Mitochondrial DNA repair: a novel therapeutic target for heart failure

Mitochondria play a crucial role in a variety of cellular processes ranging from energy metabolism, generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and Ca2+ handling to stress responses, cell survival and death. Malfunction of the organelle may contribute to the pathogenesis of neuromuscular, cancer, premature aging and cardiovascular diseases (CVD), including myocardial ischemia, cardiomyopathy and heart failure (HF). Mitochondria contain their own genome organized into DNA–protein complexes, called “mitochondrial nucleoids,” along with multiprotein machineries, which promote mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) replication, transcription and repair. Although the mammalian organelle possesses almost all known nuclear DNA repair pathways, including base excision repair, mismatch repair and recombinational repair, the proximity of mtDNA to the main sites of ROS production and the lack of protective histones may result in increased susceptibility to various types of mtDNA damage. These include accumulation of mtDNA point mutations and/or deletions and decreased mtDNA copy number, which will impair mitochondrial function and finally, may lead to CVD including HF.