A Novel Mouse Model of Mitochondrial Disease Exhibits Juvenile-onset Severe Neurological Impairment Due to Parvalbumin Cell Mitochondrial Dysfunction

Mitochondrial diseases comprise a common group of neurometabolic disorders resulting from OXPHOS defects, that may manifest with neurological impairments, for which there are currently no disease-modifying therapies. Previous studies suggest inhibitory interneuron susceptibility to mitochondrial impairment, especially of parvalbumin-expressing interneurons (PV). We have developed a mouse model of mitochondrial dysfunction specifically in PV cells via conditional Tfam knockout, that exhibited a juvenile-onset progressive phenotype characterised by cognitive deficits, anxiety-like behaviour, head-nodding, stargazing, ataxia, and reduced lifespan. A brain region-dependent decrease of OXPHOS complexes I and IV in PV neurons was detected, with Purkinje neurons being most affected. We validated these findings in a neuropathological study of patients with pathogenic mtDNA and POLG variants showing PV interneuron loss and deficiencies in complexes I and IV. This mouse model offers a drug screening platform to propel the discovery of therapeutics to treat severe neurological impairment due to mitochondrial dysfunction.