Aging: Pleiotropic Effects of Mitochondria
Aging is typified by a progressive decline in mitochondrial activity and stress resilience.
In this paper published in nature aging, Lima et al reviewed how mitochondrial stress pathways have pleiotropic effects on cellular and systemic homeostasis, which can comprise protective or detrimental responses during aging.
They described recent evidence arguing that defects in these conserved adaptive pathways contribute to aging and age-related diseases.
They discussed:
- Signaling pathways regulating the mitochondrial unfolded protein response
- Mitochondrial membrane dynamics
- Mitophagy
They emphasized how their failure contributes to heteroplasmy and de-regulation of key metabolites. The current understanding of how these processes are controlled and interconnected explains how mitochondria can widely impact fundamental aspects of aging.