Bezafibrate improves mitochondrial function in the CNS of a mouse model of mitochondrial encephalopathy

Mitochondrial dysfunction frequently affects the central nervous system. Here, we investigated the effect of bezafibrate treatment on neuronal mitochondrial function and its impact on the progression of a mitochondrial encephalopathy. We used a murine model with a forebrain-specific cytochrome c oxidase deficiency caused by conditional deletion of the COX10 gene. In this mouse model, bezafibrate-administration improved the phenotype of the mice associated with an increase in mitochondrial proteins and mitochondrial ATP generating capacity. Bezafibrate-treatment also attenuated astrogliosis and decreased the level of inflammatory markers in the affected tissues. Overall, bezafibrate had a neuroprotective effect in this mouse model of mitochondrial encephalopathy. These findings imply that bezafibrate might be a promising therapeutic agent for the treatment of neurodegenerative disease associated with mitochondrial dysfunction.