REVIEW article
Front. Physiol.
Sec. Renal Physiology and Pathophysiology
Mitochondrial Complex I in Focus: mechanisms and therapeutic strategies of urinary system diseases
Provisionally accepted
- Department of Urology, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, China
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Recent research findings on the role of mitochondrial complex I (CI) in promoting renal cell carcinoma metastasis have been published in Nature. Mitochondria, as essential intracellular organelles in mammalian cells, play a pivotal role in orchestrating biological oxidation processes and are crucial for maintaining cellular metabolic homeostasis. Severe mitochondrial dysfunction, particularly involving CI, can lead to the development of urinary system diseases by initiating a cascade of events such as inflammation, impaired mitochondrial autophagy, and related processes. This article explores the involvement of CI in the pathogenesis and progression of urinary system diseases. It begins by introducing fundamental theories related to CI research in urinary system diseases, including its evolution, structure, function, and role in cellular metabolism. The epidemiology of CI-associated urinary system diseases, encompassing both neoplastic and non-neoplastic conditions and their associated risk factors, is subsequently discussed. The article further elaborates on the pathological mechanisms, diagnostic techniques, and therapeutic strategies targeting CI in these diseases. In conclusion, this review addresses the controversies and future directions within this research domain, aiming to provide a comprehensive understanding of the CI in urinary system diseases. It also emphasizes potential avenues for future research and translational applications.
Keywords: Disease diagnosis, gene mutation, Metabolism, Mitochondrial Complex I, therapies, Urinary system diseases
Received: 25 Nov 2025; Accepted: 03 Feb 2026.
Copyright: © 2026 Wang, Yu, Li, Qu, Wang, An, Chen and Yue. 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: Wei Wang
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