Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Bacterial Infections

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Nicholas Maurice, Emory University; Ruxana T. Sadikot, University of Nebraska
• Language: English
• Date: 2023-08-01
• Publisher: MDPI
• Publication Version: Final Published Version
• Copyright Statement: © 2023 by the authors.
• License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Final Published Version (URL): https://doi.org/10.3390%2Fpathogens12081005
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: Pathogens
• Volume: 12
• Issue: 8
• Start Page: 1005
• Grant/Funding Information: This work was funded by the Department of Veterans Affairs (Merit Review Award 5I01BX001786 to RTS; VA Career Development Award 5IK2BX005371 to NMM), the National Institutes of Health (R01 HL144478 to RTS), and a CF Foundation Grant to RTS. The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position of the Department of Veterans Affairs or the Government of the Unites States.
• Keywords: mitochondria; bacterial infection; innate immunity; metabolism; mitochondrial dynamics
• Research Categories: Biology, Cell; Health Sciences, Immunology

Abstract

Mitochondria are critical in numerous cellular processes, including energy generation. Bacterial pathogens target host cell mitochondria through various mechanisms to disturb the host response and improve bacterial survival. We review recent advances in the understanding of how bacteria cause mitochondrial dysfunction through perturbations in mitochondrial cell-death pathways, energy production, mitochondrial dynamics, mitochondrial quality control, DNA repair, and the mitochondrial unfolded protein response. We also briefly highlight possible therapeutic approaches aimed at restoring the host mitochondrial function as a novel strategy to enhance the host response to bacterial infection.