Mitochondrial dysfunction in muscle cells induced by snoring vibrations Show others and affiliations
2026 (English) In: Mitochondrion (Amsterdam. Print), ISSN 1567-7249, E-ISSN 1872-8278, Vol. 91, article id 102174Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]
Snoring-related vibrations have been proposed as a pathogenic factor contributing to upper airway muscle dysfunction in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). To investigate whether exposure to snoring vibration is linked to muscle weakness, we used an in vitro vibration model to examine its effects on mitochondrial homeostasis in L6 muscle cells at 8, 12, 24, and 48 h. The findings were then compared with mitochondrial alterations in the upper airway muscles from snorers and patients with OSA. Proteomic analysis of L6 myoblasts revealed extensive remodeling of the mitochondrial proteome at 8 h, affecting pathways involved in oxidative phosphorylation, protein import, ribosome biogenesis, and RNA processing. Respiratory chain remodeling was subunit-specific, with increased abundance of selected components of Complexes I, IV, and V, including NDUFS4, COX5A, and ATP5PD. However, reductions in spliceosome-associated factors, such as SRSF2 and DDX46, along with alterations in mitochondrial ribosomal proteins, indicated impaired RNA processing and protein synthesis. Furthermore, both proteomic and transcriptomic analyses revealed activation of a mechanosensing–mechanotransduction axis, with early upregulation of integrin subunits and mechanosensitive ion channels, followed by transient activation of focal adhesion signaling. Despite transcriptional upregulation of selected Complex IV subunits Cox5a and Cox6a2, this response was accompanied by accumulation of unspliced pre-mRNA, indicating impaired RNA processing efficiency and a decoupling between transcript and protein levels. Real-time Seahorse assay revealed a collapse of mitochondrial respiration and glycolytic reserve at 8 h. Although mitochondrial oxygen consumption recovered after 48 h, the ability to dynamically upregulate glycolysis remained impaired. In patients, muscle capillarization was impaired, COX activity was reduced, and mitochondrial organization was disrupted. Moreover, transcription of Complex IV subunits COX5A and COX6A2 was, as in vibrated L6 cells, upregulated, suggesting a mismatch between transcript levels and protein expression. We conclude that snoring-induced vibrations are an unrecognized stressor that disrupts mitochondrial homeostasis in muscle by impairing RNA processing, protein synthesis, and mechanotransduction-driven mitochondrial remodeling, leading to transcript–protein uncoupling and likely muscle dysfunction.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages Elsevier, 2026. Vol. 91, article id 102174
Keywords [en]
Glycolysis, Mitochondrial dysfunction, Muscle cells, Obstructive sleep apnea, Oxidative phosphorylation, Snoring, Vibrations
National Category
Cell and Molecular Biology
Identifiers URN: urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-256595 DOI: 10.1016/j.mito.2026.102174 ISI: 001792191100001 PubMedID: 42235782 Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-105041219867 OAI: oai:DiVA.org:umu-256595 DiVA, id: diva2:2086739
Funder Swedish Research Council, 2018-02574 The Kempe Foundations, JCSMK23-0001 The Kempe Foundations, JCSMK25-0083 Cancerforskningsfonden i Norrland, AMP 25–1203 2026-07-152026-07-152026-08-05 Bibliographically approved