Mitochondrial DNA mutations induce mitochondrial biogenesis and increase the tumorigenic potential of Hodgkin and Reed-Sternberg cells.

Functioning mitochondria are crucial for cancer metabolism, but aerobic glycolysis is still considered to be an important pathway for energy production in many tumor cells. Here we show that two well established, classic Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) cell lines harbor deleterious variants within mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and thus exhibit reduced steady-state levels of respiratory chain complexes. However, instead of resulting in the expected bioenergetic defect, these mtDNA variants evoke a retrograde signaling response that induces mitochondrial biogenesis and ultimately results in increased mitochondrial mass as well as function and enhances proliferation in vitro as well as tumor growth in mice in vivo. When complex I assembly was impaired by knockdown of one of its subunits, this led to further increased mitochondrial mass and function and, consequently, further accelerated tumor growth in vivo. In contrast, inhibition of mitochondrial respiration in vivo by the mitochondrial complex I inhibitor metformin efficiently slowed down growth. We conclude that, as a new mechanism, mildly deleterious mtDNA variants in cHL cancer cells cause an increase of mitochondrial mass and enhanced function as a compensatory effect using a retrograde signaling pathway, which provides an obvious advantage for tumor growth.

Novel 1-hydroxypyridin-2-one metal chelators prevent and rescue ubiquitin proteasomal-related neuronal injury in an in vitro model of Parkinson's disease.

Ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS) impairment, excessive cellular oxidative stress, and iron dyshomeostasis are key to substantia nigra dopaminergic neuronal degeneration in Parkinson's disease (PD); however, a link between these features remains unconfirmed. Using the proteasome inhibitor lactacystin we confirm that nigral injury via UPS impairment disrupts iron homeostasis, in turn increasing oxidative stress and promoting protein aggregation. We demonstrate the neuroprotective potential of two novel 1-hydroxy-2(1H)-pyridinone (1,2-HOPO) iron chelators, compounds C6 and C9, against lactacystin-induced cell death. We demonstrate that this cellular preservation relates to the compounds' iron chelating capabilities and subsequent reduced capacity of iron to form reactive oxygen species (ROS), where we also show that the ligands act as antioxidant agents. Our results also demonstrate the ability of C6 and C9 to reduce intracellular lactacystin-induced α-synuclein burden. Stability constant measurements confirmed a high affinity of C6 and C9 for Fe3+ and display a 3:1 HOPO:Fe3+ complex formation at physiological pH. Reducing iron reactivity could prevent the demise of nigral dopaminergic neurons. We provide evidence that the lactacystin model presents with several neuropathological hallmarks of PD related to iron dyshomeostasis and that the novel chelating compounds C6 and C9 can protect against lactacystin-related neurotoxicity.

Design and evaluation of bi-functional iron chelators for protection of dopaminergic neurons from toxicants.

While the etiology of non-familial Parkinson's disease (PD) remains unclear, there is evidence that increased levels of tissue iron may be a contributing factor. Moreover, exposure to some environmental toxicants is considered an additional risk factor. Therefore, brain-targeted iron chelators are of interest as antidotes for poisoning with dopaminergic toxicants, and as potential treatment of PD. We, therefore, designed a series of small molecules with high affinity for ferric iron and containing structural elements to allow their transport to the brain via the neutral amino acid transporter, LAT1 (SLC7A5). Five candidate molecules were synthesized and initially characterized for protection from ferroptosis in human neurons. The promising hydroxypyridinone SK4 was characterized further. Selective iron chelation within the physiological range of pH values and uptake by LAT1 were confirmed. Concentrations of 10-20 µM blocked neurite loss and cell demise triggered by the parkinsonian neurotoxicants, methyl-phenyl-pyridinium (MPP+) and 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) in human dopaminergic neuronal cultures (LUHMES cells). Rescue was also observed when chelators were given after the toxicant. SK4 derivatives that either lacked LAT1 affinity or had reduced iron chelation potency showed altered activity in our assay panel, as expected. Thus, an iron chelator was developed that revealed neuroprotective properties, as assessed in several models. The data strongly support the role of iron in dopaminergic neurotoxicity and suggests further exploration of the proposed design strategy for improving brain iron chelation.

