An explanation for the decreased severity of liver malfunction in Niemann-Pick C1 disease with age

J Appl Genet. 2022 Sep;63(3):469-474. doi: 10.1007/s13353-022-00695-y. Epub 2022 May 5.

Abstract

Niemann-Pick C disease frequently presents as severe cholestatic disease in infants. However, it progressively becomes less of a problem as children age. We have found that, in an appropriate mouse model, liver cholesterol levels, which are initially very high, decrease while mitochondrial function, initially quite compromised, increases with age. The key mitochondrial regulator, MNRR1, increases in parallel with the increase in mitochondrial function. These changes appear to explain the amelioration of the liver disease that occurs with time in this disorder.

Keywords: Cholesterol; Infantile hepatic storage disease; Liver; MNRR1; Nieman Pick C1 disease.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Humans
  • Liver*
  • Mice
  • Niemann-Pick Disease, Type C* / genetics