Mitochondrial Transfer, Obesity & Immune-Metabolism Interactions | Jon Brestoff | 261

Nov 2, 2025

Dr. Jon Brestoff, an associate professor at Washington University School of Medicine, delves into the fascinating world of mitochondrial transfer. He explains how mitochondria move between unrelated cells, playing crucial roles in metabolism and immunity. Brestoff discusses the impact of high-fat diets on mitochondrial dynamics and their potential to disrupt fat tissue communication. He also explores the promise of therapeutic mitochondrial transplantation for metabolic diseases, highlighting their ability to influence immune responses and potentially reverse obesity.

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INSIGHT

Horizontal Mitochondrial Transfer Exists

Cells can pass mitochondria to unrelated cells outside of division as a regulated process.
This horizontal transfer is distinct from vertical inheritance during cell division and often involves only a few mitochondria.

INSIGHT

Multiple Mechanisms Move Mitochondria

Mitochondria export uses multiple mechanisms including large extracellular vesicles and tunneling nanotubes.
Tunneling nanotubes create cytoskeletal 'highways' that actively shuttle mitochondria between cells.

INSIGHT

Adipocytes Donate Mitochondria To Macrophages

Adipocytes routinely donate mitochondria to local macrophages for degradation as a quality-control process.
In healthy adipose tissue this transfer appears frequent and macrophages primarily degrade the donated mitochondria.

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How mitochondria travel between cells and how this hidden communication shapes metabolism, immunity, and even potential therapies.

Episode Summary: Dr. Jon Brestoff talks about mitochondrial dynamics inside cells, their transfer between unrelated cells (distinct from inheritance during division), and its roles in adipose tissue communication, macrophage cleanup, and systemic metabolic signaling; they explore how high-fat diets disrupt this process, potential hormetic benefits, therapeutic mitochondria transplantation for diseases like Leigh syndrome and obesity, and broader immunometabolism crosstalk.

About the guest: Jon Brestoff, MD, PhD is an associate professor of pathology and immunology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, where he directs the Initiative for Immunometabolism.

Discussion Points:

Mitochondria per cell range from ~100-5000; they move via fusion/fission, vertical inheritance (cell division), or horizontal transfer without division.
Transfer mechanisms: free release, extracellular vesicles, or tunneling nanotubes using cytoskeleton transport.
In healthy fat tissue, adipocytes routinely donate mitochondria to macrophages for degradation (quality control); high-fat (lard-based, long-chain FA) diets block macrophage uptake, diverting mitochondria to other organs.
Diverted mitochondria may induce “mito-hormesis” (mild oxidative stress boosting antioxidants) or signal adipocyte metabolic status inter-organ.
Mitochondria transplantation shows promise in animal models for ischemia-reperfusion, obesity, and mitochondrial diseases.
Immune cells prefer glycolysis but have low mitochondrial biomass; transplanted mitochondria tilt T-cells toward anti-inflammatory regulatory phenotype.
Circulating cell-free mitochondria rival immune cell numbers.
Obesity inflammation stems from dying oversized adipocytes releasing lipids/mitochondria, forming crown-like structures with pro-inflammatory macrophages.
Leigh syndrome from genetic mutations disrupting the electron transport chain.
Transfer may be an evolutionary relic of endosymbiosis; cells may selectively use exogenous mitochondria like a “generator” during metabolic crisis.

Reference Paper:

Study: The power and potential of mitochondria transfer

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