Scientists Explore Mitochondrial Antioxidants to Prevent Death in Critical Illness
Researchers at Moscow State University have reported that a mitochondrial antioxidant may reduce the risk of death when an organism is in a life-threatening condition. The university’s press service documented this cautious but hopeful finding as part of their broader study on cellular responses during severe health crises.
The study advances a hypothesis about a self-destruct pathway that can be triggered when an organism enters a critically injured or severely ill state. In such scenarios, an organism might face a life-or-death choice where survival would not necessarily benefit evolutionary progress and might even harm relatives. In other words, in extreme conditions, the organism appears to weigh living against dying, and the balance can tip toward self-destruction as a last resort.
According to the researchers, mitochondria are central players in this decision-making process. They point to the reactive oxygen species produced by mitochondria as key signals that influence the choice toward self-preservation or self-destruction. By modulating this process with the SkQ1 compound, the team observed a prevention of the suicide mechanism’s activation. The investigators emphasized that this mechanism, while potentially useful in animal evolution, is clearly harmful to humans in critical states. As one of the study’s authors noted, these findings open broad possibilities for using mitochondria-targeted antioxidants, particularly SkQ1, to prevent fatal outcomes in people facing life-threatening conditions.
In their experiments, the researchers demonstrated that SkQ1 could prevent death in four kinds of severe circumstances: extensive trauma or major surgical procedures, serious infections, exposure to toxic substances, and hypothermia. They also found that the harmful cascade often linked to a cytokine storm—an overreaction of the innate immune system driven by mitochondrial reactive oxygen species—could be mitigated by SkQ1, offering a potential path to reduce fatalities in critical care settings. While this line of research remains in early stages, the results hint at a future where crisis management might include targeted mitochondrial interventions to stabilize patients during life-threatening events.
The scientific report detailing these results has been published in Scientific Reports, and the work contributes to a growing body of knowledge about how cellular stress responses influence outcomes in severe illness. Previous studies by the same research team have explored related approaches to cognitive and physiological resilience, underscoring a broader interest in nutritional and pharmacological strategies that support cellular health under stress.
Overall, the findings underscore the potential of mitochondria-focused therapies to change the trajectory of critical illnesses. The researchers stress that additional studies are necessary to verify safety, efficacy, and practical applications in humans, but the observed protection in animal models marks a meaningful step toward new treatment strategies for crisis situations.