Histochemical staining and quantification of plant mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes using blue-native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis

Our knowledge of the respiratory chain and associated defects depends on the study of the multisubunit protein complexes in the inner mitochondrial membrane. Functional analysis of the plant mitochondrial respiratory chain has been successfully achieved by a combination of blue-native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (BN-PAGE) for separation of the protein complexes, and in-gel histochemical staining of the enzyme activities. We have optimized this powerful technique by determining linear ranges of amount of protein and enzyme activity for each respiratory complex. Time courses of the in-gel enzyme activities were also performed to determine optimal reaction times. Using the in-gel activity staining method we have previously shown decreased activity of complex V (F(1)F(0)-ATPase) in male-sterile sunflowers (Sabar et al., 2003). Here we have identified unique supercomplexes comprising complex IV (cytochrome c oxidase) in sunflower mitochondria. This method therefore represents a reliable tool for the diagnosis of respiratory dysfunction. In addition, the wider application of BN-PAGE in combination with enzyme activity staining is discussed.     

Application of "blue native" electrophoresis in the studies of mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes in physiology and pathology

"Blue Native" polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (BN-PAGE), originally described by Sch?gger and von Jagow in 1991, is an elegant method to study protein complexes from mitochondrial membranes. BN-PAGE, commonly used in molecular biology to study composition of protein complexes and protein-protein interactions, enables separation of respiratory chain complexes keeping their properties and enzymatic activities unchanged. BN-PAGE, supplemented by other methods, e.g. in gel activity assay, SDS-PAGE (as a first or second dimension) can be successfully adapted for diagnosis of mitochondrial diseases connected with abnormalities of the respiratory chain. Therefore, to make a correct diagnosis of the deficiency of respiratory chain complexes, other methods, as histochemical colorimetric reactions allowing evaluation of the OXPHOS catalytic activity in individual cells and spectrophotometric technique should be used simultaneously with BN-PAGE.     

Polarographic evaluation of mitochondrial enzymes activity in isolated mitochondria and in permeabilized human muscle cells with inherited mitochondrial defects

Inherited disturbances of the mitochondrial energy generating system represent a heterogeneous group of disorders associated with a broad spectrum of metabolic abnormalities and clinical symptoms. We used the polarographic and spectrophotometric method for detection of mitochondrial disorders, because these two techniques provide a different insight into mitochondrial function. In six patients suspected of mitochondrial disease we found defects of complex I (two patients), complex III (one patient), complex IV (two patients) and a combination of defect of complex III and IV (one patient). Citrate synthase activity, used as the reference enzyme, was not changed. A comparison of the two methods showed several differences in evaluation of mitochondrial enzymes activity due to the fact that both methods used different conditions for enzyme activity measurements. In contrast to oxygen consumption measurements, where the function of the whole-integrated respiratory chain is characterized, spectrophotometric measurements characterize activities of isolated complexes in disintegrated membranes. However, it may be concluded from our experiments that both methods provide useful and complementary data about mitochondrial energetic functions. Whereas spectrophotometric data are suitable for evaluation of maximal enzyme activities of mitochondrial enzyme complexes, polarographic data provide better information about enzyme activities in cells with mitochondrial defects under in situ conditions.     

Blue Native electrophoresis to study mitochondrial and other protein complexes

The biogenesis and maintenance of mitochondria relies on a sizable number of proteins. Many of these proteins are organized into complexes, which are located in the mitochondrial inner membrane. Blue Native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (BN-PAGE) is a method for the isolation of intact protein complexes. Although it was initially used to study mitochondrial respiratory chain enzymes, it can also be applied to other protein complexes. The use of BN-PAGE has increased exponentially over the past few years and new applications have been developed. Here we review how to set up the basic system and outline modifications that can be applied to address specific research questions. Increasing the upper mass limit of complexes that can be separated by BN-PAGE can be achieved by using agarose instead of acrylamide. BN-PAGE can also be used to study assembly of mitochondrial protein complexes. Other applications include in-gel measurements of enzyme activity by histochemical staining and preparative native electrophoresis to isolate a protein complex. Finally, new ways of identifying protein spots in Blue Native gels using mass spectrometry are briefly discussed.     

