Mitochondrial Myopathy: a New Therapeutic Approach.

Restoration of deoxyribonucleic acid in mitochondrial myopathies may occur after a mechanical or chemical injury of striated muscle or by endurance training. Therapies with enzymes, gene therapies, or treatments with substances that stimulate mitochondrial biogenesis are used at the moment. Genesis of mitochondria may also come from myonuclei by releasing the nuclear respiratory factor-1/2 during muscle contractions. Multiplying of myonuclei depends on muscle satellite cell activation. Since the electromyostimulation increase the number of circulating stem cells that may participate in the genesis of new muscle fibers (adding to the deposit of specific stem cells of the muscle), and intermittent hypoxia stimulates the proliferation of muscle satellite cells, we propose to combine the two processes for the treatment of mitochondrial myopathies. Respective combined therapy may be useful for restoring damaged mitochondria by drug side effects.