Document Type
Article
Publication Date
7-2-2025
Publication Title
Scientific Reports
Abstract
Barth syndrome is an X-linked syndrome characterized by cardiomyopathy, skeletal myopathy, and neutropenia. This life-threatening disorder results from loss-of-function mutations in TAFAZZIN, which encodes a phospholipid-lysophospholipid transacylase located in the mitochondria inner membrane. Decreased cardiolipin levels and increased monolysocardiolipin levels perturb mitochondrial function. However, the mechanism(s) leading to myopathies and neutropenia are unknown, and no currently effective therapy exists. To address these knowledge gaps, we generated tafazzin-deficient zebrafish. Neutropenia developed 5 days post-fertilization, but surprisingly no cardiac or skeletal myopathies were detected into adulthood. tafazzin mutants displayed multiple metabolic disturbances like those observed in humans with Barth syndrome. These include increased monolysocardiolipin: Cardiolipin ratios, high levels of 3-methylglutaconic acid, decreased ATP production, increased levels of lactic acid, and hypoglycemia. There were also widespread effects on amino acid and unsaturated fatty acid synthesis. Despite these metabolic disturbances, zebrafish displayed a normal lifespan and fertility. Cardiolipin abnormalities were detected in both larvae and adult tissues, specifically in the heart and whole kidney marrow. Surprisingly, adult tafazzin mutants exhibited a higher number of neutrophils compared to wildtype fish. Further investigation revealed signs of inflammation as evidenced by elevated levels of il6 in the whole kidney marrows and hearts of adult fish. Our comprehensive studies demonstrated that while mitochondrial dysfunction and metabolic defects were evident in tafazzin-deficient zebrafish, these disturbances did not significantly affect their development nor survival. These findings suggest that zebrafish may possess salvage pathways which compensate for Tafazzin loss or that humans have a unique vulnerability to the loss of TAFAZZIN.
Recommended Citation
Oyarbide, Usua; Anderson, Rebecca A.; Radzikh, Igor; Kodger, Jillian V.; Patil, Akshay S.; Staton, Morgan; Mulya, Anny; Crane, Genevieve M.; Litovsky, Silvio; Sandlers, Yana I.; and Corey, Seth J., "Tafazzin-deficient Zebrafish Display Mitochondrial Dysfunction, Neutropenia, and Metabolic Defects Without Myopathy" (2025). Chemistry Faculty Publications. 642.
https://engagedscholarship.csuohio.edu/scichem_facpub/642
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
DOI
10.1038/s41598-025-07843-4
Version
Publisher's PDF
Volume
15
Issue
1
Comments
This work was supported by grants from VeloSano, NIH R01 DK132812, Hyundai Hope on Wheels, and Lisa Dean Moseley Foundation (SJC), NIH CTSA 5TL1TR002549 (RAA), and VeloSano (UO).