Cited by 162Mitochondrial Function and PathologyAlzheimer's disease research and treatmentsAutophagy in Disease and Therapy

Loss of prohibitin membrane scaffolds impairs mitochondrial architecture and leads to tau hyperphosphorylation and neurodegeneration

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Merkwirth, Carsten, Martinelli, Paola, Korwitz, Anne, Morbin, Michela, Brönneke, Hella S., Jordan, Sabine D., Rugarli, Elena I., Langer, Thomas·2012·PLoS Genetics

Abstract

Fusion and fission of mitochondria maintain the functional integrity of mitochondria and protect against neurodegeneration, but how mitochondrial dysfunctions trigger neuronal loss remains ill-defined. Prohibitins form large ring complexes in the inner membrane that are composed of PHB1 and PHB2 subunits and are thought to function as membrane scaffolds. In Caenorhabditis elegans, prohibitin genes affect aging by moderating fat metabolism and energy production. Knockdown experiments in mammalian cells link the function of prohibitins to membrane fusion, as they were found to stabilize the dynamin-like GTPase OPA1 (optic atrophy 1), which mediates mitochondrial inner membrane fusion and cristae morphogenesis. Mutations in OPA1 are associated with dominant optic atrophy characterized by the progressive loss of retinal ganglion cells, highlighting the importance of OPA1 function in neurons. Here, we show that neuron-specific inactivation of Phb2 in the mouse forebrain causes extensive neurodegeneration associated with behavioral impairments and cognitive deficiencies. We observe early onset tau hyperphosphorylation and filament formation in the hippocampus, demonstrating a direct link between mitochondrial defects and tau pathology. Loss of PHB2 impairs the stability of OPA1, affects mitochondrial ultrastructure, and induces the perinuclear clustering of mitochondria in hippocampal neurons. A destabilization of the mitochondrial genome and respiratory deficiencies manifest in aged neurons only, while the appearance of mitochondrial morphology defects correlates with tau hyperphosphorylation in the absence of PHB2. These results establish an essential role of prohibitin complexes for neuronal survival in vivo and demonstrate that OPA1 stability, mitochondrial fusion, and the maintenance of the mitochondrial genome in neurons depend on these scaffolding proteins. Moreover, our findings establish prohibitin-deficient mice as a novel genetic model for tau pathologies caused by a dysfunction of mitochondria and raise the possibility that tau pathologies are associated with other neurodegenerative disorders caused by deficiencies in mitochondrial dynamics.

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  • Inactivation of PHB-2 in mice brain affects mitochondrial structure and activity resulting in neurodegeneration by hyperphosphorylation of Tau.

    “inactivation of PHB-2 in mice brain affects mitochondrial structure and activity resulting in neurodegeneration by hyperphosphorylation of Tau (Merkwirth et al., 2012)”

    From Mitochondrial Activity and Dynamics Changes Regarding Metabolism in Ageing and Obesity (2017) · cites this paper as Merkwirth et al., 2012

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Authors
Merkwirth, C., Martinelli, P., Korwitz, A., Morbin, M., Brönneke, H. S., Jordan, S. D., Rugarli, E. I., & Langer, T.
Affiliations
  • University of Cologne (DE)
  • Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta (IT)
Corresponding author
Langer, Thomas
Venue
PLoS Genetics
Published
2012-11-08
Volume
8
Issue
11
Pages
e1003021
ISSN
  • 1553-7390 (ISSN-L)
  • 1553-7404
OpenAlex
W2005255392
Cited by
162
References
59
Citations by year
2026: 5 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 20 · 2021: 16 · 2020: 18 · 2019: 15 · 2018: 11 · 2017: 12 · 2016: 12 · 2015: 9 · 2014: 9 · 2013: 8
FWCI
3.34
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • PLoS Genetics (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Kölner Universitäts PublikationsServer (Universität zu Köln) (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • Figshare (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Funders
  • Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (SFB635, C4, 233078, SFB 635)
  • FP7 Ideas: European Research Council (233078)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Mitochondrial Function and Pathology
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Alzheimer's disease research and treatments
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Autophagy in Disease and Therapy
Keywords
prohibitin, PHB2, prohibitin 1, OPA1, mitochondrial fusion, mitochondrial fission, mitochondrial dynamics, tau hyperphosphorylation, neurodegeneration, hippocampal neurons, mitochondrial ultrastructure, mitochondrial genome stability, respiratory deficiency, neuronal aging, cognitive impairment, autosomal dominant optic atrophy
MeSH terms
Prohibitins, Animals, Membrane Fusion, Mitochondria, Morphogenesis, Neurons, Phosphorylation, Repressor Proteins, tau Proteins, Apoptosis, Neurodegenerative Diseases, Optic Atrophy, Autosomal Dominant, Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins, Mitochondrial Membranes, Mice, Genome, Mitochondrial

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