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A Mitocentric View of the Main Bacterial and Parasitic Infectious Diseases in the Pediatric Population

Sonia Romero-Cordero1, Richard Kirwan2, Antoni Noguera-Julian3,4,5,6

  • 1Faculty of Medicine, Pompeu Fabra University and Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08002 Barcelona, Spain.

International Journal of Molecular Sciences
|April 3, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Infectious diseases harm children by damaging mitochondria, affecting energy production and cell death pathways. Understanding these mitochondrial alterations is key to improving pediatric infection treatment and outcomes.

Area of Science:

  • Mitochondrial biology
  • Pediatric infectious diseases
  • Cellular apoptosis

Background:

  • Infectious diseases frequently impact children globally.
  • Infections and treatments disrupt mitochondrial function, affecting the electron transport chain, genome, membrane potential, and apoptosis.
  • Mitochondrial damage can lead to severe clinical events in children, impacting their quality of life and survival.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the association between mitochondrial alterations and pediatric infections.
  • To analyze the impact of bacterial and parasitic infections on mitochondrial health in children.
  • To improve the understanding and clinical management of pediatric infections by examining mitochondrial damage.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic review methodology.
  • Utilized Rayyan QCRI software for data analysis.
  • Focused on specific bacterial pathogens (M. tuberculosis, E. cloacae, P. mirabilis, E. coli, S. enterica, S. aureus, S. pneumoniae, N. meningitidis) and the parasite P. falciparum.

Main Results:

  • Bacterial infections are linked to loss of mitochondrial membrane potential and cytochrome c release.
  • These events activate caspase-3 and -9, initiating mitochondrial apoptosis.
  • Mitochondrial alterations are a significant consequence of pediatric infections.

Conclusions:

  • Mitochondrial dysfunction is a critical factor in the pathogenesis of pediatric infectious diseases.
  • Further research into these mechanisms can guide therapeutic strategies.
  • Addressing mitochondrial damage is essential for improving pediatric patient care.
Keywords:
antibioticsinfectionsmitochondriapediatrics

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