| First Author | Um JH | Year | 2024 |
| Journal | Theranostics | Volume | 14 |
| Issue | 1 | Pages | 56-74 |
| PubMed ID | 38164158 | Mgi Jnum | J:344429 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:7572128 | Doi | 10.7150/thno.88718 |
| Citation | Um JH, et al. (2024) Selective induction of Rab9-dependent alternative mitophagy using a synthetic derivative of isoquinoline alleviates mitochondrial dysfunction and cognitive deficits in Alzheimer's disease models. Theranostics 14(1):56-74 |
| abstractText | Rationale: Promotion of mitophagy is considered a promising strategy for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease (AD). The development of mitophagy-specific inducers with low toxicity and defined molecular mechanisms is essential for the clinical application of mitophagy-based therapy. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential of a novel small-molecule mitophagy inducer, ALT001, as a treatment for AD. Methods: ALT001 was developed through chemical optimization of an isoquinolium scaffold, which was identified from a chemical library screening using a mitophagy reporter system. In vitro and in vivo experiments were conducted to evaluate the potential of ALT001 as a mitophagy-targeting therapeutic agent and to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying ALT001-induced mitophagy. The therapeutic effect of ALT001 was assessed in SH-SY5Y cells expressing mutant APP and mouse models of AD (5xFAD and PS2APP) by analyzing mitochondrial dysfunction and cognitive defects. Results: ALT001 specifically induces mitophagy both in vitro and in vivo but is nontoxic to mitochondria. Interestingly, we found that ALT001 induces mitophagy through the ULK1-Rab9-dependent alternative mitophagy pathway independent of canonical mitophagy pathway regulators such as ATG7 and PINK1. Importantly, ALT001 reverses mitochondrial dysfunction in SH-SY5Y cells expressing mutant APP in a mitophagy-dependent manner. ALT001 induces alternative mitophagy in mice and restores the decreased mitophagy level in a 5xFAD AD model mouse. In addition, ALT001 reverses mitochondrial dysfunction and cognitive defects in the PS2APP and 5xFAD AD mouse models. AAV-mediated silencing of Rab9 in the hippocampus further confirmed that ALT001 exerts its therapeutic effect through alternative mitophagy. Conclusion: Our results highlight the therapeutic potential of ALT001 for AD via alleviation of mitochondrial dysfunction and indicate the usefulness of the ULK1-Rab9 alternative mitophagy pathway as a therapeutic target. |
