Participation of a cytochrome b5-like hemoprotein of outer mitochondrial membrane (OM cytochrome b) in NADH-semidehydroascorbic acid reductase activity of rat liver

The participation of a cytochrome b₅-like hemoprotein of outer mitochondrial membrane (OM cytochrome b) in the NADH-semidehydroascorbate (SDA) reductase activity of rat liver was studied. NADH-SDA reductase activity was strongly inhibited by antibodies against OM cytochrome b and NADH-cytochrome b₅ reductase, whereas no inhibition was caused by anti-cytochrome b₅ antibody. NADH-SDA reductase exhibited the same distribution pattern as OM cytochrome b-mediated rotenone-insensitive NADH-cytochrome c reductase activity among various subcellular fractions and submitochondrial fractions. Both activities were localized in outer mitochondrial membrane. These observations suggest that OM cytochrome b-mediated rotenone-insensitive NADH-cytochrome c reductase system participates in the NADH-SDA reductase activity of rat liver.     

Cholesterol side chain cleavage in rat adrenal supported by outer mitochondrial membrane NADH-semidehydroascorbate reductase

Rat adrenal mitochondria have an active rotenone-insensitive outer mitochondrial membrane NADH-semidehydroascorbate (NADH-SDA) reductase which supports cholesterol side chain cleavage at a rate equal to that supported by malate. Side chain cleavage activity supported by both of these electron donor systems is equally inhibited by cycloheximide. Catalase or butylated hydroxyanisole are required for the NADH-SDA reductase-supported cholesterol side chain cleavage. This requirement can be removed by briefly subjecting the mitochondrial preparations to -20 degrees C. Ascorbic acid alone or with malate is either inhibitory or has no effect on side chain cleavage activity. These observations demonstrate that outer mitochondrial membrane NADH-SDA reductase in rat adrenal functions to provide cytoplasmic reducing equivalents to intramitochondrial cytochrome P-450scc and provides a new explanation for the function of ascorbic acid in corticosteroidogenesis.     

Localization and biosynthesis of NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase, an integral membrane protein, in rat liver cells. I. Distribution of the enzyme activity in microsomes, mitochondria, and golgi complex

The subcellular distribution of NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase in rat liver cells was reinvestigated. In fresh heavy and light Golgi fractions (GF3 and GF1 + 2) and in mitochondria, the specific activity of rotenone-insensitive NADH-cytochrome c reductase was approximately 100, 60, and 30%, respectively, of the value found in microsomes. However, the Golgi enzyme was unstable inasmuch as pelleting and resuspending the fresh fractions resulted in a considerable inactivation (40--60%), which was further increased with subsequent storage at 4 degrees C. A similar inactivation was observed using cytochrome b5 but not ferricyanide as electron acceptor. The inactivation of Golgi NADH-cytochrome c reductase activity was independent of the protein concentration of the fractions during storage, was unaffected by the addition of the antioxidant butylated hydroxytoluene, but was partly prevented by buffering the fractions at neutral pH and by storage at--20 degrees C. A total Golgi fraction was analyzed by density equilibration on continuous sucrose gradients after exposure to digitonin. As expected, the distribution of both protein and galactosyl transferase were shifted to higher densities by this treatment. However, not all galactosyl transferase-bearing elements were shifted to the same extent by exposure to the detergent, suggesting a biochemical heterogeneity of the Golgi complex. In contrast to their behavior in microsomes, the distribution of NADH- cytochrome c reductase and cytochrome b5 of Golgi fractions was shifted by digitonin, although to a lesser extent than that of galactosyl transferase. These results indicate that NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase is an authentic component of Golgi membranes, as well as of microsomes and of mitochondria. The conflicting results reported in the past on the Golgi localization of the enzyme could be due, on the one hand, to the differential lability of the activity in its various subcellular locations and, on the other, to the heterogeneity of the Golgi complex in terms of both cholesterol and enzyme distribution.     

Activity of the inner and outer membrane oxidative enzymes in brown adipose tissue mitochondria.

