Ketogenic diet rescues mouse embryos missing the mitochondrial pyruvate carrier
Our SNF Sinargia work with the Martinou Lab (U. Geneva) was published in PLoS Genetics. Congratulation to his team, Petra and Manuel!
Summary
The tight control of cellular metabolism and energy production plays a crucial role during embryonic development, cancer and neurodegenerative disorders. We show that mitochondrial pyruvate carrier deficiency in mice causes metabolic alterations that result in lactic acidosis, neurotransmitter imbalance, energy deficit, brain damage and embryonic lethality. Feeding the pregnant dams a ketogenic diet allowed the survival of affected embryos until birth. Our results demonstrate the importance of the mitochondrial pyruvate carrier in maintaining the metabolic program necessary to sustain normal mammalian development.
Reference
Vanderperre B, Herzig S, Krznar P, Hörl M, Ammar Z, Montessuit S, Pierredon S, Zamboni N, Martinou JC. Embryonic Lethality of Mitochondrial Pyruvate Carrier 1 Deficient Mouse Can Be Rescued by a Ketogenic Diet, PLoS Genetics, 2016; 12(5):e1006056. external pagePubmedcall_made doi:external page10.1371/journal.pgen.1006056call_made