Primary and secondary drug screening assays for Friedreich ataxia

Friedreich ataxia (FRDA) is an autosomal recessive neuro- and cardiodegenerative disorder for which there are no proven effective treatments. FRDA is caused by decreased expression and/or function of the protein frataxin. Frataxin chaperones iron in the mitochondrial matrix for the assembly of iron-sulfur clusters (ISCs), which are prosthetic groups critical for the function of the Krebs cycle and the mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC). Decreased expression of frataxin or the yeast frataxin orthologue, Yfh1p, is associated with decreased ISC assembly, mitochondrial iron accumulation, and increased oxidative stress, all of which contribute to mitochondrial dysfunction. Using yeast depleted of Yfh1p, a high-throughput screening (HTS) assay was developed in which mitochondrial function was monitored by reduction of the tetrazolium dye WST-1 in a growth medium with a respiration-only carbon source. Of 101 200 compounds screened, 302 were identified that effectively rescue mitochondrial function. To confirm activities in mammalian cells and begin understanding mechanisms of action, secondary screening assays were developed using murine C2C12 cells and yeast mutants lacking specific complexes of the ETC, respectively. The compounds identified in this study have potential relevance for other neurodegenerative disorders associated with mitochondrial dysfunction, such as Parkinson disease.     

Melatonin protects against 6-OHDA-induced neurotoxicity in rats: a role for mitochondrial complex I activity.

Unilateral injection into the right substantia nigra of the catecholaminergic neurotoxin 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) produces extensive loss of dopaminergic cells ('hemi-parkinsonian rat'). The pineal hormone melatonin, which is a potent antioxidant against different reactive oxygen species and has been reported to be neuroprotective in vivo and in vitro, was evaluated for potential anti-Parkinson effects in this model. Imbalance in dopaminergic innervation between the striata produced by intranigral administration of 6-OHDA results in a postural asymmetry causing rotation away from the nonlesioned side. Melatonin given systemically prevented apomorphine-induced circling behavior in 6-OHDA-lesioned rats. Reduced activity of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation enzymes has been suggested in some neurodegenerative diseases; in particular, selective decrease in complex I activity is observed in the substantia nigra of Parkinson's disease patients. Analysis of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation enzyme activities in nigral tissue from 6-OHDA-lesioned rats by a novel BN-PAGE histochemical procedure revealed a clear loss of complex I activity, which was protected against in melatonin-treated animals. A good correlation between behavioral parameters and enzymatic (complex I) analysis was observed independent of melatonin administration. A deficit in mitochondrial complex I could conceivably contribute to cell death in parkinsonism via free radical mechanisms, both directly via reactive oxygen species production and by decreased ATP synthesis and energy failure. Melatonin may have potential utility in the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders where oxidative stress is a participant.     

Initiation of Electron Transport Chain Activity in the Embryonic Heart Coincides with the Activation of Mitochondrial Complex 1 and the Formation of Supercomplexes

Mitochondria provide energy in form of ATP in eukaryotic cells. However, it is not known when, during embryonic cardiac development, mitochondria become able to fulfill this function. To assess this, we measured mitochondrial oxygen consumption and the activity of the complexes (Cx) 1 and 2 of the electron transport chain (ETC) and used immunoprecipitation to follow the generation of mitochondrial supercomplexes. We show that in the heart of mouse embryos at embryonic day (E) 9.5, mitochondrial ETC activity and oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) are not coupled, even though the complexes are present. We show that Cx-1 of the ETC is able to accept electrons from the Krebs cycle, but enzyme assays that specifically measure electron flow to ubiquinone or Cx-3 show no activity at this early embryonic stage. At E11.5, mitochondria appear functionally more mature; ETC activity and OXPHOS are coupled and respond to ETC inhibitors. In addition, the assembly of highly efficient respiratory supercomplexes containing Cx-1, -3, and -4, ubiquinone, and cytochrome c begins at E11.5, the exact time when Cx-1 becomes functional activated. At E13.5, ETC activity and OXPHOS of embryonic heart mitochondria are indistinguishable from adult mitochondria. In summary, our data suggest that between E9.5 and E11.5 dramatic changes occur in the mitochondria of the embryonic heart, which result in an increase in OXPHOS due to the activation of complex 1 and the formation of supercomplexes.     