1. The specific activity of cytochrome-oxidase, succinate-cytochrome c reductase and su-cinate-oxidase of brown adipose tissue mitochondria of 17-day-old rats was found to be twice as high in brwon adipose tissue mitochondria as in the liver. The specific activity of rotenone-sensitive NADH-cytochrome c reductase and NADH-oxidase was found to be six times higher in brown adipose tissue mitochondria than in the liver. 2. Brown adipose tissue mitochondria have extremely low activity of outer membrane enzymes. When compared with liver the specific activity of rotenone-insensitive NADH-cytochrome c reductase was found to be seven times lower, the specific activity of monoamineoxidase up to 30 times lower according to the substrate used. 3. The optimum conditions for the determination of both NADH-cytochrome c reductases in brown adipose tissue mitochondria were more specified on the base of the following findings: (a) the outer membrane rotenone-insensitive NADH-cytochrome c reductase is strongly inactivated by freezing-thawing, (b) freezing-thawing, alone is insufficient to release completely maximal activity of rotenone-sensitive NADH-cytochrone c reductase, freezing-thawing activite can be further potentiated by e.g. trypsin treatment. 4. The activities of the outer membranes of brown-adipose tissue mitochondria are discussed with regards to the structural integrity of the outer membrane, the activities of the inner membrane enzymes are discussed with regards to the functional specifity of the tissue.     

Propylthiouracil, a selective inhibitor of NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase

Propylthiouracil inhibited the activity of NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase of rat liver microsomes using potassium ferricyanide as electron acceptor. On the other hand, NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase activity was not affected by the compound. NADH-supported reduction of cytochrome b5 was also inhibited by propylthiouracil in the reconstituted system consisting of cytochrome b5 and partially purified NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase.     

Palmitoyl-CoA Elongation in Brain Microsomes: Dependence on Cytochrome b5 and NADH-Cytochrome b5 Reductase

Experiments were performed to demonstrate the involvement of electron transport system in fatty acid elongation in rat brain microsomes. Mercuric chloride and p-chloromercuriphenylsulfonate, inhibitors on NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase, at 32 microM inhibited NADH-supported palmitoyl-CoA elongation to 30 and 60% of control activity, respectively, whereas NADPH-supported palmitoyl-CoA elongation was unaffected by these mercurials. An antibody to rat liver NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase inhibited brain microsomal NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase activity and NADH-dependent palmitoyl-CoA elongation. Treatment of brain microsomes with trypsin diminished the cytochrome b5 content; NADH- and NADPH-cytochrome c reductase activities were significantly decreased, but the decrease in NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase activity was relatively small. Whereas essentially no incorporation of malonyl-CoA into palmitoyl-CoA was observed with trypsin-treated microsomes, addition of detergent-solubilized cytochrome b5 resulted in a recovery of fatty acid elongation. These results indicate the presence of an electron transport system, NADH-NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase-cytochrome b5-fatty acid elongation, in brain microsomes.     

The role of lipid-protein interactions in NADH-cytochrome c reductase (rotenone-insensitive) of rat liver mitochondria

The phospholipid depletion of rat liver mitochondria, induced by acetone-extraction or by digestion with phospholipase A₂ or phospholipase C, greatly inhibited the activity of NADH-cytochrome c reductase (rotenone-insensitive). A great decrease of the reductase activity also occurred in isolated outer mitochondrial membranes after incubation with phospholipase A₂. The enzyme activity was almost completely restored by the addition of a mixture of mitochondrial phospholipids to either lipid-deficient mitochondria, or lipid-deficient outer membranes. The individual phospholipids present in the outer mitochondrial membrane induced little or no stimulation of the reductase activity. Egg phosphatidylcholine was the most active phospholipid, but dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine was almost ineffective. The lipid depletion of mitochondria resulted in the disappearance of the non-linear Arrhenius plot which characterized the native reductase activity. A non-linear plot almost identical to that of the native enzyme was shown by the enzyme reconstituted with mitochondrial phospholipids. Triton X-100, Tween 80 or sodium deoxycholate induced only a small activation of NADH-cytochrome c reductase (rotenone-insensitive) in lipiddeficient mitochondria. The addition of cholesterol to extracted mitochondrial phospholipids at a 1 : 1 molar ratio inhibited the reactivation of NADH-cytochrome c reductase (rotenone-insensitive) but not the binding of phospholipids to lipid-deficient mitochondria or lipid-deficient outer membranes.These results show that NADH-cytochrome c reductase (rotenone-insensitive) of the outer mitochondrial membrane requires phospholipids for its activity. A mixture of phospholipids accomplishes this requirement better than individual phospholipids or detergents. It also seems that the membrane fluidity may influence the reductase activity.     

