A robust method for assessing mitochondrial function in healthy and diseased frozen cardiac tissue

Abstract Cardiovascular diseases are often associated with impairment in mitochondrial function. However, existing respirometry measuring mitochondrial function are limited by the necessity of fresh tissue samples. This study develops a method with tailored substrate-inhibitor titration (TSIT) of mi...

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Main Authors: Liangyu Hu, Alexia van Rinsum, Rocco Caliandro, Xi Qi, Shuxiu Fan, Xinyi Jiang, Jur Massop, Melissa Bekkenkamp-Grovenstein, Christiane Ott, Tilman Grune, Melissa A. E. van de Wal, Werner J. H. Koopman, Marcel Giesbers, Monika Gladka, Jaap Keijer, Deli Zhang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-08-01
Series:Communications Biology
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-08608-5
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author Liangyu Hu
Alexia van Rinsum
Rocco Caliandro
Xi Qi
Shuxiu Fan
Xinyi Jiang
Jur Massop
Melissa Bekkenkamp-Grovenstein
Christiane Ott
Tilman Grune
Melissa A. E. van de Wal
Werner J. H. Koopman
Marcel Giesbers
Monika Gladka
Jaap Keijer
Deli Zhang
author_facet Liangyu Hu
Alexia van Rinsum
Rocco Caliandro
Xi Qi
Shuxiu Fan
Xinyi Jiang
Jur Massop
Melissa Bekkenkamp-Grovenstein
Christiane Ott
Tilman Grune
Melissa A. E. van de Wal
Werner J. H. Koopman
Marcel Giesbers
Monika Gladka
Jaap Keijer
Deli Zhang
author_sort Liangyu Hu
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Cardiovascular diseases are often associated with impairment in mitochondrial function. However, existing respirometry measuring mitochondrial function are limited by the necessity of fresh tissue samples. This study develops a method with tailored substrate-inhibitor titration (TSIT) of mitochondrial electron transport complexes (ETC) to measure mitochondrial function in frozen cardiac samples using high-resolution respirometry. Briefly, acetyl-CoA is added to fuel the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle for NADH production, enabling complex I (CI)-linked respiratory assessment. NADH is then added to measure maximum CI-linked respiratory capacity, followed by rotenone and succinate to assess complex II (CII)-linked respiratory capacity. TSIT detects mitochondrial functional differences between frozen atrial and ventricular tissue, with comparable results as measured in fresh samples. It also detects cardiac mitochondrial dysfunction across various (patho)physiological mouse models and in human frozen cardiac samples, highlighting its clinical potential. Furthermore, we provides the first evidence for SC formation between the ETC-SCs and the TCA cycle metabolon using blue native electrophoresis, underpinning why TSIT is feasible in frozen tissue. In conclusion, we establish a novel, robust, sensitive and translational method (TSIT) for assessing mitochondrial (dys)function in frozen cardiac samples from various species, enabling flexible analysis of mitochondrial function in both laboratory and clinical settings.
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spelling doaj-art-e8505cfcfc5f43a0b17aec063d88cc5b2025-08-24T11:46:19ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Biology2399-36422025-08-018111410.1038/s42003-025-08608-5A robust method for assessing mitochondrial function in healthy and diseased frozen cardiac tissueLiangyu Hu0Alexia van Rinsum1Rocco Caliandro2Xi Qi3Shuxiu Fan4Xinyi Jiang5Jur Massop6Melissa Bekkenkamp-Grovenstein7Christiane Ott8Tilman Grune9Melissa A. E. van de Wal10Werner J. H. Koopman11Marcel Giesbers12Monika Gladka13Jaap Keijer14Deli Zhang15Human and Animal Physiology, Wageningen University & ResearchHuman and Animal Physiology, Wageningen University & ResearchDepartment of Medical Biology, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Amsterdam University Medical CenterHuman and Animal Physiology, Wageningen University & ResearchHuman and Animal Physiology, Wageningen University & ResearchHuman and Animal Physiology, Wageningen University & ResearchHuman and Animal Physiology, Wageningen University & ResearchHuman and Animal Physiology, Wageningen University & ResearchDepartment of Molecular Toxicology, German Institute of Human NutritionDepartment of Molecular Toxicology, German Institute of Human NutritionDepartment of Pediatrics, Amalia Children’s Hospital, Radboud Center for Mitochondrial Medicine (RCMM), Radboud University Medical Center (Radboudumc)Human and Animal Physiology, Wageningen University & ResearchWageningen Electron Microscopy Centre, Wageningen University & ResearchDepartment of Medical Biology, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Amsterdam University Medical CenterHuman and Animal Physiology, Wageningen University & ResearchHuman and Animal Physiology, Wageningen University & ResearchAbstract Cardiovascular diseases are often associated with impairment in mitochondrial function. However, existing respirometry measuring mitochondrial function are limited by the necessity of fresh tissue samples. This study develops a method with tailored substrate-inhibitor titration (TSIT) of mitochondrial electron transport complexes (ETC) to measure mitochondrial function in frozen cardiac samples using high-resolution respirometry. Briefly, acetyl-CoA is added to fuel the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle for NADH production, enabling complex I (CI)-linked respiratory assessment. NADH is then added to measure maximum CI-linked respiratory capacity, followed by rotenone and succinate to assess complex II (CII)-linked respiratory capacity. TSIT detects mitochondrial functional differences between frozen atrial and ventricular tissue, with comparable results as measured in fresh samples. It also detects cardiac mitochondrial dysfunction across various (patho)physiological mouse models and in human frozen cardiac samples, highlighting its clinical potential. Furthermore, we provides the first evidence for SC formation between the ETC-SCs and the TCA cycle metabolon using blue native electrophoresis, underpinning why TSIT is feasible in frozen tissue. In conclusion, we establish a novel, robust, sensitive and translational method (TSIT) for assessing mitochondrial (dys)function in frozen cardiac samples from various species, enabling flexible analysis of mitochondrial function in both laboratory and clinical settings.https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-08608-5
spellingShingle Liangyu Hu
Alexia van Rinsum
Rocco Caliandro
Xi Qi
Shuxiu Fan
Xinyi Jiang
Jur Massop
Melissa Bekkenkamp-Grovenstein
Christiane Ott
Tilman Grune
Melissa A. E. van de Wal
Werner J. H. Koopman
Marcel Giesbers
Monika Gladka
Jaap Keijer
Deli Zhang
A robust method for assessing mitochondrial function in healthy and diseased frozen cardiac tissue
Communications Biology
title A robust method for assessing mitochondrial function in healthy and diseased frozen cardiac tissue
title_full A robust method for assessing mitochondrial function in healthy and diseased frozen cardiac tissue
title_fullStr A robust method for assessing mitochondrial function in healthy and diseased frozen cardiac tissue
title_full_unstemmed A robust method for assessing mitochondrial function in healthy and diseased frozen cardiac tissue
title_short A robust method for assessing mitochondrial function in healthy and diseased frozen cardiac tissue
title_sort robust method for assessing mitochondrial function in healthy and diseased frozen cardiac tissue
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-08608-5
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