A new approach to find biomarkers in chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) by single-cell Raman micro-spectroscopy.

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), also called myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), is a debilitating disorder characterized by physical and mental exhaustion. Mitochondrial and energetic dysfunction has been investigated in CFS patients due to a hallmark relationship with fatigue; however, no consistent conclusion has yet been achieved. Single-cell Raman spectra (SCRS) are label-free biochemical profiles, indicating phenotypic fingerprints of single cells. In this study, we applied a new approach using single-cell Raman microspectroscopy (SCRM) to examine ρ0 cells that lack mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from CFS patients and healthy controls. The experimental results show that Raman bands associated with phenylalanine in ρ0 cells and CFS patient PBMCs were significantly higher than those of the wild-type model and healthy controls. As similar changes were observed in the ρ0 cell model with a known deficiency in the mitochondrial respiratory chain as well as in CFS patients, our results suggest that the increase in cellular phenylalanine may be related to mitochondrial/energetic dysfunction in both systems. Interestingly, phenylalanine can be used as a potential biomarker for the diagnosis of CFS by SCRM. A machine learning classification model achieved an accuracy rate of 98% correctly assigning Raman spectra to either the CFS group or the control group. SCRM combined with a machine learning algorithm therefore has the potential to become a diagnostic tool for CFS.

Correction: A new approach to find biomarkers in chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) by single-cell Raman micro-spectroscopy.

Correction for 'A new approach to find biomarkers in chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) by single-cell Raman micro-spectroscopy' by Jiabao Xu et al., Analyst, 2019, 144, 913-920.

Haplogroup Context is Less Important in the Penetrance of Mitochondrial DNA Complex I Mutations Compared to mt-tRNA Mutations.

Mitochondrial diseases are a highly complex, heterogeneous group of disorders. Mitochondrial DNA variants that are linked to disease can exhibit variable expression and penetrance. This has an implication for mitochondrial diagnostics as variants that cause disease in one individual may not in another. It has been suggested that the sequence context in which a variant arises could influence the genotype-phenotype relationship. However, the consequence of sequence variation between different haplogroups on the expression of disease is not well understood. European haplogroups are the most widely studied. To ensure accurate diagnostics for patients globally, we first need to understand how, if at all, the sequence context in which a variant arises contributes to the manifestion of disease. To help us understand this, we used 2752 sequences from 33 non-human species that do not have disease. We searched for variants in the seven complex I genes that are associated with disease in humans. Our findings indicate that only three reported pathogenic complex I variants have arisen in these species. More importantly, only one of these, m.3308T>C, has arisen with its associated amino acid change in the studied non-human species. With the status of m.3308T>C as a disease causing variant being a matter of debate. This is a stark contrast to previous findings in the mitochondrial tRNA genes and suggests that sequence context may be less important in the complex I genes. This information will help us improve the identification and diagnosis of mitochondrial DNA variants in non-European populations.

Mitochondrial DNA changes in pedunculopontine cholinergic neurons in Parkinson disease.

In Parkinson disease (PD), mitochondrial dysfunction associates with nigral dopaminergic neuronal loss. Cholinergic neuronal loss co-occurs, particularly within a brainstem structure, the pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN). We isolated single cholinergic neurons from postmortem PPNs of aged controls and PD patients. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) copy number and mtDNA deletions were increased significantly in PD patients compared to controls. Furthermore, compared to controls the PD patients had significantly more PPN cholinergic neurons containing mtDNA deletion levels exceeding 60%, a level associated with deleterious effects on oxidative phosphorylation. The current results differ from studies reporting mtDNA depletion in nigral dopaminergic neurons of PD patients. Ann Neurol 2017;82:1016-1021.

