Involvement of adenine nucleotide carrier in the mechanism of the apolipoprotein C induced decrease of membrane potential in rat liver mitochondria

Apolipoprotein C (apo C) was shown to decrease the Ca2+ capacity and membrane potential of mitochondria isolated from rat liver. The specific ligands of adenine nucleotide carrier, ADP and carboxyatractyloside (CAT), inhibited the effect of apo C on the mitochondrial membrane potential. The effect of ADP and CAT was revealed in the absence of Ca2+. We conclude that in the presence of apo C, adenine nucleosides carrier transforms into a pore, and this causes the decrease in the membrane potential of the mitochondria. ADP and CAT support the primary conformation of the carrier and therefore inhibit the effect of apolipoprotein C.