Work

Brightness and shadows of mitochondrial ROS in the brain

Year: 2023

Type: article

Abstract: Mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mROS) have been generally considered harmful byproducts wanted to clear when elevated to avoid brain damage. However, the abundance of mROS in astrocytes is very high -about one order of magnitude above that in neurons-, despite they are essential to preserve cell metabolism and animal behavior. Here, we have focused on this apparent ambiguity by discussing (i) the intrinsic mechanisms accounting for the higher production of mROS by the mitochondrial respiratory chain in astrocytes than in neurons, (ii) the specific molecular targets of astrocytic beneficial mROS, and (iii) how decreased astrocytic mROS causes excess neuronal mROS leading to cellular and organismal damage. We hope that this mini-review serves to clarifying the apparent controversy on the beneficial versus deleterious faces of ROS in the brain from molecular to higher-order organismal levels.

Source: Neurobiology of Disease

DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2023.106199

Authors: Daniel Jimenez-Blasco, Angeles Almeida, Juan P. Bolaños

Institutions: Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Universidad de Salamanca, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Salamanca, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Fragilidad y Envejecimiento Saludable, Instituto de Biología Funcional y Genómica

Language: English

Topic: Mitochondrial Function and Pathology

Subfield: Molecular Biology

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,000