PINK1

Mitochondrial quality control

PINK1 is the cell’s surveillance system for damaged mitochondria. An unusual kinase, it only stabilizes in the presence of a depolarized mitochondrion; once stabilized, it activates a mitophagy pathway that leads to clearance of the damaged organelle.

PINK1 activation has been shown to oppose the inflammation, mtDNA mutations, and metabolic/proteostatic failures that can lead to cell death in disease.

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Mitophagy

Mitophagy in cellular homeostasis

Pathogenic protein species implicated in neurodegenerative diseases (e.g., alpha synuclein, beta amyloid, tau, and TDP43) can associate with mitochondria and drive mitochondrial dysfunction.

Mitophagy, the process by which cells clear their damaged mitochondria, plays an important protective role in these circumstances: not only is the normal, healthy mitochondrial pool restored, but the proteotoxic species are cleared along with the bad mitochondria.

Mitokinin’s scientists have shown that by potentiating the PINK1 pathway in times of proteotoxic stress, neuron health can be restored and disease-driving pathologies reduced or eliminated.

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