Clinically proven mtDNA mutations are not common in those with chronic fatigue syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is a prevalent debilitating condition that affects approximately 250,000 people in the UK. There is growing interest in the role of mitochondrial function and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variation in CFS. It is now known that fatigue is common and often severe in patients with mitochondrial disease irrespective of their age, gender or mtDNA genotype. More recently, it has been suggested that some CFS patients harbour clinically proven mtDNA mutations. METHODS: MtDNA sequencing of 93 CFS patients from the United Kingdom (UK) and South Africa (RSA) was performed using an Ion Torrent Personal Genome Machine. The sequence data was examined for any evidence of clinically proven mutations, currently; more than 200 clinically proven mtDNA mutations point mutations have been identified. RESULTS: We report the complete mtDNA sequence of 93 CFS patients from the UK and RSA, without finding evidence of clinically proven mtDNA mutations. This finding demonstrates that clinically proven mtDNA mutations are not a common element in the aetiology of disease in CFS patients. That is patients having a clinically proven mtDNA mutation and subsequently being misdiagnosed with CFS are likely to be rare. CONCLUSION: The work supports the assertion that CFS should not be considered to fall within the spectrum of mtDNA disease. However, the current study cannot exclude a role for nuclear genes with a mitochondrial function, nor a role of mtDNA population variants in susceptibility to disease. This study highlights the need for more to be done to understand the pathophysiology of CFS.

Clonal expansion of early to mid-life mitochondrial DNA point mutations drives mitochondrial dysfunction during human ageing.

Age-related decline in the integrity of mitochondria is an important contributor to the human ageing process. In a number of ageing stem cell populations, this decline in mitochondrial function is due to clonal expansion of individual mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) point mutations within single cells. However the dynamics of this process and when these mtDNA mutations occur initially are poorly understood. Using human colorectal epithelium as an exemplar tissue with a well-defined stem cell population, we analysed samples from 207 healthy participants aged 17-78 years using a combination of techniques (Random Mutation Capture, Next Generation Sequencing and mitochondrial enzyme histochemistry), and show that: 1) non-pathogenic mtDNA mutations are present from early embryogenesis or may be transmitted through the germline, whereas pathogenic mtDNA mutations are detected in the somatic cells, providing evidence for purifying selection in humans, 2) pathogenic mtDNA mutations are present from early adulthood (<20 years of age), at both low levels and as clonal expansions, 3) low level mtDNA mutation frequency does not change significantly with age, suggesting that mtDNA mutation rate does not increase significantly with age, and 4) clonally expanded mtDNA mutations increase dramatically with age. These data confirm that clonal expansion of mtDNA mutations, some of which are generated very early in life, is the major driving force behind the mitochondrial dysfunction associated with ageing of the human colorectal epithelium.

The role of the mitochondrial ribosome in human disease: searching for mutations in 12S mitochondrial rRNA with high disruptive potential.

Mutations of mitochondrial DNA are linked to many human diseases. Despite the identification of a large number of variants in the mitochondrially encoded rRNA (mt-rRNA) genes, the evidence supporting their pathogenicity is, at best, circumstantial. Establishing the pathogenicity of these variations is of major diagnostic importance. Here, we aim to estimate the disruptive effect of mt-rRNA variations on the function of the mitochondrial ribosome. In the absence of direct biochemical methods to study the effect of mt-rRNA variations, we relied on the universal conservation of the rRNA fold to infer their disruptive potential. Our method, named heterologous inferential analysis or HIA, combines conservational information with functional and structural data obtained from heterologous ribosomal sources. Thus, HIA's predictive power is superior to the traditional reliance on simple conservation indexes. By using HIA, we have been able to evaluate the disruptive potential for a subset of uncharacterized 12S mt-rRNA variations. Our analysis revealed the existence of variations in the rRNA component of the human mitoribosome with different degrees of disruptive power. In cases where sufficient information regarding the genetic and pathological manifestation of the mitochondrial phenotype is available, HIA data can be used to predict the pathogenicity of mt-rRNA mutations. In other cases, HIA analysis will allow the prioritization of variants for additional investigation. Eventually, HIA-inspired analysis of potentially pathogenic mt-rRNA variations, in the context of a scoring system specifically designed for these variants, could lead to a powerful diagnostic tool.

Deep-brain stimulation associates with improved microvascular integrity in the subthalamic nucleus in Parkinson's disease.