A comparison of microbody membranes with microsomes and mitochondria from plant and animal tissue

Microbodies (peroxisomes and glyoxysomes), mitochondria, and microsomes from rat liver, dog kidney, spinach leaves sunflower cotyledons, and castor bean endosperm were isolated by sucrose density-gradient centrifugation. The microbody-limiting membrane and microsomes each contained NADH-cytochrome c reductase and had a similar phospholipid composition. NADH-cytochrome c reductase from plant and animal microbodies and microsomes was insensitive to antimycin A, which inhibited the activity in the mitochondrial fractions. The pH optima of cytochrome c reductase in plant microbodies and microsomes was 7.5–9.0, which was 2 pH units higher than the optima for the mitochondrial form of the enzyme. The activity in animal organelles exhibited a broad pH optimum between pH 6 and 9. Rat liver peroxisomes retained cytochrome c reductase activity, when diluted with water, KCl, or EDTA solutions and reisolated. Cytochrome c reductase activity of microbodies was lost upon disruption by digitonin or Triton X-100, but other peroxisomal enzymes of the matrix were not destroyed. The microbody fraction from each tissue also contained a small amount of NADH-cytochrome b₅ reductase activity. Peroxisomes from spinach leaves were broken by osmotic shock and particles from rat liver by diluting in alkaline pyrophosphate. Upon recentrifugation liver peroxisomes yielded a core fraction containing urate oxidase at a sucrose gradient density of 1.23 g × cm⁻³, a membrane fraction at 1.17 g × cm⁻³ containing NADH-cytochrome c reductase, and soluble matrix enzymes at the top of the gradient.     

Additive effects of epinephrine and corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) on adrenocorticotropin release in rat anterior pituitary cells

Rabbit antibody was prepared against NADPH-cytochrome c reductase of Tetrahymena microsomes. When examined by the Ouchterlony double diffusion test, anti-NADPH-cytochrome c reductase immunoglobulin formed a single precipitation line with Tetrahymena reductase but not rat liver one. The antibody inhibited the NADPH-cytochrome c reductase activity of Tetrahymena microsomes, but it did not affect either NADH-ferricyanide or NADH-cytochrome c reductase activity of Tetrahymena microsomes. The NADPH-dependent desaturation of stearoyl-CoA in Tetrahymena microsomes was inhibited by anti-reductase immunoglobuline, while the NADH-dependent desaturation was affected by neither anti-reductase nor control immunoglobuline. It was suggested that the temperature associated-alteration of NADPH-cytochrome c reductase activities would be important for regulation of microsomal NADPH-dependent desaturase activities in Tetrahymena which contains no cytochrome P-450.     

Immunochemical study on the pathway of electron flow in reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide-dependent microsomal lipid peroxidation.

NADH could support the lipid peroxidation of rat liver microsomes in the presence of ferric ions chelated by ADP(ADP-Fe). The reaction had a broad pH optimum (pH 5.8--7.4) and was more active in the acidic pH range. Antibodies to NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase [EC 1.6.2.2] and cytochrome b5 inhibited NADH-dependent lipid peroxidation in the presence of ADP-Fe, whereas the antibody against NADPH-cytochrome c reductase [EC 1.6.2.4] showed no inhibition. These oberservations suggest that the electron from NADH was supplied to the lipid peroxidation reaction via NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase and cytochrome b5. On the other hand, NADPH-supported lipid peroxidation was strongly inhibited by the antibody against NADPH-cytochrome c reductase, confirming the participation of this this flavoprotein in the NADPH-dependent reaction. In the presence of both ADP-Fe and ferric ions chelated by EDTA(EDTA-Fe), NADH-dependent lipid peroxidation was highly stimulated up to the level of the NADPH-dependent reaction. In this case, the antibody against cytochrome b5 could not inhibit the reaction, while the antibody against NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase did inhibit it, suggesting the direct transfer of electrons from NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase to EDTA-Fe complex.     

