Pharmacological agents affecting mitophagy and inflammation

Abstract

Mitochondria are cellular organelles providing energy to the cells. Due to the nature of mitochondrial enzymatic repair systems, mitochondrial DNA tends to generate mutations that are repaired less efficiently than nuclear DNA mutations. There is a certain relationship between the accumulation of mitochondria with mutated DNA in tissues, the development of oxidative stress, and several pathological conditions, from specific mitochondrial diseases to an increased risk of cancer, atherosclerosis, neurodegeneration, and non-systemic inflammation. Mitophagy is the biological mechanism responsible for the degradation of dysfunctional, damaged, and mutant mitochondria. Presumably, the stimulation of mitophagy can lead to tissue cleansing from dysfunctional mitochondria, which can have a powerful therapeutic effect on the root cause of the pathology. This review examines the relationship between mitochondrial mutations and the development of oxidative stress, the mechanisms of mitophagy, and a group of chemicals that stimulate mitophagy.