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Results for “Aging-related genes”

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PubMed2025

Genetic targets related to aging for the treatment of coronary artery disease.

BACKGROUND: Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) is the most common cardiovascular disease worldwide, threatening human health, quality of life and longevity. Aging is a dominant risk factor for CAD. This study aims to investigate the potential mechanisms of aging-related genes and CAD, and to make molecular drug predictions that will contribute to the diagnosis and treatment. METHODS: We downloaded the gene expression profile of circulating leukocytes in CAD patients (GSE12288) from Gene Expression Omnibus database, obtained differentially expressed aging genes through "limma" package and GenaCards database, and tested their biological functions. Further screening of aging related characteristic genes (ARCGs) using least absolute shrinkage and selection operator and random forest, generating nomogram charts and ROC curves for evaluating diagnostic efficacy. Immune cells were estimated by ssGSEA, and then combine ARCGs with immune cells and clinical indicators based on Pearson correlation analysis. Unsupervised cluster analysis was used to construct molecular clusters based on ARCGs and to assess functional characteristics between clusters. The DSigDB database was employed to explore the potential targeted drugs of ARCGs, and the molecular docking was carried out through Autodock Vina. Finally, single-cell data (GSE159677) of arterial intima was used to further explore the expression of aging signature genes in different cell subpopulations. RESULTS: We identified 8 ARCGs associated with CAD, in which HIF1A and FGFR3 were up while NOX4, TCF7L2, HK3, CDK18, TFAP4, and ITPK1 were down in CAD patients. Based on this, CAD patients can be divided into two molecular clusters, among which cluster A mainly involves functional pathways such as ECM receptor interaction and focal adhesion; cluster B mainly involves functional pathways such as amimo sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism and pyrimidine metabolism. In addition, the molecular docking results showed that retinoic acid and resveratrol had good binding affinity with targets genes. Further single-cell analysis results showed that NOX4, TCF7L2, ITPK1, and HIF1A were specifically expressed in different types of cells in atherosclerotic tissues. CONCLUSION: Our study identified several ARCGs that may be involved in the pathogenesis and progression of CAD. Further, retinoic acid and resveratrol were potential candidate molecule drugs for inhibiting these targets.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Integrated multi-omics profiling identifies aging-related molecular signatures and convergent interferon signaling in systemic lupus erythematosus.

BACKGROUND: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is characterized by chronic immune activation and molecular alterations that overlap with aging-related biological processes. However, how these alterations are organized across molecular layers and whether they converge on shared regulatory networks remain incompletely understood. METHODS: We performed an integrative multi-omics analysis combining in-house proteomic and phosphoproteomic data from 130 patients with SLE and 90 healthy controls (HCs) and publicly available transcriptomic datasets comprising 1,461 SLE patients. Proteins and phosphorylation sites were annotated using established aging-related gene resources. Differential protein abundance and phosphorylation changes were analyzed across disease-status and disease-activity comparisons. Nominal P-value thresholds were used for exploratory feature selection, whereas FDR-adjusted P values were used to assess robustness after multiple-testing correction. Kinase-substrate enrichment, transcription factor annotation, and cell-type-resolved transcriptomic comparison were used to explore potential regulatory programs. RESULTS: We identified 128 nominally altered proteins annotated to aging-related biological processes, including genomic instability, mitochondrial dysfunction, and epigenetic alterations. Phosphoproteomic analysis revealed 36 nominally altered phosphorylation sites, including previously unreported sites in IFI16 (S153, S780) and PKCδ (S507, S664). Clustering analysis demonstrated heterogeneous protein co-regulation patterns across disease states. Kinase activity inference suggested altered activity of TBK1 and IKKβ. TF analysis further highlighted STAT1, RELA, and PML as potential central nodes within the inferred regulatory network. Notably, these multi-omic alterations were not randomly distributed but showed convergence toward shared signaling pathways, particularly those related to interferon responses. CONCLUSIONS: This integrative multi-omics study identifies inflammatory and interferon-dominated molecular alterations in SLE PBMCs that overlap with aging-related biological processes and converge on shared regulatory networks. These findings provide a hypothesis-generating framework for investigating the intersection between chronic immune activation and aging-related molecular remodeling in SLE.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Validation and refinement of a biomarker panel for frailty assessment and prediction of muscle weakness in older adults.

