Is Mitochondrial Dysfunction the Underlying Causal Reason for Human Diseases?
##plugins.themes.bootstrap3.article.main##
##plugins.themes.bootstrap3.article.sidebar##
Abstract
Mitochondria, the cellular powerhouses, have emerged as pivotal players in human health and disease. Recent advances suggest mitochondrial dysfunction is implicated in a broad spectrum of disorders, ranging from neurodegenerative diseases, metabolic syndromes, cardiovascular conditions, to aging-related decline. This article explores the hypothesis that mitochondrial dysfunction may be a central underlying cause driving many, if not all, human diseases. By integrating evidence from molecular biology, clinical studies, and evolutionary theory, I argue that mitochondrial health is fundamental to cellular and systemic function. However, while mitochondrial dysfunction contributes significantly to disease pathogenesis, it is unlikely to be the sole cause of all human diseases due to the complexity of genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors. Understanding mitochondria’s multifaceted role could revolutionize diagnostics and therapeutics, positioning mitochondrial medicine at the forefront of future healthcare. This opinion advocates for a balanced yet focused research approach to uncover how mitochondrial dysfunction intersects with other pathogenic mechanisms.
##plugins.themes.bootstrap3.article.details##
Mitochondrial Dysfunction, Human Diseases, Causal Relationship, Molecular Mechanisms, Outcomes
No funding source declared.
Aran, K. R., & Singh, S. (2023). Mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress in Alzheimer’s disease–A step towards mitochondria based therapeutic strategies. Aging and Health Research, 3(4), 100169. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ahr.2023.100169
Atlante, A., & Valenti, D. (2023). Mitochondria Have Made a Long Evolutionary Path from Ancient Bacteria Immigrants within Eukaryotic Cells to Essential Cellular Hosts and Key Players in Human Health and Disease. Current Issues in Molecular Biology, 45(5), 4451–4479. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/cimb45050283
Changaei, M., Tabrizi, Z. A., Karimi, M., Kashfi, S. A., Chahardeh, T. K., Hashemi, S. M., & Soudi, S. (2025). From powerhouse to modulator: regulating immune system responses through intracellular mitochondrial transfer. Cell Communication and Signaling, 23(1). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12964-025-02237-5
Da, W., Chen, Q., & Shen, B. (2024). The current insights of mitochondrial hormesis in the occurrence and treatment of bone and cartilage degeneration. Biological Research, 57(1). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40659-024-00494-1
Dunn, J., & Grider, M. H. (2021). Europe PMC. https://europepmc.org/article/MED/31985968
Hauser, D. N., & Hastings, T. G. (2012). Mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress in Parkinson’s disease and monogenic parkinsonism. Neurobiology of Disease, 51, 35–42. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nbd.2012.10.011
Hong, W., Huang, H., Zeng, X., & Duan, C. (2024). Targeting mitochondrial quality control: new therapeutic strategies for major diseases. Military Medical Research, 11(1). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40779-024-00556-1
Li, B., Ming, H., Qin, S., Nice, E. C., Dong, J., Du, Z., & Huang, C. (2025). Redox regulation: mechanisms, biology and therapeutic targets in diseases. Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy, 10(1). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41392-024-02095-6
Li, X., Chen, W., Jia, Z., Xiao, Y., Shi, A., & Ma, X. (2025). Mitochondrial dysfunction as a pathogenesis and therapeutic strategy for Metabolic-Dysfunction-Associated steatotic liver Disease. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 26(9), 4256. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26094256
Li, X., Jiang, O., Chen, M., & Wang, S. (2024). Mitochondrial homeostasis: shaping health and disease. Current Medicine, 3(1). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s44194-024-00032-x
Li, Y., Miao, Y., Feng, Q., Zhu, W., Chen, Y., Kang, Q., Wang, Z., Lu, F., & Zhang, Q. (2024). Mitochondrial dysfunction and onset of type 2 diabetes along with its complications: a multi-omics Mendelian randomization and colocalization study. Frontiers in Endocrinology, 15. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2024.1401531
Liu, Z., Ting, Y., Li, M., Li, Y., Tan, Y., & Long, Y. (2024). From immune dysregulation to organ dysfunction: understanding the enigma of Sepsis. Frontiers in Microbiology, 15. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2024.1415274
Picard, M., Wallace, D. C., & Burelle, Y. (2016). The rise of mitochondria in medicine. Mitochondrion, 30, 105–116. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mito.2016.07.003
Pliouta, L., Lampsas, S., Kountouri, A., Korakas, E., Thymis, J., Kassi, E., Oikonomou, E., Ikonomidis, I., & Lambadiari, V. (2025). Mitochondrial Dysfunction in the development and Progression of Cardiometabolic Diseases: A Narrative review. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 14(11), 3706. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm14113706
Prates, J. a. M. (2025). Impact of heat stress on carcass traits, meat quality, and nutritional value in monogastric animals: Underlying mechanisms and nutritional mitigation strategies. Foods, 14(9), 1612. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14091612
Somasundaram, I., Jain, S. M., Blot-Chabaud, M., Pathak, S., Banerjee, A., Rawat, S., Sharma, N. R., & Duttaroy, A. K. (2024). Mitochondrial dysfunction and its association with age-related disorders. Frontiers in Physiology, 15. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2024.1384966
Wen, H., Deng, H., Li, B., Chen, J., Zhu, J., Zhang, X., Yoshida, S., & Zhou, Y. (2025). Mitochondrial diseases: from molecular mechanisms to therapeutic advances. Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy, 10(1). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41392-024-02044-3
Yang, H. (2025). Mitochondrial dysfunction in cardiovascular diseases. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 26(5), 1917. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26051917
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.