An electron-transport system associated with the outer membrane of liver mitochondria. A biochemical and morphological study

Preparations of rat-liver mitochondria catalyze the oxidation of exogenous NADH by added cytochrome c or ferricyanide by a reaction that is insensitive to the respiratory chain inhibitors, antimycin A, amytal, and rotenone, and is not coupled to phosphorylation. Experiments with tritiated NADH are described which demonstrate that this "external" pathway of NADH oxidation resembles stereochemically the NADH-cytochrome c reductase system of liver microsomes, and differs from the respiratory chain-linked NADH dehydrogenase. Enzyme distributation data are presented which substantiate the conclusion that microsomal contamination cannot account for the rotenone-insensitive NADH-cytochrome c reductase activity observed with the mitochondria. A procedure is developed, based on swelling and shrinking of the mitochondria followed by sonication and density gradient centrifugation, which permits the separation of two particulate subfractions, one containing the bulk of the respiratory chain components, and the other the bulk of the rotenone-insensitive NADH-cytochrome c reductase system. Morphological evidence supports the conclusion that the former subfraction consists of mitochondria devoid of outer membrane, and that the latter represents derivatives of the outer membrane. The data indicate that the electron-transport system associated with the mitochondrial outer membrane involves catalytic components similar to, or identical with, the microsomal NADH-cytochrome b₅ reductase and cytochrome b₅.     

Effects of Rumex patientia L. extract on some drug-metabolizing enzymes in rat liver

The effect of aqueous extract from the roots of Rumex patientia L. (Polygonaceae) (D-1), a traditional Turkish medicine used as a laxative and cholagogue, on drug-metabolizing enzymes, such as cytochrome P4502E1, NADPH cytochrome c reductase, NADH cytochrome b5 reductase and glutathione-S-transferase (GST); and serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were studied in male Wistar albino rat liver. A significant increase was observed in cytochrome P4502E1 and GST activities, but not in NADPH-cytochrome c reductase and NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase activities. Serum AST and ALT activities were found within the normal laboratory range values. The results demonstrated that the aqueous extract of R. patientia triggers induction of cytochrome P4502E1 in liver and cytosolic GST activity.     

Localization and biosynthesis of NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase, an integral membrane protein, in rat liver cells. II. Evidence that a single enzyme accounts for the activity in its various subcellular locations

NADH-cytochrome b5 reductases of rat liver microsomes, mitochondria, and heavy and light Golgi fractions (GF3 and GF 1+2) were compared by antibody inhibition and competition experiments, by peptide mapping, and by CNBr fragment analysis. The water-soluble portion of the microsomal enzyme, released by lysosomal digestion and purified by a published procedure, was used to raise antibodies in rabbits. Contaminant antimicrosome antibodies were removed from immune sera by immunoadsorption onto the purified antigen, and the F(ab')2 fragments of the pure antireductase antibody thus obtained were found to inhibit the NADH-cytochrome c reductase activity equally well in the four membrane fractions investigated, with similar dose-response relationships. Moreover, the purified water-soluble fragment of microsomal reductase, which by itself is very inefficient in reducing cytochrome c, competed for antibody binding with the membrane-bound enzymes, and therefore prevented the inhibition of their activity not only in microsomes but also in the other fractions. The reductases isolated from detergent-solubilized microsomes, mitochondria, GF3, and GF1+2 by immunoadsorption had identical mobilities in SDS polyacrylamide gels. The corresponding bands were eluted from gels, fragmented with pepsin or CNBr treatment, and the two families of peptides thus obtained were analyzed by two-dimensional mapping and SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, respectively. Both analyses failed to reveal differences among reductases of the four fractions. These findings support the hypothesis that NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase in its various subcellular locations is molecularly identical.     

Immunological similarity between NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase of erythrocytes and liver microsomes.

In a number of animal species soluble NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase of erythrocytes was compared with membrane-bound NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase of liver microsomes by using an antibody to purified NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase from rat liver microsomes. The results obtained indicated clearly that they are immunologically very similar to each other. The data with erythrocyte ghosts suggested that cytochrome b5 and NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase are also present in the ghost.     