Advantages and limitations of clear-native PAGE

Clear-native PAGE (CN-PAGE) separates acidic water-soluble and membrane proteins (pI < 7) in an acrylamide gradient gel, and usually has lower resolution than blue-native PAGE (BN-PAGE). The migration distance depends on the protein intrinsic charge, and on the pore size of the gradient gel. This complicates estimation of native masses and oligomerization states when compared to BN-PAGE, which uses negatively charged protein-bound Coomassie-dye to impose a charge shift on the proteins. Therefore, BN-PAGE rather than CN-PAGE is commonly used for standard analyses. However, CN-PAGE offers advantages whenever Coomassie-dye interferes with techniques required to further analyze the native complexes, e.g., determination of catalytic activities, as shown here for mitochondrial ATP synthase, or efficient microscale separation of membrane protein complexes for fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) analyses. CN-PAGE is milder than BN-PAGE. Especially the combination of digitonin and CN-PAGE can retain labile supramolecular assemblies of membrane protein complexes that are dissociated under the conditions of BN-PAGE. Enzymatically active oligomeric states of mitochondrial ATP synthase previously not detected using BN-PAGE were identified by CN-PAGE.     

Effects of aging on activities of mitochondrial electron transport chain complexes and oxidative damage in rat heart

Mitochondrial dysfunction and accumulation of oxidative damage have been implicated to be the major factors of aging. However, data on age-related changes in activities of mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC) complexes remain controversial and molecular mechanisms responsible for ETC dysfunction are still largely unknown. In this study, we examined the effect of aging on activities of ETC complexes and oxidative damage to proteins and lipids in cardiac mitochondria from adult (6-month-old), old (15-month-old) and senescent (26-month-old) rats. ETC complexes I-IV displayed different extent of inhibition with age. The most significant decline occurred in complex IV activity, whereas complex II activity was unchanged in old rats and was only slightly reduced in senescent rats. Compared to adult, old and senescent rat hearts had significantly higher levels of malondialdehyde, 4-hydroxynonenal (HNE) and dityrosine, while thiol group content was reduced. Despite marked increase in HNE content with age (25 and 76 % for 15- and 26-month-old rats, respectively) Western blot analysis revealed only few HNE-protein adducts. The present study suggests that non-uniform decline in activities of ETC complexes is due, at least in part, to mitochondrial oxidative damage; however, lipid peroxidation products appear to have a limited impact on enzyme functions.     

Mitochondrial electron transport chain complex dysfunction in a transgenic mouse model for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a fatal neurodegenerative disease that causes degeneration of motoneurons. Mutation of Cu,Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD1) is one cause for this disease. In mice, expression of mutant protein causes motoneuron degeneration and paralysis resembling the human disease. Morphological change, indicative of mitochondrial damage, occurs at early stages of the disease. To determine whether mitochondrial function changes during the course of disease progression, enzyme activities of mitochondrial electron transport chain in spinal cords from mice at different disease stages were measured using three different methods: spectrophotometric assay, in situ histochemical enzyme assay, and blue native gel electrophoresis combined with in-gel histochemical reaction. The enzyme activities were decreased in the spinal cord, particularly in the ventral horn, beginning at early disease stages. This decrease persisted throughout the course of disease progression. This decrease was not detected in the spinal cords of non-transgenic animals, of mice expressing the wild-type protein, and in cerebellum and dorsal horn of the spinal cords from mice expressing mutant protein. These results demonstrate a functional defect in mitochondria in the ventral horn region and support the view that mitochondrial damage plays a role in mutant SOD1-induced motoneuron degeneration pathway.     

