Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38750213›Full record

ArticleCommunications medicine2024

Altered mitochondrial function in fibroblast cell lines derived from disease carriers of spinal muscular atrophy.

Rachel James, Kiterie M E Faller, Ewout J N Groen, Brunhilde Wirth, Thomas H Gillingwater

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Communications medicine, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Pharmacological Activation of NRF2 by Omaveloxolone Upregulates NRF2-Target Proteins in SMA Type I Human Fibroblasts.FASEB journal : official publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology · 2026
    Article
  2. Article
  3. Patient-specific responses toMolecular therapy. Methods & clinical development · 2024
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Rachel JamesEdinburgh Medical School: Biomedical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK. Rachel.James@ed.ac.uk.
Kiterie M E FallerEdinburgh Medical School: Biomedical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4525-7059
Ewout J N GroenUMC Utrecht Brain Center, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2330-9444
Brunhilde WirthInstitute of Human Genetics, Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, and Center for Rare Diseases Cologne, University Hospital of Cologne, University Cologne, 50931, Cologne, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4051-5191
Thomas H GillingwaterEdinburgh Medical School: Biomedical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK. t.gillingwater@ed.ac.uk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0306-5577

Funding

Academy of Medical Sciences Starter Grant for Clinical LecturersDaphne Jackson Trust FellowshipEC | Horizon 2020 Framework Programme (EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation H2020) 956185Medical Research Council MR/X018288/1Wellcome Trust
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSpinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is an autosomal recessive childhood-onset neuromuscular disease with a carrier frequency of ~1:50. Mitochondrial abnormalities are widespread in patients with SMA. Disease carriers for SMA (i.e., the parents of patients with SMA) are viewed as asymptomatic for SMA disease. As far as we are aware, mitochondria have not been previously examined in SMA carriers, yet as they are maternally inherited, mitochondrial function in SMA carriers has putative implications for disease pathogenesis.

methodsFibroblast cell lines derived from SMA carriers and controls were obtained from two different sources and cultured under standard conditions. The mitochondrial membrane potential, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, citrate synthase activity, and bioenergetic analysis were examined as measures of mitochondrial function. The mitochondrial genome was also sequenced in a subset of the fibroblast cell lines to identify any mitochondrial DNA variants.

resultsHere, we show a depolarized mitochondrial membrane potential, increased levels of reactive oxygen species, and reduced citrate synthase activity in SMA carriers compared with controls. A likely pathogenic variant in the MT-CO3 gene (which encodes subunit III of cytochrome c oxidase) was also identified in a paternal carrier.

conclusionsThis study was conducted as a preliminary investigation of mitochondrial function in SMA carriers. Our findings suggest that disease carriers of SMA show differences in mitochondrial function, indicative of a subclinical mitochondrial phenotype. Further investigation in a larger sample set is warranted.

Identifiers

PMID38750213
PMCPMC11096342

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.