Frailty is a complex geriatric syndrome characterized by age-related declines in physiological function and cognitive reserve. To promote early prevention and intervention, minimally invasive and objective biomarkers that can detect frailty progression are required. We aimed to identify biomarkers associated with frailty progression and to elucidate their relevance to the Japanese version of the Cardiovascular Health Study (J-CHS) criteria, consist of five components (unintentional weight loss, self-reported exhaustion, muscle weakness, slow walking speed, and low physical activity). A total of 168 individuals (61 robust, 25 pre-frail, and 82 frail) enrolled in the NCGG (National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology) Biobank were analyzed. Clinical information, blood-test data, aging-related factors, and gene-expression data were integrated for the analysis. First, linear regression identified one clinical factor, five aging-related factors, and 251 gene-expression factors associated with frailty. Subsequent logistic regression analyses examining each J-CHS components highlighted six candidate biomarkers. Cross-validation further suggested that three of these biomarkers-SMI, apelin, and GDF15-may represent potential biomarkers. Finally, retrospective and prospective analyses further demonstrated that those biomarkers were predictive of future muscle weakness, yielding a concordance index of 0.70. In conclusion, we validated and refined a biomarker panel consisting of SMI, apelin, and GDF15 that is associated with frailty, particularly muscle weakness (a major J-CHS component). These biomarkers may be useful for frailty assessment. Longitudinal analyses further suggested that they may be associated with the future development of muscle weakness in initially robust older adults, although validation in larger prospective cohorts is warranted.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2026

The tissue-specific effects of glucose-lowering drug targets on aging mediated through DNA methylation: a multi-omics genetic study.

BACKGROUND: DNA methylation plays a key role in mediating the anti-aging effects of glucose-lowering drugs. This study aims to systematically explore the potential anti-aging effects of target genes of FDA-approved glucose-lowering drugs and the underlying epigenetic mediators. METHODS: We conducted a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) study to investigate the putative causal relationships between the gene expression levels of glucose-lowering drug targets and 10 aging-related phenotypes, followed by a two-step MR to estimate the mediation effect of DNA methylation. Drug candidates were selected according to the latest review of clinical drug use for type 2 diabetes, and their target genes were obtained from the DGIdb. Tissue-specific cis-expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) from GTEx Consortium were selected as genetic instruments to proxy the expression level of drug-target genes. Glycemic phenotypes were used as positive controls to validate the instruments. The cis- and trans-methylation QTLs of Cytosine-phosphate-Guanine sites near the drug target genes were obtained from GoDMC Consortium. Additionally, we performed enrichment analyses focused on tissue specificity and aging pathways to further corroborate our findings. RESULTS: We obtained 194 target genes interacting with 36 FDA-approved anti-diabetic drugs, of which the tissue-specific eQTLs were used to proxy the drug target effects. MR showed strong evidence that nine interacting genes of six glucose-lowering drugs showed anti-aging potential on one or more aging-related phenotypes mediated by DNA methylation: EHMT2, HSPA4, IGF2BP2, IRS1, LPL, NDUFAF1, NDUFS3, SLC22A3, and TCF7L2. These genes were distributed in 17 tissues, especially in the central nervous system, suggesting a potential neural component in their anti-aging effects. For instance, expression of EHMT2 in several brain basal ganglia regions, where the gene interacted with Tolazamide, showed a protective effect on frailty (odds ratio (OR) in caudate = 1.02, 95%CI = 1.01-1.04, FDR adjusted P = 1.69 × 10-2; OR in putamen = 1.02, 95% CI = 1.01-1.03, PFDR = 3.37 × 10-2, OR in nucleus accumbens = 1.02, 95% CI = 1.01-1.04, PFDR = 3.37 × 10-2). These associations were externally validated by searching literature evidence in existing EWAS and TWAS studies, as well as evidence from enrichment analyses. CONCLUSIONS: This study prioritizes nine glucose-lowering genes as anti-aging drug targets in specific tissues and prioritizes their epigenetic regulation through DNA methylation for future drug development.

DNA Methylation↗

PubMed2025

TSC angiofibroma and ungual fibroma have different mutation signatures, with recurrent mutations in KMT2C.