Biochemical studies on the muscle microsomes of Ascaris lumbricoides var. suum. I. Biochemical characterization and electron transport of Ascaris microsomes.

Two subcellular fraction, P-1 and P-2, were isolated by differential centrifugation from 0.25 M sucrose muscle homogenates of the parasitic roundworm, Ascaris lumbricoides suum. Morphological studies indicated that P-1 fraction consisted of intact mitochondria, whereas P-2 fraction consisted almost exclusively of vesicular components. The difference spectrum of Ascaris microsomes showed a characteristic b-type cytochrome spectrum with three distinct absorption peaks at 560, 525, and 424 nm. However, the alpha-peak at 560 nm was asymmetric with a shoulder at 555 nm. This microsomal b-type cytochrome was reduced by NADH, which was inhibited by rotenone and HgCl2. The reduced b-type cytochrome was easily reoxidized by shaking. NADH-oxidase activity observed in Ascaris microsomes was inhibited by rotenone, but not by KCN, NaN3, and antimycin A. On the other hand, NADH-cytochrome c and NADH-neotetrazolium (NT) reductase activities in Ascaris microsomes were not inhibited by antimycin A and rotenone, but were inhibited by HgCl2. Further observations indicated that neither HgCl2 nor rotenone inhibited Ascaris microsomal NADH-ferricyanide (FC) reductase activity, but rabbit antibody prepared against the purified NADH-FC reductase inhibited the NADH-cytochrome c reductase activity, the reduction of b-type cytochrome and the NADH-oxidase activity, as well as microsomal NADH-FC reductase activity.     

Age-Dependent Variations in Peroxide-Utilizing Enzymes from Rat Brain Mitochondria and Cytoplasm

Abstract: The location of peroxide-utilizing enzymes has been studied in rat brain. Glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase distributions indicate that both enzymes are located in the cytoplasm and in the matrix space of "synaptosomal" and "free" mitochondria. On the other hand, catalase distribution parallels that of NADH-cytochrome c reductase (rotenone-insensitive), and appears to be associated with the outer membrane of brain mitochondria. Whereas no gross age-dependent changes in various marker enzymes were found, a gradual but significant increase in glutathione peroxidase from the soluble fraction of free mitochondria was detected. The consequences of such increase are discussed with regard to the reducing potential of the cell.     

Reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide-cytochrome b5 reductase and cytochrome b5 as electron carriers in NADH-supported cytochrome P-450 -dependent enzyme activities in liver microsomes

The role of NADH-cytochrome b₅ reductase and cytochrome b₅ as electron carriers in NADH-supported electron transport reactions in rat liver microsomes has been examined by measuring three enzyme activities: NADH-cytochrome P-450 reductase, NADH-peroxidase, and NADH-cytochrome c reductase. The first two reactions are known to involve the participation of an NADH-specific reductase and cytochrome P-450 whereas the third requires the reductase and cytochrome b₅. Antibody prepared against NADH-cytochrome b₅ reductase markedly inhibited the NADH-peroxidase and NADH-cytochrome c reductase activities suggesting the involvement of this NADH-specific reductase in these reactions. Liver microsomes prepared from phenobarbital-pretreated rats were digested with subtilisin to remove cytochrome b₅ and the submicrosomal particles were collected by centrifugation. The specific content of cytochrome b₅ in the digested particles was about 5% of that originally present in liver microsomes and all three enzyme activities showed similar decreases whereas NADH-ferricyanide reductase activity (an activity associated with the flavoenzyme NADH-cytochrome b₅ reductase) remained virtually unchanged. Binding of an excess of detergent-purified cytochrome b₅ to the submicrosomal particles at 37 °C for 20 min followed by centrifugation and enzymic measurements revealed a striking increase in the three enzyme activities. Further evidence for cytochrome b₅ involvement in the NADH-peroxidase reaction was the marked inhibition by antibody prepared against the hemoprotein. These results suggest that in microsomal NADH-supported cytochrome P-450-dependent electron transport reactions, cytochrome b₅ functions as an intermediate electron carrier between NADH-cytochrome b₅ reductase and cytochrome P-450.     

