The Functions, Methods, and Mobility of Mitochondrial Transfer Between Cells.

Yiming Qin,Jiaqi Zhao,Qi Yang,Qiong Zhou,Yanhong Zhou,Xin Jiang

doi:10.3389/fonc.2021.672781

Abstract

Mitochondria are vital organelles in cells, regulating energy metabolism and apoptosis. Mitochondrial transcellular transfer plays a crucial role during physiological and pathological conditions, such as rescuing recipient cells from bioenergetic deficit and tumorigenesis. Studies have shown several structures that conduct transcellular transfer of mitochondria, including tunneling nanotubes (TNTs), extracellular vesicles (EVs), and Cx43 gap junctions (GJs). The intra- and intercellular transfer of mitochondria is driven by a transport complex. Mitochondrial Rho small GTPase (MIRO) may be the adaptor that connects the transport complex with mitochondria, and myosin XIX is the motor protein of the transport complex, which participates in the transcellular transport of mitochondria through TNTs. In this review, the roles of TNTs, EVs, GJs, and related transport complexes in mitochondrial transcellular transfer are discussed in detail, as well as the formation mechanisms of TNTs and EVs. This review provides the basis for the development of potential clinical therapies targeting the structures of mitochondrial transcellular transfer.

Highlights

Mitochondria are important intracellular organelles, which play an important role in oxidative metabolism, and have key functions in cell signaling, proliferation, metabolism, and death [1]
There was spontaneous transcellular transfer of mitochondria under physical conditions. This phenomenon has been detected under conditions without stimulating factors between mouse cardiomyocytes (CMs) and human multipotent adipose-derived stem cells [16], renal tubular cells (RTCs) and mesenchymal multipotent stromal cells (MMSCs) [56], human vascular smooth muscle cells and bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells (BMMSCs) [20], etc
Communication between cells involves the exchange of information through various structures such as gap junctions (GJs), tunneling nanotubes (TNTs), extracellular vesicles (EVs), endocytosis, and exocytosis

Summary

INTRODUCTION

Mitochondria are important intracellular organelles, which play an important role in oxidative metabolism, and have key functions in cell signaling, proliferation, metabolism, and death [1]. Transcellular transfer of mitochondria facilitates the incorporation of the donated mitochondria into the endogenous network of recipient cells, which results the change in the bioenergetic profile and other functional properties of recipient cell [4] This process plays an important role in diverse pathological conditions, such as repair of tissue injury, inflammatory regulation, oncogenesis and tumor drug-resistance, as well as in physical conditions maintaining tissue homeostasis [5]. The most common donor cells in mitochondrial transcellular transfer are stem cells, such as WJMSCs, BMMSCs and iPSC-MSCs (Table 1), which indicates that this process may play a crucial role in stem cell therapy [5].

References rat hippocampal astrocytes

METHODS

CONCLUSIONS