Mitochondria as a Target for Tissue Repair and Regeneration

A special issue of Biomolecules (ISSN 2218-273X). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Biology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2026 | Viewed by 407

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Maine Health Institute for Research, Scarborough, ME, USA
Interests: FGF; trauma; repair; secretion; signaling; proliferation; differentiation; adipogenesis
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

It is with great pleasure that I present this Special Issue, entitled "Mitochondria as a Target for Tissue Repair and Regeneration". In recent years, the role of mitochondria dysfunction in pathologies related to trauma and various diseases has been demonstrated by the constantly increasing number of publications. On the other hand, the normalization of mitochondrial function is becoming increasingly accepted as a promising therapeutic approach to tissue repair and regeneration.

This Special Issue aims to highlight the importance of a deeper understanding of mitochondria-related mechanisms determining cell, tissue, and organ pathologies. We also aim to focus on novel methods that aim to enhance the protection of mitochondria and preserve their normal function, and thus stimulation tissue repair and regeneration. Particular attention will be paid to the innovative methods of the study of mitochondrial function, mitochondrial biogenesis, and mitophagy. This Special Issue welcomes the submission of studies focused on mitochondria-derived damage-associated molecular patterns and their role in trauma-related systemic inflammation.

We welcome a wide range of contributions related to mitochondria as a target for tissue repair and regeneration, as original research or reviews, that will certainly enrich this Special Issue.

Dr. Igor A. Prudovsky
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • mitochondria
  • trauma
  • tissue repair
  • regeneration
  • inflammation
  • mitochondrial DAMPs
  • mitochondrial biogenesis
  • mitophagy

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

20 pages, 1008 KB  
Review
Transcription, Maturation and Degradation of Mitochondrial RNA: Implications for Innate Immune Response
by Chaojun Yan, Jianglong Yu, Hao Lyu, Shuai Xiao, Dong Guo, Qi Zhang, Rui Zhang, Jingfeng Tang, Zhiyin Song and Cefan Zhou
Biomolecules 2025, 15(10), 1379; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom15101379 - 28 Sep 2025
Abstract
Mitochondria are crucial for a wide range of cellular processes. One of the most important is innate immunity regulation. Apart from functioning as a signaling hub in immune reactions, mitochondrial nucleic acids can themselves act as damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) to participate in [...] Read more.
Mitochondria are crucial for a wide range of cellular processes. One of the most important is innate immunity regulation. Apart from functioning as a signaling hub in immune reactions, mitochondrial nucleic acids can themselves act as damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) to participate in immune processes directly. This review synthesizes the current understanding of mitochondrial RNA (mtRNA) biology and its link to immune activation through aberrant accumulation. We focus on its origin through bidirectional mitochondrial transcription and metabolism, encompassing maturation (cleavage, polyadenylation, modification) and degradation. Dysregulation of mtRNA metabolism leads to mt-dsRNA (mitochondrial double-stranded RNA) accumulation, which escapes mitochondria via specific channels into the cytosol and serves as DAMPs to trigger an immune response. We discuss the critical roles of key regulatory factors, including PNPT1 (PNPase, Polyribonucleotide Nucleotidyltrans ferase 1), in controlling mt-dsRNA levels and preventing inappropriate immune activation. Finally, we review the implications of mt-dsRNA-driven inflammation in human diseases, including autoimmune disorders, cellular senescence, and viral infection pathologies, highlighting unresolved questions regarding mt-dsRNA release mechanisms. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mitochondria as a Target for Tissue Repair and Regeneration)
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