Thinking outside the nucleus: mitochondrial DNA copy number in health and disease

Authors：Christina A. Castellani; Ryan J. Longchamps; Jing Sun; Eliseo Guallar; Dan E. Arking

Source：Mitochondrion, 2020.

DOI：10.1016/j.mito.2020.06.004

• Mitochondrial DNA
• Clinical biomarker
• MtDNA
• Complex disease

Mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNA-CN) is a biomarker of mitochondrial function and levels of mtDNA-CN have been reproducibly associated with overall mortality and a number of age-related diseases, including cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, and cancer. Recent advancements in techniques for estimating mtDNA-CN, in particular the use of DNA microarrays and next-generation sequencing data, have led to the comprehensive assessment of mtDNA-CN across these and other diseases and traits. The importance of mtDNA-CN measures to disease and these advancing technologies suggest the potential for mtDNA-CN to be a useful biomarker in the clinic. While the exact mechanism(s) underlying the association of mtDNA-CN with disease remain to be elucidated, we review the existing literature which supports roles for inflammatory dynamics, immune function and alterations to cell signaling as consequences of variation in mtDNA-CN. We propose that future studies should focus on characterizing longitudinal, cell-type and cross-tissue profiles of mtDNA-CN as well as improving methods for measuring mtDNA-CN which will expand the potential for its use as a clinical biomarker.

• Institution
  The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; johns hopkins university school of medicine; Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; Johns Hopkins University,School of Medicine; Johns hopkins university school of medicine