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) has become an accepted treatment for motor symptoms in a subset of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. The mechanisms why DBS is effective are incompletely understood, but previous studies show that DBS targeted in brain structures other than the STN may modify the microvasculature. However, this has not been studied in PD subjects who have received STN-DBS. Here we investigated the extent and nature of microvascular changes in post-mortem STN samples from STN-DBS PD patients, compared to aged controls and PD patients who had not been treated with STN-DBS. We used immunohistochemical and immunofluorescent methods to assess serial STN-containing brain sections from PD and STN-DBS PD cases, compared to similar age controls using specific antibodies to detect capillaries, an adherens junction and tight junction-associated proteins as well as activated microglia. Cellular features in stained sections were quantified by confocal fluorescence microscopy and stereological methods in conjunction with in vitro imaging tools. We found significant upregulation of microvessel endothelial cell thickness, length and density but lowered activated microglia density and striking upregulation of all analysed adherens junction and tight junction-associated proteins in STN-DBS PD patients compared to non-DBS PD patients and controls. Moreover, in STN-DBS PD samples, expression of an angiogenic factor, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), was significantly upregulated compared to the other groups. Our findings suggest that overexpressed VEGF and downregulation of inflammatory processes may be critical mechanisms underlying the DBS-induced microvascular changes.

Comparison of mitochondrial mutation spectra in ageing human colonic epithelium and disease: absence of evidence for purifying selection in somatic mitochondrial DNA point mutations.

Human ageing has been predicted to be caused by the accumulation of molecular damage in cells and tissues. Somatic mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations have been documented in a number of ageing tissues and have been shown to be associated with cellular mitochondrial dysfunction. It is unknown whether there are selective constraints, which have been shown to occur in the germline, on the occurrence and expansion of these mtDNA mutations within individual somatic cells. Here we compared the pattern and spectrum of mutations observed in ageing human colon to those observed in the general population (germline variants) and those associated with primary mtDNA disease. The pathogenicity of the protein encoding mutations was predicted using a computational programme, MutPred, and the scores obtained for the three groups compared. We show that the mutations associated with ageing are randomly distributed throughout the genome, are more frequently non-synonymous or frameshift mutations than the general population, and are significantly more pathogenic than population variants. Mutations associated with primary mtDNA disease were significantly more pathogenic than ageing or population mutations. These data provide little evidence for any selective constraints on the occurrence and expansion of mtDNA mutations in somatic cells of the human colon during human ageing in contrast to germline mutations seen in the general population.

Mitochondrial abnormality associates with type-specific neuronal loss and cell morphology changes in the pedunculopontine nucleus in Parkinson disease.

Cholinergic neuronal loss in the pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN) associates with abnormal functions, including certain motor and nonmotor symptoms. This realization has led to low-frequency stimulation of the PPN for treating patients with Parkinson disease (PD) who are refractory to other treatment modalities. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying PPN neuronal loss and the therapeutic substrate for the clinical benefits following PPN stimulation remain poorly characterized, hampering progress toward designing more efficient therapies aimed at restoring the PPN's normal functions during progressive parkinsonism. Here, we investigated postmortem pathological changes in the PPN of PD cases. Our study detected a loss of neurons producing gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) as their output and glycinergic neurons, along with the pronounced loss of cholinergic neurons. These losses were accompanied by altered somatic cell size that affected the remaining neurons of all neuronal subtypes studied here. Because studies showed that mitochondrial dysfunction exists in sporadic PD and in PD animal models, we investigated whether altered mitochondrial composition exists in the PPN. A significant up-regulation of several mitochondrial proteins was seen in GABAergic and glycinergic neurons; however, cholinergic neurons indicated down-regulation of the same proteins. Our findings suggest an imbalance in the activity of key neuronal subgroups of the PPN in PD, potentially because of abnormal inhibitory activity and altered cholinergic outflow.

Purifying selection of mtDNA and its implications for understanding evolution and mitochondrial disease.

Mutations of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) are frequent in humans and are implicated in many different types of pathology. The high substitution rate and the maternal, asexual mode of transmission of mtDNA make it more likely to accumulate deleterious mutations. Here, we discuss recent evidence that mtDNA transmission is subject to strong purifying selection in the mammalian female germ line, limiting the accumulation of such mutations. This process shapes mitochondrial sequence diversity and is therefore probably of fundamental importance for animal evolution and in human mitochondrial disease.

Mitochondrial DNA mutation pathogenicity score and neurocognitive performance in persons with HIV.

