REVIEW article
Front. Cell Dev. Biol.
Sec. Membrane Traffic and Organelle Dynamics
Volume 13 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fcell.2025.1652683
This article is part of the Research TopicBeyond Energy Production: Exploring Mitochondrial Dynamics and DiseaseView all 3 articles
Regulation of Mitochondrial Dynamics in Cardiomyocytes: Implications for Cardiac Health and Disease
Provisionally accepted
- The Affiliated People's Hospital of Jiangsu University, zhenjiang, China
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Mitochondrial dynamics, involving fission and fusion, are vital for maintaining mitochondrial quality, shape, and function in heart cells. This review explores how key regulators—Dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1), mitofusins 1 and 2 (Mfn1/2), and Optic Atrophy 1 (OPA1)—control these processes in the heart. Drp1 facilitates fission, while Mfn1/2 and OPA1 mediate outer and inner membrane fusion. Their activities are finely tuned by modifications, gene regulation, and stress pathways. Disruptions in these dynamics can impair functions like energy production, calcium balance, ROS management, and mitophagy, contributing to heart diseases. Abnormal fission and fusion are also linked to conditions such as sepsis, ischemia/reperfusion injury, and diabetic cardiomyopathy. This review aims to offer a thorough analysis of recent advancements in the understanding of dysregulated mitochondrial dynamics and their contribution to cardiac pathology. Additionally, it evaluates emerging therapeutic strategies that target the balance between mitochondrial division and fusion. We posit that precise modulation of the activities of Drp1, Mfn1/2, and OPA1 presents significant potential for the treatment of cardiac diseases. However, achieving tissue specificity and temporal control remains a critical challenge for clinical translation.
Keywords: mitochondrial dynamics, DRP1, mfn1, MFN2, OPA1, Sepsis, Diabeticcardiomyopathy, I/R injury
Received: 24 Jun 2025; Accepted: 03 Sep 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Zhang, Li, Xu, Xu, Wang and Tao. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Rui Tao, The Affiliated People's Hospital of Jiangsu University, zhenjiang, China
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