Dose Modeling for Mitochondrial Transplantation in Barrier-Limited Tissues

Abstract

Mitochondrial transplantation is an emerging regenerative therapy aimed at preventing ischemia- reperfusion injury (IRI) by restoring oxidative metabolism in vulnerable tissues. While early clinical studies have demonstrated feasibility in pediatric myocardium and safety in adult stroke patients, dosing strategies remain undefined for barrier-limited organs where autoregulation, restricted perfusion, and anatomical constraints limit parenchymal uptake. We developed a physiologically grounded computational model to estimate route-specific input dose requirements for brain, spinal cord, and kidney. The model integrates organ-level parameters including tissue mass, regional perfusion or cerebrospinal flow, permeability-surface area product, and extraction efficiency. A benchmark dose of 2 x 106 mitochondria per gram, derived from validated cardiac protocols, was applied across delivery scenarios. Sensitivity analysis explored the effects of extraction fraction and tissue mass. Route-adjusted input requirements diverged quantitatively from cardiac-derived estimates, with up to 2-fold increases in central nervous system (CNS) targets and approximately 20% higher dosing required for the kidney. This framework provides a quantitative foundation for translational dose planning in IRI and related conditions.