Involvement of the PINK1/PARKIN pathway in enhancing mitochondrial function and mitophagy in reserpine-induced...

To assess the impact of reserpine-induced fibromyalgia and evaluate the potential effects of resistance exercise or CoQ10 administration on muscle strength, structure, and expression of mitochondrial markers in adult mice. Central to this investigation is an exploration of the molecular mechanisms underlying mitophagy via the PINK1/Parkin pathway.

This study sought to elucidate the Impact of 4 weeks of either climbing exercise or coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) supplementation (10 mg/kg, administered once daily) on skeletal muscle and mitochondrial functions within a reserpine-induced fibromyalgia (FM) mouse model. Evaluation encompassed the assessment of key mitochondrial markers, including PTEN-induced kinase 1 (PINK1), PARKIN, Mitofusion2, cytochrome c oxidase, citrate synthase, and fibronectin type III domain-containing protein 5 (FNDC5), alongside morphological examinations of the gastrocnemius muscle.

Climbing exercise significantly improved fibromyalgia (FM)-like symptoms and enhanced the expression of mitochondrial marker genes in the gastrocnemius muscle. Histological and ultra-structural studies showed nearly normal muscle fiber structure, banding patterns, mitochondria shape and size, and a notable reduction in collagen fibrosis compared to FM. CoQ10 supplementation also improved mitochondrial gene expression but did not significantly affect FNDC gene expression. Ultrastructural analysis revealed mostly normal muscle fibers with regular banding, though some areas showed disturbances with multiple sub-sarcolemmal and interfibrillar mitochondria.

This study underscores the efficacy of both resistance exercise and CoQ10 supplementation as viable strategies for improving FM-related symptoms and enhancing mitochondrial function in mice.