Mechanisms of the effect of oxidative phosphorylation deficiencies on the skeletal muscle bioenergetic system in patients with mitochondrial myopathies.

Simulations carried out using a previously developed model of the skeletal muscle bioenergetic system, involving the "inorganic phosphate (Pi) double-threshold" mechanism of muscle fatigue, lead to the conclusion that a decrease in the oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) activity, caused by mutations in mitochondrial or nuclear DNA, is the main mechanism underlying the changes in the kinetic properties of the system in mitochondrial myopathies (MM). These changes generally involve the very-heavy-exercise-like behavior and exercise termination because of fatigue at low work intensities. In particular, a sufficiently large (at a given work intensity) decrease in OXPHOS activity leads to slowing of the primary phase II of the oxygen uptake (V̇o2) on-kinetics, decrease in maximal V̇o2 (V̇o2max), appearance of the slow component of the V̇o2 on-kinetics, exercise intolerance, and lactic acidosis at relatively low power outputs encountered in experimental studies in patients with MM. Thus, the "Pi double-threshold" mechanism of muscle fatigue is able to account, at least semiquantitatively, for various kinetic effects of inborn OXPHOS deficiencies of the skeletal muscle bioenergetic system. Exercise can be potentially lengthened and V̇o2max elevated in patients with MM through an increase in peak Pi (Pipeak), at which exercise is terminated because of fatigue. Generally, a mechanism underlying the kinetic effects of OXPHOS deficiencies on the skeletal muscle bioenergetic system in MM is proposed that was absent in the literature.NEW & NOTEWORTHY A mechanism of the OXPHOS deficiencies-induced changes of the skeletal muscle bioenergetic system in patients with mitochondrial myopathies (MM), namely, appearance of the slow component of the V̇o2 on-kinetics at relatively low work intensities, slowed primary phase II of the V̇o2 on-kinetics, lowered V̇o2max, and lactic acidosis is proposed. It involves a decrease in OXPHOS activity acting through the "Pi double-threshold" mechanism of muscle fatigue comprising initiation of the additional ATP usage and termination of exercise.