PURPOSE: Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is an autosomal dominant tumor suppressor syndrome characterized by tumors affecting multiple tissues, including skin, due to inactivating TSC1/TSC2 variants. Genome-wide profiling of somatic mutations in a unique collection of angiofibroma (FAF) and ungual fibroma (UF) TSC skin tumors was performed. METHODS: Genome sequencing was performed on 9 samples, comprising 4 FAF and 5 UF, along with 6 matched normal samples from 6 individuals with TSC. RESULTS: TSC-FAF and TSC-UF skin tumors have different mutation signatures, with a predominance of UV-related single-nucleotide variant (SNV; SBS7a and SBS7b) and dinucleotide variant (DNV; DBS1) signatures in FAF, and aging-related SNV (SBS1 and SBS5) signatures in UF. We also identified a novel DNV signature for TSC-UF, with frequent TG>CA and TT>GG substitutions. Furthermore, 3 inactivating somatic mutations in KMT2C were observed in 2 of 4 TSC-FAF and 5 mutations in other cancer genes. CONCLUSION: The distinct SNV mutation signatures seen in TSC-FAF and UF indicate that they develop through distinct pathogenic mechanisms, UV-induced mutagenesis in FAF, and aging-related mutagenesis in UF. The mechanism of the novel DNV signature in UFs merits further investigation. Our observation on the occurrence of KMT2C mutations suggests that KMT2C inactivation contributes to the pathogenesis of TSC-FAF.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Genome-wide association study of sarcopenia index reveals sex-stratified genetic architecture.

BACKGROUND: The sarcopenia index (SI), defined as the ratio of serum creatinine to cystatin C, is a proposed biomarker of muscle mass and sarcopenia, yet its genomic basis and genetic architecture remain largely unexplored. METHODS: We performed combined-sex and sex-stratified genome-wide association studies of SI in the UK Biobank. We examined the overlap between SI-associated loci and loci previously reported for sarcopenia-related traits. We assessed sexually dimorphic effects and gene-sex interactions, performed fine-mapping, and conducted credible gene prioritization, motif and transcription factor binding enrichment, gene-set enrichment, linkage disequilibrium score regression, and cross-phenotype colocalization. RESULTS: We identified 774 unique independent SI-associated loci across all analyses, with 747 detected in the combined-sex GWAS, 283 in the male-stratified GWAS, and 311 in the female-stratified GWAS; 367 of these loci had not been previously reported for conventional sarcopenia-related traits. Sex-stratified analyses highlighted the rs1145093-chr15q21.1-GATM region, where CARMA identified sex-differentiated causal variants. We prioritized 17 male-biased and 11 female-biased credible genes. Enrichment analyses implicated androgen receptor and GATA4 in males, and ESR1 and MYOD1 in females. Enrichment revealed shared pathways involving inflammation, cellular stress, and aging-related processes. LDSC showed inverse genetic correlations between SI and heart failure (rg = -0.19, p = 2.30 × 10- 9) and metabolic syndrome (rg = -0.12, p = 8.49 × 10- 8), and a positive correlation with chronic kidney disease. Compared with female SI, male SI exhibited two additional loci showing colocalization with four metabolic traits. CONCLUSIONS: These findings clarify the genetic architecture of SI and reveal sex-dependent mechanisms underlying sarcopenia, supporting precision risk assessment and targeted interventions.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Luteolin is associated with alleviation of cigarette smoke-induced cellular senescence and inflammation in mice involving the CREB/c-Fos/NQO1 pathway.

Cigarette smoke (CS) exposure is a major risk factor for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and is closely associated with cellular senescence. Previous studies have demonstrated the efficacy of luteolin in treating aging-related symptoms. This study aims to elucidate the therapeutic potential of luteolin against CS-induced cellular senescence. Using a CS-exposed mouse model and cigarette smoke extract (CSE) treated mouse lung epithelial cells (TC-1), we demonstrate that luteolin significantly attenuates CS-induced histopathological alterations and inflammatory cytokine release while alleviating cellular senescence. Transcriptome sequencing suggests that NQO1 and Fos may serve as a common molecular target for both CS-induced pathology and luteolin treatment. Subsequent Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) enrichment analysis and pathway validation experiments revealed that the cAMP agonist Forskolin inhibits senescence marker expression by activating the CREB pathway, exhibiting a mechanism similar to that of luteolin. Notably, luteolin activation of this pathway may not depend on PKA activation. Ultimately, the study found that luteolin mitigates inflammatory responses and prevents lung epithelial cell senescence via the CREB/c-Fos/NQO1 pathway. These findings not only suggest the pivotal role of NQO1 in regulating CS-induced cellular senescence but also underscore the potential of luteolin as a therapeutic drug.

