Mitochondrial dysregulation as a central mechanism in autism spectrum disorder pathogenesis

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder influenced by both genetic predispositions and environmental insults. However, the precise molecular mechanisms linking prenatal environmental perturbations to neurodevelopmental impairments remain poorly defined. This study investigates the role of mitochondrial dysfunction and metabolic disturbances in ASD pathogenesis using various preclinical models, including the maternal immune activation (MIA) and ASD high-risk gene knockout models. We performed transcriptomic profiling on mouse brain tissues to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) associated with mitochondrial and metabolic pathways. Functional enrichment analyses, including Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), revealed significant disruptions in pathways such as oxidative phosphorylation, tricarboxylic acid, and energy metabolism. These findings point to mitochondrial dysfunction as a central mechanism contributing to metabolic imbalances in ASD. Comparative analysis with publicly available RNA-seq datasets from PTEN knockout model revealed both shared and unique metabolic signatures. Single-cell RNA-seq data from the MIA model further identified cell-type-specific metabolic alterations in distinct neuronal and glial populations. Additionally, analysis of the Human Fetal Single-Cell Atlas highlighted the relevance of these metabolic pathways in human brain development. Collectively, these results emphasize mitochondrial metabolism as a potential therapeutic target for ASD, offering insights into the molecular basis of this disorder.