Multi-Tissue Metabolomics Reveal mtDNA- and Diet-Specific Metabolite Profiles in a Mouse Model of Cardiometabolic Disease
Authors: Shastry Abhishek , Wilkinson Mia. S. , Miller Dalia M. , Kuriakose Michelle , Veeneman Jennifer L.M.H. , Smith Matthew Ryan , Hindmarch Charles C.T. , Dunham-Snary Kimberly J. 
Published: December 2024

Rationale

Excess consumption of sugar- and fat-rich foods has heightened the prevalence of cardiometabolic disease, which remains a driver of cardiovascular disease- and type II diabetes-related mortality globally. Skeletal muscle insulin resistance is an early feature of cardiometabolic disease and is a precursor to diabetes. Insulin resistance risk varies with self-reported race, whereby, African-Americans have a greater risk of diabetes development relative to their White counterparts. Self-reported race is strongly associated with mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) haplogroups, and previous reports have noted marked differences in bioenergetic and metabolic parameters in cells belonging to distinct mtDNA haplogroups, but the mechanism of these associations remains unknown. Additionally, distinguishing nuclear DNA (nDNA) and mtDNA contributions to cardiometabolic disease remains challenging in humans. The Mitochondrial-Nuclear eXchange (MNX) mouse model enablesin vivopreclinical investigation of the role of mtDNA in cardiometabolic disease development, and has been implemented in studies of insulin resistance, fatty liver disease, and obesity in previous reports.

Methods

Six-week-old male C57nDNA:C57mtDNAand C3HnDNA:C3HmtDNAwild-type mice, and C57nDNA:C3HmtDNAand C3HnDNA:C57mtDNAMNX mice, were fed sucrose-matched high-fat (45% kcal fat) or control diet (10% kcal fat) until 12 weeks of age (n = 5/group). Mice were weighed weekly and total body fat was collected at euthanasia. Gastrocnemius skeletal muscle and plasma metabolomes were characterized using untargeted dual-chromatography mass spectrometry; both hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) and C18 columns were used, in positive- and negative-ion modes, respectively.

Results

Comparative analyses between nDNA-matched wild-type and MNX strains demonstrated significantly increased body fat percentage in mice possessing C57mtDNAregardless of nDNA background. High-fat diet in mice possessing C57mtDNAwas associated with differential abundance of phosphatidylcholines, lysophosphatidylcholines, phosphatidylethanolamines, and glucose. Conversely, high-fat diet in mice possessing C3HmtDNAwas associated with differential abundance of phosphatidylcholines, cardiolipins, and alanine. Glycerophospholipid metabolism and beta-alanine signaling pathways were enriched in skeletal muscle and plasma, indicating mtDNA-directed priming of mitochondria towards oxidative stress and increased fatty acid oxidation in C57nDNA:C57mtDNAwild-type and C3HnDNA:C57mtDNAMNX mice, relative to their nDNA-matched counterparts. In mtDNA-matched mice, C57mtDNAwas associated with metabolite co-expression related to the pentose phosphate pathway and sugar-related metabolism; C3HmtDNAwas associated with branched chain amino acid metabolite co-expression.

Conclusions

These results reveal novel nDNA-mtDNA interactions that drive significant changes in metabolite levels. Alterations to key metabolites involved in mitochondrial bioenergetic dysfunction and electron transport chain activity are implicated in elevated beta-oxidation during high-fat diet feeding; abnormally elevated rates of beta-oxidation may be a key driver of insulin resistance. The results reported here support the hypothesis that mtDNA influences cardiometabolic disease-susceptibility by modulating mitochondrial function and metabolic pathways.