Abstract
In humans, mutations in electron transfer flavoprotein (ETF) or electron transfer flavoprotein dehydrogenase (ETFDH) lead to MADD/glutaric aciduria type II, an autosomal recessively inherited disorder characterized by a broad spectrum of devastating neurological, systemic and metabolic symptoms. We show that a zebrafish mutant in ETFDH, xavier, and fibroblast cells from MADD patients demonstrate similar mitochondrial and metabolic abnormalities, including reduced oxidative phosphorylation, increased aerobic glycolysis, and upregulation of the PPARG-ERK pathway. This metabolic dysfunction is associated with aberrant neural proliferation in xav, in addition to other neural phenotypes and paralysis. Strikingly, a PPARG antagonist attenuates aberrant neural proliferation and alleviates paralysis in xav, while PPARG agonists increase neural proliferation in wild type embryos. These results show that mitochondrial dysfunction, leading to an increase in aerobic glycolysis, affects neurogenesis through the PPARG-ERK pathway, a potential target for therapeutic intervention.
Publication types
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Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
MeSH terms
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Animals
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Carboxylic Acids / metabolism
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Carnitine / analogs & derivatives
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Carnitine / blood
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Cell Proliferation / drug effects
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Cloning, Molecular
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Electron-Transferring Flavoproteins / genetics
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Enzyme Activation / drug effects
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Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / metabolism
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Fibroblasts / drug effects
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Fibroblasts / pathology
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Glycolysis / drug effects
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Humans
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Infant
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Infant, Newborn
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Iron-Sulfur Proteins / genetics
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Mitochondria / drug effects
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Mitochondria / pathology
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Multiple Acyl Coenzyme A Dehydrogenase Deficiency / metabolism*
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Multiple Acyl Coenzyme A Dehydrogenase Deficiency / pathology*
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Mutation / genetics
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Nervous System / drug effects
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Nervous System / metabolism*
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Nervous System / pathology*
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Neurons / drug effects
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Neurons / enzymology
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Neurons / pathology
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Oligonucleotides, Antisense / pharmacology
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Oxidoreductases Acting on CH-NH Group Donors / genetics
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Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptors / metabolism
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Phenotype
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Zebrafish / metabolism*
Substances
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Carboxylic Acids
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Electron-Transferring Flavoproteins
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Iron-Sulfur Proteins
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Oligonucleotides, Antisense
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Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptors
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acylcarnitine
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Oxidoreductases Acting on CH-NH Group Donors
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electron-transferring-flavoprotein dehydrogenase
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Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases
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Carnitine