Chronic stress, chronic inflammation, and mitochondria disfunction the silent killers

Mitochondria are the “powerhouses” of cells, providing the energy and many molecular building blocks needed for metazoans to remain alive. They derive from bacteria that took up residence inside a host cell 2 billion years ago in a symbiotic relationship that altered the course of life. Mitochondria are also involved in various other metabolic processes, including signaling through mitochondrial reactive oxygen species, regulation of the membrane potential, apoptosis-programmed cell death, calcium signaling, regulation of cellular metabolism, heme synthesis reactions, steroid synthesis, and hormonal signaling, among others. Diet ingredients and the balance of the microbiome play a direct role in mitochondria biology. As a result, mitochondrial damage and subsequent malfunction are significant contributing factors to various diseases due to their influence on cellular metabolism. Stress and inflammation are innate responses in living organisms that involve hormones, immune cells, and molecular mediators. They are critical mechanisms for the survival and healing of all life forms, and various stimuli trigger them. However, the energy and vitality of healthy mitochondria are required for all the systems to function correctly during stress responses. In chronic stress and chronic inflammation, an increase in the generation of reactive oxygen species causes peroxidation of lipids in cell membranes and mitochondrial membranes, compromising cell homeostasis. This presentation will discuss the interactions between diet ingredients, gut microbiome, nervous system, immune system, endocrine system, and mitochondria during health and metabolic and gastrointestinal disorders, cancer, autoimmune diseases, myopathies, cardiovascular, and even neurological diseases, recognizing chronic oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, and mitochondrial dysfunction as the silent killers.

Key Words: mitochondria, chronic stress, chronic inflammation, microbiota, diet ingredients.

Presented at the 10th Symposium on Gut Health in Production of Food Animals 2022, St. Louis, USA.