Animals↗

PubMed2026

[Research Advances on Mechanisms and Interventions of DNA Methylation-Regulated Aging-Related Imbalance in Bone Metabolism].

Aging can induce age-related bone diseases such as osteoporosis. DNA methylation, a core epigenetic regulatory mechanism, participate in the pathological process of aging-induced bone metabolism imbalance by modulating gene expression at the epigenetic level. Using S-adenosylmethionine as a methyl donor, it exhibits characteristics of hypomethylation in genomic repetitive regions and abnormal methylation in CpG islands of promoters of key bone metabolism genes with advancing age. The "epigenetic clock" constructed based on these features can accurately predict an individual's biological age. In bone metabolism, DNA methylation disrupts the osteoblast-osteoclast balance by targeting key factors. Such abnormalities are driven by aging-related inflammation and oxidative stress, while bone loss feedback exacerbates epigenetic disorders, forming a vicious cycle. Targeted intervention strategies have demonstrated significant potential in addressing bone metabolism-related issues. Low-dose DNA methyltransferase inhibitors can improve bone metabolism; nutrients such as folate and cobalamin maintain methylation homeostasis by optimizing one-carbon metabolism pathways; while CRISPR/dCas technology enables precise regulation in the cellular and animal levels, thereby affecting bone metabolism. However, existing strategies still face challenges such as off-target effects and low delivery efficiency. Future research needs to deepen mechanistic studies, optimize intervention methods, and promote their translation into clinical prevention and treatment of osteoporosis.

DNA Methylation↗

PubMed2026

Single-cell multi-omics dissects transcript isoform and immune repertoire dynamics in human immunosenescence.

Immunosenescence, a major hallmark of systemic aging, refers to the progressive functional decline of the immune system. This decline not only compromises host defense and immunological memory but also fuels chronic inflammation and tissue degeneration (collectively known as inflammaging). While single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) has revealed transcriptomic alterations associated with immune aging, analyses restricted to transcript abundance fail to capture deeper regulatory layers, such as transcript isoform diversity and the remodeling of immune receptor repertoires. To address this limitation, we present a human peripheral immune single-cell multi-omics atlas that integrates gene expression, transcript isoform diversity, and immune receptor repertoires. By combining single-cell full-length transcriptome sequencing (scCycloneSEQ), short-read scRNA-seq, and single-cell immune receptor sequencing (scTCR/BCR-seq), we systematically profiled peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from healthy donors aged 30-40 and 60-70 years. Our analyses uncovered extensive age-related remodeling of immune cell composition, functional states, and TCR/BCR diversity. Notably, we found that CD4+ effector memory T cells exhibited widespread differential isoform usage (DIU), 3'UTR length variation, and a marked reshaping of cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) clonotypes-all of which were closely associated with aging-related inflammation and cellular senescence. This multi-omics atlas delineates key molecular features of immunosenescence and provides a high-resolution resource for deciphering the regulatory architecture underlying immune aging.

TCR/BCR↗

PubMed2026

Mechanisms of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Aging and Emerging Rejuvenation Strategies.

Hematopoietic stem cell (HSCs) aging is a complex biological process driven by both cell-intrinsic alterations and extrinsic cues from the bone marrow niche. Understanding these mechanisms is critical for developing therapies against aging-related hematopoietic disorders. This review synthesizes recent advances in the molecular mechanisms underlying HSCs aging, including microenvironmental aging, genomic instability, epigenetic dysregulation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and aberrant nuclear mechanotransduction. We summarize that the functional decline of HSCs during aging drives a compensatory expansion of the phenotypically defined stem cell pool, leading to an aberrant increase in cell number. We also highlight aging-associated HSCs heterogeneity, including CD150high and P-selectin-positive subsets that enrich for myeloid-biased or functionally compromised HSCs states while emphasizing that surface phenotype alone may not fully indicate functional rejuvenation. Finally, we discuss emerging rejuvenation strategies-including targeting myeloid-biased HSCs, modulating inflammatory pathways, and implementing epigenetic or metabolic interventions-supported by cutting-edge technologies such as single-cell multi-omics, gene editing, and computational modeling. These approaches hold promise for counteracting age-related hematopoietic decline and restoring immune competence.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

cGAS-STING signaling in aging and age-related diseases: therapeutic promise and precaution.