Identification of novel mitochondrial protein components of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. A proteomic approach

Pure mitochondria of the photosynthetic alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii were analyzed using blue native-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (BN-PAGE). The major oxidative phosphorylation complexes were resolved: F(1)F(0)-ATP synthase, NADH-ubiquinone oxidoreductase, ubiquinol-cytochrome c reductase, and cytochrome c oxidase. The oligomeric states of these complexes were determined. The F(1)F(0)-ATP synthase runs exclusively as a dimer, in contrast to the C. reinhardtii chloroplast enzyme, which is present as a monomer and subcomplexes. The sequence of a 60-kD protein, associated with the mitochondrial ATP synthase and with no known counterpart in any other organism, is reported. This protein may be related to the strong dimeric character of the algal F(1)F(0)-ATP synthase. The oxidative phosphorylation complexes resolved by BN-PAGE were separated into their subunits by second dimension sodium dodecyl sulfate-PAGE. A number of polypeptides were identified mainly on the basis of their N-terminal sequence. Core I and II subunits of complex III were characterized, and their proteolytic activities were predicted. Also, the heterodimeric nature of COXIIA and COXIIB subunits in cytochrome c oxidase was demonstrated. Other mitochondrial proteins like the chaperone HSP60, the alternative oxidase, the aconitase, and the ADP/ATP carrier were identified. BN-PAGE was also used to approach the analysis of the major chloroplast protein complexes of C. reinhardtii.     

Quantitative alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase activity staining in brain sections and in cultured cells

The activity of a key mitochondrial enzyme, the alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase complex (KGDHC), declines in the brains of patients with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, as well as in thiamine-deficient (TD) animals. The decreased activity often occurs without a reduction in enzyme protein, which negates the use of immunocytochemistry to study cellular or regional changes in enzyme activity within the brain. To overcome this limitation, an activity staining method using nitroblue tetrazolium was developed. The histochemical activity staining was standardized in cultured cells. The assay was linear with time and was highly specific for KGDHC. The dark-blue reaction product (formazan) formed a pattern that was consistent with mitochondrial localization. Treatment of the cultured cells with both reversible and irreversible inhibitors decreased formazan production, whereas conventional enzyme assays on cell lysates only revealed loss of KGDHC activity with irreversible inhibitors. The activity staining was also linear with time and highly specific for KGDHC activity in mouse brain sections. Staining occurred throughout the brain, and discrete neuronal populations exhibited particularly intense staining. The pattern of staining differed markedly from the distribution of KGDHC protein by immunocytochemistry. Generalized decreases in the intensity of activity staining that occurred in the TD brains compared to controls were comparable with the loss of KGDHC activity by conventional enzyme assay. Thus, the present study introduces a new histochemical method to measure KGDHC activity at the cellular and regional level, which will be useful to determine changes of in situ enzyme activity.     

Measuring the functionality of the mitochondrial pumping complexes with multi-wavelength spectroscopy

The proton pumps of the mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC) convert redox energy into the proton motive force (ΔP), which is subsequently used by the ATP synthase to regenerate ATP. The limited available redox free energy requires the proton pumps to operate close to equilibrium in order to maintain a high ΔP, which in turn is needed to maintain a high phosphorylation potential. Current biochemical assays measure complex activities far from equilibrium and so shed little light on their function under physiological conditions. Here we combine absorption spectroscopy of the ETC hemes, NADH fluorescence spectroscopy and oxygen consumption to simultaneously measure the redox potential of the intermediate redox pools, the components of ΔP and the electron flux in RAW 264.7 mouse macrophages. We confirm that complex I and III operate near equilibrium and quantify the linear relationship between flux and disequilibrium as a metric of their function under physiological conditions. In addition, we quantify the dependence of complex IV turnover on ΔP and the redox potential of cytochrome c to determine the complex IV driving force and find that the turnover is proportional to this driving force. This form of quantification is a more relevant metric of ETC function than standard biochemical assays and can be used to study the effect of mutations in either mitochondrial or nuclear genome affecting mitochondrial function, post-translation changes, different subunit isoforms, as well as the effect of pharmaceuticals on ETC function.     

