TY - JOUR T1 - Peripheral muscle mitophagy is enhanced in patients with COPD JF - European Respiratory Journal JO - Eur Respir J DO - 10.1183/13993003.congress-2016.PA3408 VL - 48 IS - suppl 60 SP - PA3408 AU - Pieter Leermakers AU - Annemie Schols AU - Bram van den Borst AU - Chiel de Theije AU - Marco Kelders AU - Harry Gosker Y1 - 2016/09/01 UR - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/48/suppl_60/PA3408.abstract N2 - Objective: COPD is hallmarked by a loss of skeletal muscle oxidative capacity which is already present in less advanced disease stages. In this study, we hypothesized that mitophagy (selective mitochondrial autophagy) is enhanced in skeletal muscle of COPD patients, and is associated with the loss of muscle oxidative capacity.Methods: Vastus lateralis biopsies were taken of COPD patients with mild-to-moderate airflow obstruction (FEV1 %pred=57.2(46.8,68.2), n=29) and healthy controls (FEV1 %pred=112.8(107.5;125.5), n=15). Oxidative capacity was assessed by protein quantification of multiple subunits of oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) complexes. General autophagy- (LC3B, P62) and mitophagy- (FUNDC1, PINK1, Parkin, BNIP3L) associated protein and mRNA levels were quantified.Results: The protein levels of the majority of OXPHOS subunits were decreased in COPD patients. Mitophagy-associated protein levels increased (Parkin) or decreased (FUNDC1 & PINK1) in COPD patients, while mRNA expression (FUNDC1, PINK1, BNIP3L) was not different. In contrast, autophagy-associated protein and mRNA levels were unchanged in these patients. No inverse correlations were found between any of the mitophagy and oxidative capacity markers.Conclusions: This study shows changes in mitophagy expression profiles indicative of activated mitophagy in COPD patients with loss of muscle oxidative capacity. The observed mitophagy expression profile indicates an enhanced clearance of damaged mitochondria in these patients. ER -