Cited by 1,115Immune Response and Inflammationinterferon and immune responsesInflammasome and immune disorders

Mitochondrial DNA in innate immune responses and inflammatory pathology

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West, A. Phillip, Shadel, Gerald S.·2017·Nature Reviews Immunology

Abstract

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) - which is well known for its role in oxidative phosphorylation and maternally inherited mitochondrial diseases - is increasingly recognized as an agonist of the innate immune system that influences antimicrobial responses and inflammatory pathology. On entering the cytoplasm, extracellular space or circulation, mtDNA can engage multiple pattern-recognition receptors in cell-type- and context-dependent manners to trigger pro-inflammatory and type I interferon responses. Here, we review the expanding research field of mtDNA in innate immune responses to highlight new mechanistic insights and discuss the physiological and pathological relevance of this exciting area of mitochondrial biology.

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Crossref · 10.1038/nri.2017.21

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  • The combination of replicating mtDNA and ROS would oxidize mtDNA, which would be released to activate the innate immune system inflammasome and Type I interferon pathway.

    “The combination of replicating mtDNA and ROS would oxidize the mtDNA, which would be released to activate the innate immune system inflammasome and the Type I interferon pathway (West and Shadel, 2017; Zhong et al., 2018).”
  • Dying cells can expose or release molecules (DAMPs or alarmins) that alert the organism or colony about a potential threat.

    “Such a homeostatic function not only reflects the elimination of useless or potentially dangerous cells, but also the ability of dying cells to expose or release molecules that alert the organism or colony about a potential threat. Such danger signals are commonly referred to as damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) or alarmins [19–22].”
  • mtDNA released by stressed mitochondria is a strong alarmin and a strong activator of innate immunity, particularly interferon signalling.

    “One of the strongest alarmins released by stressed mitochondria is mtDNA, which has emerged as a strong activator of innate immunity, particularly of the interferon signalling pathway201.”

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Authors
West, A. P., & Shadel, G. S.
Affiliations
  • Texas A&M Health Science Center (US)
  • Yale University (US)
Corresponding author
  • West, A. Phillip
  • Shadel, Gerald S.
Venue
Nature Reviews Immunology
Published
2017-04-10
Volume
17
Issue
6
Pages
363-375
ISSN
  • 1474-1733 (ISSN-L)
  • 1474-1741
OpenAlex
W2606232917
Cited by
1,115
References
121
Citations by year
2026: 171 · 2025: 157 · 2024: 147 · 2023: 113 · 2022: 134 · 2021: 147 · 2020: 88 · 2019: 79 · 2018: 62 · 2017: 17
FWCI
6.92
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Nature reviews. Immunology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institutes of Health
  • National Institute on Aging (R01AG047632)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Immunology › Immune Response and Inflammation
  • Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Immunology › interferon and immune responses
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Inflammasome and immune disorders
Keywords
mitochondrial DNA, innate immunity, pattern recognition receptors, type I interferon, inflammation, cellular stress, antimicrobial response, mitochondrial disease, oxidative phosphorylation
MeSH terms
Alarmins, Animals, DNA, Mitochondrial, Humans, Immunity, Innate, Inflammation

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