New insights into the composition, molecular mass and stoichiometry of the protein complexes of plant mitochondria

Recently a powerful electrophoresis method for the native preparation and characterization of the respiratory protein complexes of mitochondria from fungi and mammals has been developed, which employs Coomassie dyes to introduce charge shifts on proteins (Schägger and von Jagow (1991) Anal. Biochem. 199, 223–231). The procedure, which is called ‘blue native-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis’ (BN-PAGE), was modified and introduced for the analysis of mitochondria from higher plants. BN-PAGE of mitochondrial protein from potato allows the separation of nine distinct protein complexes between 100 and 1000 kDa and reveals novel results for their composition, molecular mass and stoichiometry. For the first time soluble mitochondrial protein complexes, like the HSP60 complex (750 kDa) and a complex of 200 kDa, which includes a formate dehydrogenase, are analysed by BN-PAGE. Complex I from potato (1000 kDa) is about 100 kDa larger than the corresponding enzyme from beef and can be resolved into more than 30 different subunits on a second gel dimension. The F₁F₀ ATP synthase (580 kDa) and the cytochrome c oxidase (160 kDa) from potato seem to contain more subunits than hitherto reported. Direct sequencing of subunits revealed that the F₁ part of the F₁F₀ ATP synthase lacks the oligomycin sensitivity conferring protein (OSCP), which was reported to be present in F₁ parts of dicotyledonous plants, but contains the ATPase inhibitory protein. N-terminal sequences of 16 mitochondrial proteins were obtained, several of which are presented for the first time from a plant source. BN-PAGE allows the preparation of mitochondrial protein complexes from gram amounts of plant tissue, as the procedure only requires milligram amounts of organelles. This potential of BN-PAGE is demonstrated by the separation and characterization of the mitochondrial enzyme complexes from Arabidopsis thaliana. Further analysis of organellar protein complexes by BN-PAGE will allow the generation of ‘protein maps’ from different tissues and developmental stages or from mutant plants.     

The mitochondria-targeted antioxidant MitoQ extends lifespan and improves healthspan of a transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans model of Alzheimer disease

β-Amyloid (Aβ)-induced toxicity and oxidative stress have been postulated to play critical roles in the pathogenic mechanism of Alzheimer disease (AD). We investigated the in vivo ability of a mitochondria-targeted antioxidant, MitoQ, to protect against Aβ-induced toxicity and oxidative stress in a Caenorhabditis elegans model overexpressing human Aβ. Impairment of electron transport chain (ETC) enzymatic activity and mitochondrial dysfunction are early features of AD. We show that MitoQ extends lifespan, delays Aβ-induced paralysis, ameliorates depletion of the mitochondrial lipid cardiolipin, and protects complexes IV and I of the ETC. Despite its protective effects on lifespan, healthspan, and ETC function, we find that MitoQ does not reduce DCFDA fluorescence, protein carbonyl levels or modulate steadystate ATP levels or oxygen consumption rate. Moreover, MitoQ does not attenuate mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) oxidative damage. In agreement with its design, the protective effects of MitoQ appear to be targeted specifically to the mitochondrial membrane and our findings suggest that MitoQ may have therapeutic potential for Aβ- and oxidative stress-associated neurodegenerative disorders, particularly AD.     

Age-related alterations in oxidatively damaged proteins of mouse skeletal muscle mitochondrial electron transport chain complexes

Age-associated mitochondrial dysfunction is a major source of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and oxidative modification to proteins. Mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC) complexes I and III are the sites of ROS production and we hypothesize that proteins of the ETC complexes are primary targets of ROS-mediated modification which impairs their structure and function. The pectoralis, primarily an aerobic red muscle, and quadriceps, primarily an anaerobic white muscle, have different rates of respiration and oxygen-carrying capacity, and hence, different rates of ROS production. This raises the question of whether these muscles exhibit different levels of oxidative protein modification. Our studies reveal that the pectoralis shows a dramatic age-related decline in almost all complex activities that correlates with increased oxidative modification. Similar complex proteins were modified in the quadriceps, at a significantly lower level with less change in enzyme and ETC coupling function. We postulate that mitochondrial ROS causes damage to specific ETC subunits which increases with age and leads to further mitochondrial dysfunction. We conclude that physiological characteristics of the pectoralis vs quadriceps may play a role in age-associated rate of mitochondrial dysfunction and in the decline in tissue function.     