Endogenous cytoplasmic DNA (cytoDNA) is increasingly recognized as a mediator of tissue dysfunction and disease progression during aging. As a major cytosolic DNA-sensing pathway, the cyclic GMP-AMP synthase-stimulator of interferon genes (cGAS-STING) pathway can translate aging-associated cytoDNA accumulation into innate immune and inflammatory programs. This review summarizes the evolutionary and signaling features of the cGAS-STING cascade and critically discusses its crosstalk with aging-associated intracellular molecular threats, including nuclear genomic and chromatin stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative-metabolic stress, and defective clearance of nucleic acids or damaged organelles. We further synthesize evidence linking dysregulated cGAS-STING activation to inflammatory remodeling, senescence-associated changes, cell injury, fibrosis, and tissue dysfunction, while highlighting the context-dependent roles of this pathway across physiological aging and ARDs. Finally, we discuss the therapeutic potential and limitations of cGAS-STING modulation, emphasizing that successful translation will require context-defined therapeutic windows, tissue- and cell-specific targeting, subcellular compartmentalization, and long-term safety assessment.

Humans↗

PubMed2025

Novel approaches and applications in identifying DNA methylation markers of cardio-kidney-metabolic disease.

Cardio-kidney-metabolic (CKM) diseases represent a major public health challenge, accounting for a large proportion of global burden of morbidity and mortality. These conditions share risk factors, including genetic predisposition, environmental exposures, and lifestyle influences, which collectively drive disease development and progression. Epigenetic modifications, particularly DNA methylation (DNAm), serve as key mediators and biomarkers between these risk factors and disease phenotypes by regulating gene expression without altering the DNA sequence. Epigenome-wide association studies have identified DNAm markers associated with CKM diseases and related phenotypes, highlighting both shared pathways and disease-specific epigenetic signatures in inflammation, metabolic dysfunction, and aging-related processes. Longitudinal studies further demonstrate the dynamic nature of DNAm changes over time, offering insights into disease trajectories. Additionally, methylation risk scores integrating multiple epigenetic markers show promise in improving disease prediction and risk stratification beyond traditional clinical factors. To synthesize the current evidence, we conducted a targeted literature search in PubMed for English-language, peer-reviewed articles published between 2014 and the present. Future research leveraging large, well-phenotyped cohorts, advanced statistical methods, and innovative study designs will be critical for uncovering novel biomarkers, refining risk prediction models, and developing targeted epigenetic therapies to mitigate the global burden.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Unraveling 'F' factor: towards a genetic-clinical framework for the musculoskeletal-heart crosstalk in metabolic aging.

BACKGROUND: The rising co-occurrence of cardiometabolic diseases and musculoskeletal degeneration poses a critical challenge to healthy aging, yet the shared biological mechanisms underlying this multimorbidity remain poorly defined. This study aimed to establish an integrative clinical-genetic framework to elucidate the common frailty factor, the 'F' factor, that captures the systemic vulnerability linking cardiometabolic multimorbidity (CMM) and musculoskeletal aging. METHODS: Utilizing the prospective China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) cohort, we developed and validated novel Frailty-Integrated Indices for CMM risk prediction, evaluated with machine learning models interpreted via SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP). Independently, we applied genomic structural equation modeling (Genomic-SEM) to integrate genome-wide association data from six traits-coronary artery disease, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, bone mineral density, frailty, and telomere length-to model a shared latent genetic factor ('F' factor). This was followed by multivariate GWAS, fine-mapping, transcriptome-wide association study (TWAS), gene-based analysis, and functional annotation to prioritize causal genes, pathways, and cell types. RESULTS: Clinically, several Frailty-Integrated Indices significantly improved CMM risk prediction, with the optimal model achieving an AUC of 0.727. Genetically, we modeled a significant shared latent genetic factor ('F' factor), pinpointing novel risk loci and implicating key genes such as APOE and SLC22A3. These genes were enriched in pathways including cellular senescence and cholesterol metabolism and showed specific expression patterns in developmental brain stages and across multi-organ endothelial cells. CONCLUSION: Our findings provide converging evidence for Musculoskeletal‑Heart crosstalk of metabolic aging and inferred the 'F' factor as a genetic correlate of a transdiagnostic state, which links genetic predisposition to metabolic dysregulation, and systemic functional decline. This work provides a multi-level biological characterization of multimorbidity liability, informing early-risk detection and preventive strategies for complex aging-related comorbidities.

