THE EFFECT OF LETHAL DOSES OF X-IRRADIATION ON THE ENZYMATIC ACTIVITY OF MITOCHONDRIAL CYTOCHROME c

1966 ◽  
Vol 44 (4) ◽  
pp. 433-448 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. F. Scaife

The coupling of the tetrazolium salts triphenyltetrazolium chloride and nitro-blue tetrazolium to the electron transport chain in mitochondria of thymus, spleen, liver, kidney, and Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cells has been studied with several substrates. In experiments on succinate–triphenyltetrazolium chloride reductase activity it has been possible to demonstrate a radiation lesion in the electron transport chain of mitochondria from thymus and spleen, but not in those from other tissues. This lesion is evident 4 hours after 25 rad of whole-body irradiation, or earlier with higher doses. It is not prevented by the prior administration of aminoethylisothiouronium bromide, serotonin, vitamin K1, or vitamin E, but is reduced by anoxic conditions.Lower levels of cytochrome c are found in irradiated mitochondria isolated from thymus, and the radiation lesion is believed to be produced by loosening the binding of cytochrome c to the mitochondrial membrane after X-irradiation. Decreased levels of ATP occur in thymus, spleen, and ascites cells following irradiation.

2011 ◽  
pp. 329-336 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.-L. WU ◽  
Q.-P. WU ◽  
Y.-P. PENG ◽  
J.-M. ZHANG

Accumulation of oxidative damage has been implicated to be a major causative factor in the decline in physiological functions that occur during the aging process. The mitochondrial respiratory chain is a powerful source of reactive oxygen species (ROS), considered as the pathogenic agent of many diseases and aging. L-malate, a tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediate, plays an important role in transporting NADH from cytosol to mitochondria for energy production. Previous studies in our laboratory reported L-malate as a free radical scavenger in aged rats. In the present study we focused on the effect of L-malate on the activities of electron transport chain in young and aged rats. We found that mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and the activities of succinate dehydrogenase, NADH-cytochrome c oxidoreductase and cytochrome c oxidase in liver of aged rats were significantly decreased when compared to young control rats. Supplementation of L-malate to aged rats for 30 days slightly increased MMP and improved the activities of NADH-dehydrogenase, NADH-cytochrome c oxidoreductase and cytochrome c oxidase in liver of aged rats when compared with aged control rats. In young rats, L-malate administration increased only the activity of NADH-dehydrogenase. Our result suggested that L-malate could improve the activities of electron transport chain enzymes in aged rats


2007 ◽  
Vol 102 (5) ◽  
pp. 1844-1849 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Fernström ◽  
Linda Bakkman ◽  
Michail Tonkonogi ◽  
Irina G. Shabalina ◽  
Zinaida Rozhdestvenskaya ◽  
...  

The hypothesis that ultraendurance exercise influences muscle mitochondrial function has been investigated. Athletes in ultraendurance performance performed running, kayaking, and cycling at 60% of their peak O2 consumption for 24 h. Muscle biopsies were taken preexercise (Pre-Ex), postexercise (Post-Ex), and after 28 h of recovery (Rec). Respiration was analyzed in isolated mitochondria during state 3 (coupled to ATP synthesis) and state 4 (noncoupled respiration), with fatty acids alone [palmitoyl carnitine (PC)] or together with pyruvate (Pyr). Electron transport chain activity was measured with NADH in permeabilized mitochondria. State 3 respiration with PC increased Post-Ex by 39 and 41% ( P < 0.05) when related to mitochondrial protein and to electron transport chain activity, respectively. State 3 respiration with Pyr was not changed ( P > 0.05). State 4 respiration with PC increased Post-Ex but was lower than Pre-Ex at Rec ( P < 0.05 vs. Pre-Ex). Mitochondrial efficiency [amount of added ADP divided by oxygen consumed during state 3 (P/O ratio)] decreased Post-Ex by 9 and 6% ( P < 0.05) with PC and PC + Pyr, respectively. P/O ratio remained reduced at Rec. Muscle uncoupling protein 3, measured with Western blotting, was not changed Post-Ex but tended to decrease at Rec ( P = 0.07 vs. Pre-Ex). In conclusion, extreme endurance exercise decreases mitochondrial efficiency. This will increase oxygen demand and may partly explain the observed elevation in whole body oxygen consumption during standardized exercise (+13%). The increased mitochondrial capacity for PC oxidation indicates plasticity in substrate oxidation at the mitochondrial level, which may be of advantage during prolonged exercise.


2016 ◽  
Vol 1857 ◽  
pp. e78
Author(s):  
Maik Hüttemann ◽  
Gargi Mahapatra ◽  
Ashwathy Varughese ◽  
Qinqin Ji ◽  
Icksoo Lee ◽  
...  

1989 ◽  
Vol 259 (1) ◽  
pp. 181-189 ◽  
Author(s):  
O Marcillat ◽  
Y Zhang ◽  
K J A Davies

The quinonoid anthracycline, doxorubicin (Adriamycin) is a potent anti-neoplastic agent whose clinical use is limited by severe cardiotoxicity. Mitochondrial damage is a major component of this cardiotoxicity, and rival oxidative and non-oxidative mechanisms for inactivation of the electron transport chain have been proposed. Using bovine heart submitochondrial preparations (SMP) we have now found that both oxidative and non-oxidative mechanisms occur in vitro, depending solely on the concentration of doxorubicin employed. Redox cycling of doxorubicin by Complex I of the respiratory chain (which generates doxorubicin semiquinone radicals, O2-, H2O2, and .OH) caused a 70% decrease in the Vmax. for NADH dehydrogenase during 15 min incubation of SMP, and an 80% decrease in NADH oxidase activity after 2 h incubation. This inactivation required only 25-50 microM-doxorubicin and represents true oxidative damage, since both NADH (for doxorubicin redox cycling) and oxygen were obligatory participants. The damage appears localized between the NADH dehydrogenase flavin (site of doxorubicin reduction) and iron-sulphur centre N-1. Succinate dehydrogenase, succinate oxidase, and cytochrome c oxidase activities were strongly inhibited by higher doxorubicin concentrations, but this phenomenon did not involve doxorubicin redox cycling (no NADH or oxygen requirement). Doxorubicin concentrations of 0.5 mM were required for 50% decreases in these activities, except for cytochrome c oxidase which was only 30% inhibited following incubation with even 1.0 mM-doxorubicin. Our results indicate that low concentrations of doxorubicin (50 microM or less) can catalyse a site-specific oxidative damage to the NADH oxidation pathway. In contrast, ten-fold higher doxorubicin concentrations (or more) are required for non-oxidative inactivation of the electron transport chain; probably via binding to cardiolipin and/or generalized membrane chaotropic effects. The development of agents to block doxorubicin toxicity in vivo will clearly require detailed clinical studies of doxorubicin uptake in the heart.


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