Mitochondrial Transfer Emerges as a Therapeutic Strategy for Cardiovascular Disease

Mitochondria, the energy-producing organelles inside cells, sit at the center of a new review of cardiovascular disease therapies published in Biology Direct. The article, authored by Yao Xie, Yue Liu and Shasha Xing and published on 27 October 2026, examines mitochondrial transfer and transplantation as emerging approaches for treating conditions in which the heart’s cellular power supply fails.

The authors argue that mitochondrial dysfunction drives the pathogenesis and progression of a range of cardiovascular diseases. According to the review, approximately 95 percent of the heart’s energy is supplied by mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation, and mitochondria also act as regulators of endothelial cell function, influencing metabolism, angiogenesis and cell survival. This central role has drawn considerable research interest toward therapies that target mitochondria directly rather than acting indirectly through conventional drugs.

In contrast to traditional drug-based mitochondrial-targeted strategies, the review focuses on two innovative approaches: endogenous mitochondrial transfer, in which cells exchange mitochondria through mechanisms such as tunneling nanotubes and extracellular vesicles, and artificial mitochondrial transplantation, in which healthy mitochondria are delivered to damaged tissue. The article systematically reviews the molecular mechanisms and regulatory networks underlying the intrinsic transfer pathways, mapping how these natural processes operate at the cellular level.

The authors then compile the latest preclinical laboratory research and preliminary early human clinical studies of artificial mitochondrial transplantation across major cardiovascular diseases, including myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury, myocardial infarction and heart failure. By covering both laboratory findings and early-stage clinical work in a single synthesis, the review aims to give researchers a consolidated picture of where the field stands.

The review also confronts the obstacles standing between laboratory promise and routine clinical use. The authors discuss the current critical challenges and potential risks associated with translating mitochondrial transfer and transplantation into therapies, and they propose targeted optimization directions and future research perspectives for clinical application. As an open-access review article, the work positions mitochondrial delivery strategies as a research frontier in cardiovascular medicine, while emphasizing that clinical translation remains at a preliminary stage and depends on resolving the safety and optimization questions the authors outline.

Subject of Research: Mitochondrial transfer and transplantation as emerging therapeutic strategies for cardiovascular diseases

Article Title: Mitochondrial transfer and transplantation in cardiovascular diseases: from signaling pathways to targeted delivery strategies

Article References: Xie, Y., Liu, Y., & Xing, S. (2026). Mitochondrial transfer and transplantation in cardiovascular diseases: from signaling pathways to targeted delivery strategies. Biology Direct. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13062-026-00970-6

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1186/s13062-026-00970-6

Keywords: mitochondrial transfer, mitochondrial transplantation, cardiovascular disease, oxidative phosphorylation, tunneling nanotubes, extracellular vesicles, myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury, myocardial infarction, heart failure, endothelial function, mitochondrial dysfunction, preclinical research