Alterations in enzyme and cytochrome profiles of Rana catesbeiana liver organelles during thyroxine-induced metamorphosis. Changes in membrane-localized phosphohydrolases, oxidoreductases, and cytochrome levels in response to in vivo thyroxine administration.

A primary objective of the present study has been to determine the changes which occur in Rana catesbeiana liver organelle membranes during thyroxine-induced metamorphosis. To this end, enzyme and cytochrome profiles were determined for mitochondria, microsomes, and nuclear membrane fractions isolated from livers of R. catesbeiana tadpoles which had been fasted for 6 days at 15 +/- 0.5 degrees and then immersed in thyroxine, 2.6 X 10(-8) M, for periods of up to 12 days at 23.5 +/- 0.4 degrees. The ratio of total succinate-cytochrome c reductase activity in the initial homogenate fraction to the total activity of this mitochondrial "marker" enzyme recovered in the final mitochondrial fraction remained constant, approximately 0.5, throughout the course of thyroxine treatment; however, after a 3- to 4-day latency the mitochondrial protein mass recovered per unit mass of initial homogenate protein was found to increase significantly (approximately 2-fold by Day 10 of thyroxine treatment). A similar increase was also observed in the yield of microsomal, but not nuclear membrane, protein mass as a function of thyroxine treatment. Prolonged thyroxine treatment (12 days) resulted in approximately 50% decreases in tadpole liver homogenate and microsomal NADH-cytochrome c reductase specific activities; in contrast, mitochondrial and nuclear membrane NADH-cytochrome c reductase specific activities were not altered under the same conditions. In addition, homogenate and microsomal NADPH-cytochrome c reductase specific activities were found to have increased significantly after 12 days of thyroxine treatment; however, the specific activity of NADPH-cytochrome c reductase in the mitochondrial fraction was unchanged. It was also observed that thyroxine treatment resulted in increases in homogenate and microsomal glucose-6-phosphatase specific activities, whereas the mitochondrial as well as nuclear membrane glucose-6-phosphatase specific activities remained unchanged. Furthermore, in contrast to homogenate and mitochondrial monoamine oxidase specific activities, which decreased 30 and 40%, respectively, as a consequence of thyroxine treatment (12 days), the succinate-cytochrome c reductase and oligomycin-sensitive Mg2+ ATPase specific activities determined for these fractions increased significantly. In all instances, changes as a result of thyroxine treatment in membrane-localized homogenate or organelle enzyme specific activities were apparent only after a 3- to 4-day initial latent period. The in vitro effects of thyroxine (10(-10) - 10(-5) M) on the membrane-localized enzyme activities examined in this study were either negligible or, as in the case of mitochondrial succinate-cytochrome c reductase and microsomal NADH-cytochrome c reductase, opposite to the changes observed in response to in vivo thyroxine treatment, with the exception of microsomal NADPH-cytochrome c reductase activity which was enhanced approximately 2-fold by 10(-5) M thyroxine...     

Transport of phosphatidic acid within the mitochondrion

Transfer of phosphatidic acid from the outer to the inner membrane within intact rat liver mitochondria was assessed by measuring the ratio of lipid 32P to the marker enzyme of the outer membrane, rotenone-insensitive NADH-cytochrome c reductase, in the outer and inner membrane fractions obtained after incubation of mitochondria under conditions for net synthesis of [32P]phosphatidic acid. This transfer was found to proceed with time, to occur only under high ionic strength of the external medium and to be insensitive to N-ethylmaleimide and factors reducing the number of contact sites between the two mitochondrial membranes. These results are interpreted as supporting the idea that phosphatidic acid transport within the mitochondrion occurs as free diffusion through the aqueous phase and not being mediated by phospholipid transfer protein(s).     

NADH-cytochrome c reductase, succinate cytochrome c reductase and phospholipids.

Phospholipid peroxidation of isolated rat liver inner mitochondrial membranes induced by either ascorbate or cysteine was accompanied by a release of flavins and coenzyme Q. A straight correlation between this release and the alteration of molecular species of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine containing one saturated and one unsaturated fatty acid has been found. Peroxidation induced on molecular species of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine containing only unsaturated fatty acids were accompanied by losses in enzyme activities of NADH-cytochrome c reductase and succinate cytochrome c reductase.