Longevity & AgingMuscle-Derived Mitochondrial Vesicles Repair Tissue Injury by Rebooting Energy Production
Researchers at West China Hospital developed a method to isolate mitochondria-rich extracellular vesicles (Ti-mitoEVs) from healthy skeletal muscle tissue. These natural nanovesicles, packed with functional mitochondria including whole mitochondrial DNA and electron transport chain proteins, were shown to transfer mitochondrial genomes into damaged recipient cells, boosting mitochondrial biogenesis and reducing oxidative stress. In animal models of acute muscle injury and chronic kidney disease, Ti-mitoEV treatment attenuated mitochondrial damage, suppressed inflammation, and promoted tissue repair. The study, published in Science Advances, positions Ti-mitoEVs as promising biosafe nanotherapeutics for diseases characterized by mitochondrial dysfunction.
