Department of Neurology, Qianwei Hospital of Jilin Province, Changchun, Jilin, China.
⁵ Department of Nephrology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China.

Abstract

Aging is a natural aspect of mammalian life. Although cellular mortality is inevitable, various diseases can hasten the aging process, resulting in abnormal or premature senescence. As cells age, they experience distinctive morphological and biochemical shifts, compromising their functions. Research has illuminated that cellular senescence coincides with significant alterations in the microRNA (miRNA) expression profile. Notably, a subset of aging-associated miRNAs, originally encoded by nuclear DNA, relocate to mitochondria, manifesting a mitochondria-specific presence. Additionally, mitochondria themselves house miRNAs encoded by mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). These mitochondria-residing miRNAs, collectively referred to as mitochondrial miRNAs (mitomiRs), have been shown to influence mtDNA transcription and protein synthesis, thereby impacting mitochondrial functionality and cellular behavior. Recent studies suggest that mitomiRs serve as critical sensors for cellular senescence, exerting control over mitochondrial homeostasis and influencing metabolic reprogramming, redox equilibrium, apoptosis, mitophagy, and calcium homeostasis-all processes intimately connected to senescence. This review synthesizes current findings on mitomiRs, their mitochondrial targets, and functions, while also exploring their involvement in cellular aging. Our goal is to shed light on the potential molecular mechanisms by which mitomiRs contribute to the aging process.

Keywords: cellular senescence; epigenetics; mitochondria; mitomiRs; noncoding RNA.

Publication types

Review

Grants and funding

The author(s) declare financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. This work was supported in part by Jilin International Collaboration Grant (20220402066GH to DY).