Perturbed Mitochondrial Dynamics Is a Novel Feature of Colitis That Can Be Targeted to Lessen Disease

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Mitochondria exist in a constantly remodelling network, and excessive fragmentation can be pathophysiological. Mitochondrial dysfunction can accompany enteric inflammation, but any contribution of altered mitochondrial dynamics (ie, fission/fusion) to gut inflammation is unknown. We hypothesized that perturbed mitochondrial dynamics would contribute to colitis. METHODS: Quantitative polymerase chain reaction for markers of mitochondrial fission and fusion was applied to tissue from dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-treated mice. An inhibitor of mitochondrial fission, P110 (prevents dynamin related protein [Drp]-1 binding to mitochondrial fission 1 protein [Fis1]) was tested in the DSS and di-nitrobenzene sulfonic acid (DNBS) models of murine colitis, and the impact of DSS ± P110 on intestinal epithelial and macrophage mitochondria was assessed in vitro. RESULTS: Analysis of colonic tissue from mice with DSS-colitis revealed increased mRNA for molecules associated with mitochondrial fission (ie, Drp1, Fis1) and fusion (optic atrophy factor 1) and increased phospho-Drp1 compared with control. Systemic delivery of P110 in prophylactic or treatment regimens reduced the severity of DSS- or DNBS-colitis and the subsequent hyperalgesia in DNBS-mice. Application of DSS to epithelial cells or macrophages caused mitochondrial fragmentation. DSS-evoked perturbation of epithelial cell energetics and mitochondrial fragmentation, but not cell death, were ameliorated by in vitro co-treatment with P110. CONCLUSIONS: We speculate that the anti-colitic effect of systemic delivery of the anti-fission drug, P110, works at least partially by maintaining enterocyte and macrophage mitochondrial networks. Perturbed mitochondrial dynamics can be a feature of intestinal inflammation, the suppression of which is a potential novel therapeutic direction in inflammatory bowel disease.