Electrophysiological effects of mitochondria‐derived extracellular vesicles: implications for memory dysfunction in neurodegenerative disorders

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundMitovesicles are a newly identified subtype of small extracellular vesicles (EVs) of mitochondrial origin. We recently developed a method to separate mitovesicles from other EVs after their isolation from the extracellular space of murine and human brain tissues. This method permits the study of the roles of mitovesicles in physiology and disease.Given their origin, we hypothesized that mitochondrial dysfunction, a hallmark of both Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Down syndrome (DS), could induce alterations in mitovesicles, thus perturbing brain homeostasis and contributing to propagation of pathology. Therefore, we studied mitovesicle components and functionality after their isolation from the brain of a mouse model of DS (hereafter Ts2) as compared to diploid (2N) controls, as well as from frontal cortices of individuals with DS as compared to their age‐matched 2N controls.MethodBrain mitovesicles were isolated and analyzed by Western blotting, electron microscopy, nanotrack analysis, and monoamine neurotransmitter degradation assay as recently described (D’Acunzo, et al., 2022, PMID: 35962195). Coronal hippocampal slices from wild‐type mice were perfused with different subtypes of brain EVs, pretreated or not with clorgiline and pargyline (1 μM each), irreversible inhibitors of the monoamine oxidases type A and B (MAO‐A and MAO‐B), respectively. Long‐term potentiation (LTP) was induced at the level of the Schaeffer collateral fibers through a theta‐burst stimulation (Fà, et al., 2014, PMID: 24643165).ResultMitovesicle number is higher in brains of DS individuals and of Ts2 mice and contain a higher MAO‐B protein amount and enzymatic activity as compared to diploid controls, suggesting a potential mitovesicle‐dependent impairment of neuroamine homeostasis in DS. In agreement with that, Ts2 (but not 2N) mitovesicles stimulated a decreased LTP in recipient hippocampal slices as compared to vehicle control (Fig. 1; mtVs: mitovesicles). This biological activity was abolished when MAO‐B (but not MAO‐A) was blocked. The other EV subtypes of both genotypes, microvesicles and exosomes, did not trigger an effect on LTP. DS changes were found to be sex independent.ConclusionPathogenic mitovesicles are previously undescribed active players of the brain extracellular milieu by regulating LTP via MAO‐B, and potentially contribute to memory formation deficiencies typically found in AD and DS.