RESEARCH
[Publication] Mitochondrial cardiolipin remodeling facilitates efficient myoblast differentiation
November 19, 2025
Credits: WPI-Bio2Q
Researchers from Bio2Q and Keio University found that mitochondrial lipid remodeling plays a key role in early muscle cell differentiation. They linked cardiolipin changes to mitochondrial activation, highlighting lipid metabolism as a regulator of muscle development and regeneration.
| Title | Mitochondrial cardiolipin remodeling facilitates efficient myoblast differentiation |
|---|---|
| Authors | Yohsuke Ohba [1],[2], Chinami A. Fujiwara [1], Makoto Arita [1],[2],[3],[4] |
| Short Description | Researchers at Bio2Q, Keio University, and collaborating institutions have uncovered a key role for mitochondrial membrane lipid remodeling in the early stages of myoblast differentiation. Through lipidomic analyses of differentiating muscle cells, researchers observed a sharp increase in linoleic acid (C18:2)-containing cardiolipin (CL) during the onset of differentiation. This remodeling correlates with increased expression of tafazzin, the mitochondrial enzyme responsible for cardiolipin maturation, and reflects a shift toward a more bioenergetically active mitochondrial state. Similar remodeling patterns were observed in differentiating primary skeletal muscle stem cells, indicating a conserved physiological mechanism. By linking cardiolipin remodeling to mitochondrial activation during differentiation, the study reframes lipid metabolism as an active regulatory layer in muscle development and regeneration. |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jlr.2025.100909 |
| Journal | Journal of Lipid Research |
| Vol/Num/Page | 66(11) , 100909 |
| Publication Date | November 2025, 10009 |
Affiliations:
[1] Division of Physiological Chemistry and Metabolism, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan
[2] Laboratory for Metabolomics, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences (IMS), Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
[3] Cellular and Molecular Epigenetics Laboratory, Graduate School of Medical Life Science, Yokohama-City University, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
[4] Human Biology-Microbiome-Quantum Research Center (WPI-Bio2Q), Keio University, Tokyo, Japan
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