Humans↗

PubMed2025

Correction of pathogenic mitochondrial DNA in patient-derived disease models using mitochondrial base editors.

Mutations in the mitochondrial genome can cause maternally inherited diseases, cancer, and aging-related conditions. Recent technological progress now enables the creation and correction of mutations in the mitochondrial genome, but it remains relatively unknown how patients with primary mitochondrial disease can benefit from this technology. Here, we demonstrate the potential of the double-stranded DNA deaminase toxin A-derived cytosine base editor (DdCBE) to develop disease models and therapeutic strategies for mitochondrial disease in primary human cells. Introduction of the m.15150G > A mutation in liver organoids resulted in organoid lines with varying degrees of heteroplasmy and correspondingly reduced ATP production, providing a unique model to study functional consequences of different levels of heteroplasmy of this mutation. Correction of the m.4291T > C mutation in patient-derived fibroblasts restored mitochondrial membrane potential. DdCBE generated sustainable edits with high specificity and product purity. To prepare for clinical application, we found that mRNA-mediated mitochondrial base editing resulted in increased efficiency and cellular viability compared to DNA-mediated editing. Moreover, we showed efficient delivery of the mRNA mitochondrial base editors using lipid nanoparticles, which is currently the most advanced non-viral in vivo delivery system for gene products. Our study thus demonstrates the potential of mitochondrial base editing to not only generate unique in vitro models to study these diseases, but also to functionally correct mitochondrial mutations in patient-derived cells for future therapeutic purposes.

Humans↗

PubMed2025

Mitochondrial DNA homeostasis: A novel therapeutic target for neurodegenerative diseases.

The mitochondrial genomic homeostasis is essential for the function of the oxidative phosphorylation system and cellular homeostasis. Mitochondrial DNA is particularly susceptible to aging-related oxidative stress due to the lack of a histone coat. Disturbances in mitochondrial DNA may contribute to functional decline during the aging process and in neurodegenerative diseases, leading to further impairment of mitochondrial DNA and initiating a vicious cycle. To date, it remains unclear how disturbed mitochondrial DNA is involved in the etiology of pathological aging and neurodegenerative diseases. The purpose of this review is to clarify the crucial roles of mitochondrial DNA homeostasis in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. Mitochondrial DNA is distributed within nucleoids and is then transcribed into polycistronic mitochondrial DNA molecules within the mitochondrial granule region. Within the ultrastructure of the mitochondrial nucleoid and granule, a group of essential mitochondrial proteins involved in DNA replication, DNA transcription, RNA translation, RNA surveillance, and RNA degradation plays a crucial role in maintaining mitochondrial structure, genome integrity, and mitochondrial DNA processing. The uniparentally inherited mitochondrial DNA undergoes heritable polyploid variations, which include homoplasmy and heteroplasmy. Accumulating mitochondrial DNA alterations, such as deletions, point mutations, and methylations, occur during the pathogenic processes of neurodegenerative diseases. The increased mitochondrial DNA alterations can be propagated by the rise of deleterious heteroplasmy in neurodegenerative diseases, ultimately resulting in impairment to the oxidative phosphorylation system, biogenesis defects, and cellular metabolic dysfunction. Therefore, developing appropriate gene editing tools to rectify aberrant alterations in mitochondrial DNA and targeting the key proteins involved in maintaining mitochondrial DNA homeostasis can be considered promising therapeutic strategies for neurodegenerative diseases. Although therapeutic strategies targeting mitochondrial DNA in diseases show great potential, challenges related to efficacy and safety require a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying mitochondrial DNA alterations in aging and neurodegenerative diseases.

Alzheimer’s disease↗