Disruption of Mitochondrial Dynamics and Stasis Leads to Liver Injury and Tumorigenesis

In this study, we first demonstrate that the expression levels of DNM1L, a key mitochondrial fission gene, are highly heterogeneous in human HCC samples. Specifically, DNM1L expression was significantly higher in some HCC samples and lower in others, suggesting abnormal expression patterns in human HCC. To investigate the role and mechanisms of mitochondrial dynamics in liver pathophysiology and tumorigenesis, we generated several genetically engineered mice that were either deficient in fission, fusion, or both, followed by rigorous histological and biochemical analyses, as well as multiple omics approaches.