Abstract. Mitochondrial diabetes is characterized by diabetes and hearing loss in maternal transmission with a heteroplasmic A3243G mutation in the mitochondrial gene. In patients with the mutation, it has been reported that hepatic involvement is rarely observed. We demonstrated a case of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and hepatic failure with mitochondrial diabetes. To clarify the pathogenesis we analyzed the mitochondrial ultrastructure in the myocytes, the reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in the liver and the status of heteroplasmy of the mitochondrial A3243G mutation in the organs involved. In cardiomyocytes and skeletal muscle, electron microscopic analysis demonstrated typical morphological mitochondrial abnormalities. Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated enhanced ROS production associated with marked steatosis in the liver, which is often associated with mitochondrial dysfunction. Analysis of the A3243G mutation revealed a substantial ratio of heteroplasmy in these organs including the liver. The presence of steatosis and enhanced oxidative stress in the liver suggested that hepatic failure was associated with mitochondrial dysfunction.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.