Mitochondria transfer may protect against hearing loss from cisplatin by activating cell cleanup through fumarate

Mitochondrial transfer from mesenchymal stem cells could protect against cisplatin-induced cochlear injury in a mouse model.

• Mitochondria from mesenchymal stem cells are transferred to damaged spiral ganglion neurons through tunneling nanotubes.
• This transfer leads to increased levels of fumarate, which activates a process to remove dysfunctional mitochondria.
• Dimethyl fumarate modifies a specific phosphatase, preventing it from deactivating a protein that promotes mitochondrial removal.
• These mechanisms suggest a potential therapeutic approach for addressing hearing loss associated with mitochondrial damage.

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