Neuronal metabolic rewiring promotes resilience to neurodegeneration caused by mitochondrial dysfunction
Open Access
- 28 August 2020
- journal article
- research article
- Published by American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in Science Advances
- Vol. 6 (35), eaba8271
- https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aba8271
Abstract
Neurodegeneration in mitochondrial disorders is considered irreversible because of limited metabolic plasticity in neurons, yet the cell-autonomous implications of mitochondrial dysfunction for neuronal metabolism in vivo are poorly understood. Here, we profiled the cell-specific proteome of Purkinje neurons undergoing progressive OXPHOS deficiency caused by disrupted mitochondrial fusion dynamics. We found that mitochondrial dysfunction triggers a profound rewiring of the proteomic landscape, culminating in the sequential activation of precise metabolic programs preceding cell death. Unexpectedly, we identified a marked induction of pyruvate carboxylase (PCx) and other anaplerotic enzymes involved in replenishing tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates. Suppression of PCx aggravated oxidative stress and neurodegeneration, showing that anaplerosis is protective in OXPHOS-deficient neurons. Restoration of mitochondrial fusion in end-stage degenerating neurons fully reversed these metabolic hallmarks, thereby preventing cell death. Our findings identify a previously unappreciated pathway conferring resilience to mitochondrial dysfunction and show that neurodegeneration can be reversed even at advanced disease stages.Funding Information
- European Research Council (Advanced Grant 2016-741366)
- Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (SFB1218 (Advanced Postdoc Grant))
- Swiss National Science Foundation
- Swiss National Science Foundation (310030_163064 and 310030_182332)
- Cancerfonden
- Hjärnfonden
- Knut och Alice Wallenbergs Stiftelse
- Vetenskapsrådet (2015-00418)
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