BACKGROUND: Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) genetic variation is associated with neurocognitive (NC) impairment (NCI) in people with HIV (PWH). Other approaches use sequence conservation and protein structure to predict the impact of mtDNA variants on protein function. We examined predicted mtDNA variant pathogenicity in the CHARTER study using MutPred scores, hypothesizing that persons with higher scores (greater predicted pathogenicity) have more NCI. METHODS: CHARTER included NC testing in PWH from 2003 to 2007. MutPred scores were assigned to CHARTER participants with mtDNA sequence; any score > 0.5 was considered potentially deleterious. Outcomes at cohort entry were NCI, defined by global and seven NC domain deficit scores, and by mean global and domain NC performance T-scores. Univariate and multivariable regression analyses assessed associations between having a deleterious variant and NCI. Additional models included estimated peripheral blood cell mtDNA copy number. RESULTS: Data were available for 744 PWH (357 African ancestry; 317 European; 70 Hispanic). In the overall cohort, PWH having any potentially deleterious variant were less likely to have motor impairment (16 vs. 25 %, p = 0.001). In multivariable analysis, having a deleterious variant remained associated with lower likelihood of motor impairment (adjusted odds ratio 0.59 [95 % CI 0.41-0.88]; p = 0.009), and better motor performance by T-score (ß 1.71 [0.31-3.10], p = 0.02). Associations persisted after adjustment for estimated mtDNA quantity. CONCLUSIONS: In these PWH, having a potentially deleterious mtDNA variant was associated with less motor impairment. These unexpected findings suggest that potentially deleterious mtDNA variations may confer protection against impaired motor function by as yet unknown mechanisms.

Mitochondrial DNA disease: new options for prevention.

Very recently, two papers have presented intriguing data suggesting that prevention of transmission of human mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) disease is possible. [Craven, L., Tuppen, H.A., Greggains, G.D., Harbottle, S.J., Murphy, J.L., Cree, L.M., Murdoch, A.P., Chinnery, P.F., Taylor, R.W., Lightowlers, R.N. et al. (2010) Pronuclear transfer in human embryos to prevent transmission of mitochondrial DNA disease. Nature, 465, 82-85. Tachibana, M., Sparman, M., Sritanaudomchai, H., Ma, H., Clepper, L., Woodward, J., Li, Y., Ramsey, C., Kolotushkina, O. and Mitalipov, S. (2009) Mitochondrial gene replacement in primate offspring and embryonic stem cells. Nature, 461, 367-372.] These recent advances raise hopes for families with mtDNA disease; however, the successful translational of these techniques to clinical practice will require further research to test for safety and to maximize efficacy. Furthermore, in the UK, amendment to the current legislation will be required. Here, we discuss the clinical and scientific background, studies we believe are important to establish safety and efficacy of the techniques and some of the potential concerns about the use of these approaches.

Our current understanding of the toxicity of altered mito-ribosomal fidelity during mitochondrial protein synthesis: What can it tell us about human disease?

Altered mito-ribosomal fidelity is an important and insufficiently understood causative agent of mitochondrial dysfunction. Its pathogenic effects are particularly well-known in the case of mitochondrially induced deafness, due to the existence of the, so called, ototoxic variants at positions 847C (m.1494C) and 908A (m.1555A) of 12S mitochondrial (mt-) rRNA. It was shown long ago that the deleterious effects of these variants could remain dormant until an external stimulus triggered their pathogenicity. Yet, the link from the fidelity defect at the mito-ribosomal level to its phenotypic manifestation remained obscure. Recent work with fidelity-impaired mito-ribosomes, carrying error-prone and hyper-accurate mutations in mito-ribosomal proteins, have started to reveal the complexities of the phenotypic manifestation of mito-ribosomal fidelity defects, leading to a new understanding of mtDNA disease. While much needs to be done to arrive to a clear picture of how defects at the level of mito-ribosomal translation eventually result in the complex patterns of disease observed in patients, the current evidence indicates that altered mito-ribosome function, even at very low levels, may become highly pathogenic. The aims of this review are three-fold. First, we compare the molecular details associated with mito-ribosomal fidelity to those of general ribosomal fidelity. Second, we gather information on the cellular and organismal phenotypes associated with defective translational fidelity in order to provide the necessary grounds for an understanding of the phenotypic manifestation of defective mito-ribosomal fidelity. Finally, the results of recent experiments directly tackling mito-ribosomal fidelity are reviewed and future paths of investigation are discussed.

