Mitochondrial targeting of coenzyme Q10 in inflammatory bowel disease: mechanisms, challenges, and prospects for clinical application

Abstract

Coenzyme Q₁₀ (CoQ₁₀), a key carrier of the mitochondrial electron transport chain and a fat-soluble antioxidant, plays an important role in maintaining cellular energy metabolism and REDOX balance. Recent studies have shown that mitochondrial dysfunction is closely related to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) pathogenesis, including insufficient ATP synthesis, reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, inflammasome activation, and intestinal barrier damage. CoQ₁₀ shows potential in improving mitochondrial function, anti-inflammation, and antioxidation by promoting oxidative phosphorylation, reducing ROS leakage, inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome activity, and regulating NF-κB/Nrf2 signaling pathway. Preclinical studies and preliminary clinical trials have confirmed that CoQ₁₀ supplementation can alleviate intestinal inflammation in IBD model animals, reduce the levels of proinflammatory factors (such as IL-1β and IL-18), and enhance the integrity of the intestinal barrier. CoQ₁₀ significantly reduces disease activity and improves quality of life in patients with mild-to-moderate ulcerative colitis (UC). However, the high hydrophobicity of CoQ₁₀ leads to its low bioavailability, and the safety of CoQ₁₀ in combination with some drugs still needs to be verified. Future research needs to focus on developing new delivery systems such as nanoemulsions and liposomes to optimize absorption efficiency and further verify their efficacy and safety through large-scale clinical trials. CoQ₁₀ may be a promising mitochondrial targeting strategy in the comprehensive treatment of IBD due to its multi-target regulatory property.

Keywords: Antioxidant therapy; Coenzyme Q(10); Mitochondrial dysfunction; electron transport chain; inflammatory bowel disease.