Complex I Controls Mitochondrial and Plasma Membrane Potentials in Nerve Terminals

Reductions in the activities of mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC) enzymes have been implicated in the pathogenesis of numerous chronic neurodegenerative disorders. Maintenance of the mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψ_m) is a primary function of these enzyme complexes, and is essential for ATP production and neuronal survival. We examined the effects of inhibition of mitochondrial ETC complexes I, II/III, III and IV activities by titrations of respective inhibitors on Δψ_m in synaptosomal mitochondria. Small perturbations in the activity of complex I, brought about by low concentrations of rotenone (1–50 nM), caused depolarisation of Δψ_m. Small decreases in complex I activity caused an immediate and partial Δψ_m depolarisation, whereas inhibition of complex II/III activity by more than 70% with antimycin A was required to affect Δψ_m. A similarly high threshold of inhibition was found when complex III was inhibited with myxothiazol, and inhibition of complex IV by more than 90% with KCN was required. The plasma membrane potential (Δψ_p) had a complex I inhibition threshold of 40% whereas complex III and IV had to be inhibited by more than 90% before changes in Δψ_p were registered. These data indicate that in synaptosomes, both Δψ_m and Δψ_p are more susceptible to reductions in complex I activity than reductions in the other ETC complexes. These findings may be of relevance to the mechanism of neuronal cell death in Parkinson’s disease in particular, where such reductions in complex I activity are present.

     

Tetrahydrobiopterin causes mitochondrial dysfunction in dopaminergic cells: implications for Parkinson's disease

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder associated with a selective loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. While the underlying cause of PD is not clearly understood, oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction are thought to play a role. We have previously suggested tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4), an obligatory cofactor for the dopamine synthesis enzyme tyrosine hydroxylase and present selectively in monoaminergic neurons in the brain, as an endogenous molecule that contributes to the dopaminergic neurodegeneration. In the present study, we show that BH4 leads to inhibition of activities of complexes I and IV of the electron transport chain (ETC) and reduction of mitochondrial membrane potential. BH4 appears to be different from rotenone and MPP(+), the synthetic compounds used to generate Parkinson models, in its effect on complex IV. BH4 also induces the release of mitochondrial cytochrome c. Pretreatment with the sulfhydryl antioxidant N-acetylcysteine or the quinone reductase inducer dimethyl fumarate prevents the ETC inhibition and cytochrome c release following BH4 exposure, suggesting the involvement of quinone products. Together with our previous observation that BH4 leads to generation of oxidative stress and selective dopaminergic neurodegeneration both in vitro and in vivo via inducing apoptosis, the mitochondrial involvement in BH4 toxicity further suggests possible relevance of this endogenous molecule to pathogenesis of PD.     

Blue native electrophoresis to study mitochondrial complex I in C. elegans

Blue native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (BN-PAGE) is an essential tool for investigating mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes. However, with current BN-PAGE protocols for Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans), large worm amounts and high quantities of mitochondrial protein are required to yield clear results. Here, we present an efficient approach to isolate mitochondrial complex I (NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase) from C. elegans, grown on agar plates. We demonstrate that considerably lower amounts of mitochondrial protein are sufficient to isolate complex I and to display clear in-gel activity results. Moreover, we present the first complex I assembly profile for C. elegans, obtained by two-dimensional BN/SDS-PAGE.     

Inhibition of mitochondrial complex IV leads to secondary loss complex II-III activity: implications for the pathogenesis and treatment of mitochondrial encephalomyopathies.

Mitochondrial encephalomyopathies, arising from deficiencies of the electron transport chain (ETC) give rise to a wide clinical spectrum of presentation and are often progressive in nature. The aetiology of mitochondrial encephalomyopathies have yet to be fully elucidated, however, a successive loss of ETC function may contribute to the progressive nature of these disorders. The possibility arises that as a consequence of a primary impairment of ETC activity, secondary damage to the ETC may occur. In order to investigate this hypothesis, we established a model of cytochrome oxidase (Complex IV) deficiency in cultured human astrocytoma 1321N cells. Potassium cyanide (KCN, 1mM) resulted in a sustained 50% (p<0.01) loss of complex IV. At 24h activities of the other ETC complexes were unaffected. However, at 72h significant loss of succinate-cytochrome c reductase (complex II-III) activity expressed as a ratio to the mitochondrial marker, citrate synthase was observed. (KCN treated; 0.065+/-0.011 vs controls; 0.118+/-0.017 mean+/-SEM, n=8, p<0.05). These results provide a possible mechanism for the progressive nature of ETC defects and why in some patients multiple patterns of ETC deficiencies can be demonstrated.