Structural analysis of mitochondrial rRNA gene variants identified in patients with deafness.

The last few years have witnessed dramatic advances in our understanding of the structure and function of the mammalian mito-ribosome. At the same time, the first attempts to elucidate the effects of mito-ribosomal fidelity (decoding accuracy) in disease have been made. Hence, the time is right to push an important frontier in our understanding of mitochondrial genetics, that is, the elucidation of the phenotypic effects of mtDNA variants affecting the functioning of the mito-ribosome. Here, we have assessed the structural and functional role of 93 mitochondrial (mt-) rRNA variants thought to be associated with deafness, including those located at non-conserved positions. Our analysis has used the structural description of the human mito-ribosome of the highest quality currently available, together with a new understanding of the phenotypic manifestation of mito-ribosomal-associated variants. Basically, any base change capable of inducing a fidelity phenotype may be considered non-silent. Under this light, out of 92 previously reported mt-rRNA variants thought to be associated with deafness, we found that 49 were potentially non-silent. We also dismissed a large number of reportedly pathogenic mtDNA variants, 41, as polymorphisms. These results drastically update our view on the implication of the primary sequence of mt-rRNA in the etiology of deafness and mitochondrial disease in general. Our data sheds much-needed light on the question of how mt-rRNA variants located at non-conserved positions may lead to mitochondrial disease and, most notably, provide evidence of the effect of haplotype context in the manifestation of some mt-rRNA variants.

A Novel Mitochondria-Targeting Iron Chelator Neuroprotects Multimodally via HIF-1 Modulation Against a Mitochondrial Toxin in a Dopaminergic Cell Model of Parkinson's Disease.

Coumarins are plant-derived polyphenolic compounds belonging to the benzopyrones family, possessing wide-ranging pharmaceutical applications including cytoprotection, which may translate into therapeutic potential for multiple diseases, including Parkinson's disease (PD). Here we demonstrate the neuroprotective potential of a new polyhydroxyl coumarin, N-(1,3-dihydroxy-2-(hydroxymethyl)propan-2-yl)-2-(7-hydroxy-2-oxo-2H-chromen-4-yl)acetamide (CT51), against the mitochondrial toxin 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+). MPP+'s mechanism of toxicity relates to its ability to inhibit complex I of the mitochondrial electron transport chain (METC), leading to adenosine triphosphate (ATP) depletion, increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and apoptotic cell death, hence mimicking PD-related neuropathology. Dopaminergic differentiated human neuroblastoma cells were briefly pretreated with CT51, followed by toxin exposure. CT51 significantly restored somatic cell viability and neurite processes; hence, the drug targets cell bodies and axons thereby preserving neural function and circuitry against PD-related damage. Moreover, MPP+ emulates the iron dyshomeostasis affecting dopaminergic neurons in PD-affected brains, whilst CT51 was previously revealed as an effective iron chelator that preferentially partitions to mitochondria. We extend these findings by characterising the drug's interactive effects at the METC level. CT51 did not improve mitochondrial coupling efficiency. However, voltammetric measurements and high-resolution respirometry analysis revealed that CT51 acts as an antioxidant agent. Also, the neuronal protection afforded by CT51 associated with downregulating MPP+-induced upregulated expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF-1α), a protein which regulates iron homeostasis and protects against certain forms of oxidative stress after translocating to mitochondria. Our findings support the further development of CT51 as a dual functioning iron chelator and antioxidant antiparkinsonian agent.

The significance of mitochondrial haplogroups in preeclampsia risk.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether mitochondrial haplogroups function as disease-modifiers or as susceptibility factors in preeclampsia using a traditional haplogroup association model. METHODS: This retrospective study haplotyped 235 control and 78 preeclamptic pregnancies from Denmark using either real-time PCR or Sanger sequencing depending on the rarity of the haplogroup. RESULTS: No significant association between haplogroups and the risk of preeclampsia was found, nor was any role for haplogroups in disease severity uncovered. CONCLUSION: Mitochondrial haplogroups are not associated with preeclampsia or the severity of preeclampsia in the Danish population. However, this study cannot exclude a role for less common mtDNA variation. Models that can examine these should be applied in preeclamptic patients.