Full-length PGC-1α salvages the phenotype of a mouse model of human neuropathy through mitochondrial proliferation.

Increased mitochondrial mass, commonly termed mitochondrial proliferation, is frequently observed in many human diseases directly or indirectly involving mitochondrial dysfunction. Mitochondrial proliferation is thought to counterbalance a compromised energy metabolism, yet it might also be detrimental through alterations of mitochondrial regulatory functions such as apoptosis, calcium metabolism or oxidative stress. Here, we show that prominent mitochondrial proliferation occurs in Cramping mice, a model of hereditary neuropathy caused by a mutation in the dynein heavy chain gene Dync1h1.