Respiratory medicineNov 15, 2025

Mitochondria problems, blockers, and new treatments in lung disease

Updated Jan 7, 2026

Abstract

Mitochondrial dysfunction is a unifying feature in chronic lung diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH).

Mitochondria are essential for energy production and play key roles in cellular signaling and programmed cell death.
Impaired mitochondrial function is characterized by decreased energy production, increased production of harmful molecules, and poor cellular maintenance.
Mitochondrial dysfunction is associated with increased severity of acute lung conditions such as acute lung injury (ALI) and COVID-19.
This dysfunction may also drive the symptoms and progression of Long COVID.
Emerging therapeutic strategies include antioxidants, metabolic modulators, and mitochondrial transplantation, each facing specific challenges.

Simplified

Mitochondria are increasingly recognized as central arbiters of cellular fate, placing them at the nexus of pulmonary health and disease. Beyond their canonical role in adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthesis, these organelles are critical hubs for redox signaling, metabolic homeostasis, and programmed cell death. Mitochondrial dysfunction-a multifaceted condition characterized by impaired bioenergetics, excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, aberrant dynamics, and defective quality control via mitophagy-is a unifying pathogenic feature in chronic lung diseases, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). This dysfunction is also a critical determinant of severity in acute conditions like acute lung injury (ALI) and COVID-19 and is a key mechanistic driver of Long COVID. This review synthesizes the core mechanisms of mitochondrial impairment, delineates their specific contributions to this spectrum of pulmonary pathologies, and discusses the burgeoning field of mitochondria-targeted therapeutics. Strategies ranging from targeted antioxidants and metabolic modulators to novel regenerative approaches like mitochondrial transplantation are highlighted, with an expanded discussion on their limitations, challenges, and clinical implications. By framing mitochondrial integrity as a critical determinant of pulmonary disease, we underscore a pivotal axis for future diagnostic and therapeutic innovation.

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Competing interests

Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Professor Woo Hyun Park, Ph.D., as the principal investigator (PI) and sole author of this review paper, declares that he has no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

PubMed

Mitochondria problems, blockers, and new treatments in lung disease

Abstract

Full Text

Funding

Competing interests

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Abstract

Full Text

Funding

Competing interests

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