Mitochondrial transplantation for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (review)

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia that primarily affects older adults and most often begins with memory loss followed by progressive impairment of behavioral and cognitive functions. Despite the fact that the main pathological signs of AD are considered to be extracellular deposits of beta-amyloid in the form of amyloid plaques and intracellular accumulation of hyperphosphorylated tau protein in the form of neurofibrillary tangles, recently more and more attention at the cellular and molecular levels has been paid to other important processes accompanying development of the disease. In modern research of neurodegenerative diseases, the role of mitochondria is receiving increasing interest. The mitochondrial cascade hypothesis suggests that mitochondrial dysfunction plays a key role in the progression of these neurodegenerative processes. Recent research shows that cells have the ability to exchange mitochondria among themselves. This process, known as horizontal mitochondrial transfer, allows cells to exchange both healthy and damaged or dysfunctional mitochondria, moving them from one cell to another for further repair or degradation, which raises the possibility of using mitochondrial transplantation as a therapy for neurodegenerative diseases.

In this article, we consider two aspects: horizontal mitochondrial transfer and mitochondrial transplantation. Horizontal mitochondrial transfer opens new horizons in understanding cellular communication and interactions. The methods of horizontal transfer of mitochondria discussed in the article are presented and described in detail. Additionally, we review the relevance and innovative nature of mitochondrial transplantation, a procedure in which healthy mitochondria are transferred to cells or organs with dysfunctional mitochondria. We will discuss various mitochondrial transplantation methods and their potential applications in medicine. The article will provide information on new research and perspectives in the field of mitochondrial biology and therapeutics, expanding the understanding of the function and role of mitochondria in living organisms.