Hyperglycemia Preserves Brain Mitochondrial Respiration During Anoxia

We examined brain mitochondrial function in normo- (5 mM) and hyperglycemic (50 mM) cats after 8 min of anoxia. In anoxic normoglycemic cats, mitochondrial state 3 respiration with NAD-linked substrates glutamate or pyruvate (both plus malate) was inhibited 30-50%. The uncoupler carbonylcyanide p-trifluoromethoxyphenylhydrazone (FCCP) maximally stimulated respiration, indicating that inhibition of phosphorylation, not impairment of electron transport, substrate transport, or oxidation was present. State 3 respiration with succinate (plus rotenone) was unaffected. Mitochondrial respiratory control ratios trended toward reductions whereas ADP/O ratios remained unchanged. In contrast, brain mitochondria from anoxic hyperglycemic cats showed no such inhibition of state 3 respiration and no differences in function from normo- and hyperglycemic control animals except for trends toward loose coupling. Significantly higher brain tissue glucose concentrations were present in hyperglycemic controls as the only metabolite difference compared to normoglycemic controls. At the end of anoxia, hyperglycemic cats exhibited significantly higher cortical lactate and glucose levels but similarly reduced high-energy phosphate concentrations compared to normoglycemic cats. These results demonstrate that increased availability of glucose to gray matter as a consequence of hyperglycemia maintains normal mitochondrial state 3 respiration during exposure to anoxia. Previous survival studies have shown that lower serum glucose concentrations during anoxia are relatively brain protective. This result indicates that the presently described alterations in mitochondrial respiration must be fully reversible.     

Interdependence of mitochondrial ATP production and extramitochondrial ATP utilization in intact spermatozoa

The dependence of both respiration and total activity of ATP-consuming reactions on the cellular adenine nucleotide pattern was investigated in intact bovine spermatozoa. ATP consumption was manipulated by inhibition with vanadate and activation with caffeine, leading to a decrease or increase in the rate of respiration up to 70% or 20%, respectively. Oligomycin blocked the respiration to the same extent as did vanadate, suggesting that the total extramitochondrial ATP-consuming activity is vanadate-sensitive. The major part of ATP utilization must be linked to dynein ATPase, since inhibition of (Na⁺, K⁺) ATPase by ouabain showed only a small effect on respiration (−17%). Being a potent inhibitor of dynein ATPase, vanadate drastically reduced the amount of motile cells, whereas caffeine tended to increase the intensity of motion. The effects of vanadate or caffeine on respiration were paralleled by changes in cellular ATP, reflecting the response of mitochondrial respiration on the cellular ATP/ADP ratio. Respiration was found to depend on changes in the ATP/ADP ratio in the range from about 3 (+ caffeine) to 9 (+ vanadate). The range of response of ATP consumption to the ATP/ADP ratio was determined by varying the mitochondrial ATP production via the concentration of lactate which was used as substrate. The measured effects on both respiratory rate and ATP/ADP ratio suggested that ATP consumption was markedly dependent on ATP/ADP ratios below 5. It is concluded that lactate concentrations above 1 mM sufficiently supply bovine spermatozoa with substrate and the energy turnover is mainly limited by the activity of dynein ATPase rather than by the capacity of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation.     

Functional coupling of glycolysis and phosphocreatine utilization in anoxic fish muscle. An in vivo 31P NMR study

Three fish species with different strategies for anoxic survival (goldfish, tilapia, and common carp) were exposed to environmental anoxia (4, 3, and 1 h, respectively). The concentrations of high energy phosphate compounds and inorganic phosphate, besides the intracellular pH in the epaxial muscle were measured during anoxia and recovery by in vivo 31P NMR spectroscopy. The concentration of free ADP was calculated from the equilibrium constant of creatine kinase. During anoxia the patterns of phosphocreatine utilization and tissue acidification are remarkedly similar. Free ADP rises rapidly during the initial period of oxygen deficiency and reaches a plateau in goldfish and tilapia, while it keeps rising in the common carp. At elevated levels of free ADP, the creatine kinase reaction and anaerobic glycolysis are functionally coupled by H+ as a common intermediate. The coupling between both processes disappears upon reoxygenation, when mitochondrial respiration induces a rapid drop of [free ADP]. The removal of ADP shifts the creatine kinase equilibrium toward phosphocreatine synthesis despite the low pH.     

EGb 761 protects liver mitochondria against injury induced by in vitro anoxia/reoxygenation.

The present study investigated the protective effects of Ginkgo biloba extract (EGb 761) on rat liver mitochondrial damage induced by in vitro anoxia/reoxygenation. Anoxia/reoxygenation was known to impair respiratory activities and mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation efficiency. ADP/O (2.57 +/- 0.11) decreased after anoxia/reoxygenation (1.75 +/- 0.09, p < .01), as well as state 3 and uncoupled respiration (-20%, p < .01), but state 4 respiration increased (p < .01). EGb 761 (50-200 microg/ml) had no effect on mitochondrial functions before anoxia, but had a specific dose-dependent protective effect after anoxia/reoxygenation. When mitochondria were incubated with 200 microg/ml EGb 761, they showed an increase in ADP/O (2.09 +/- 0.14, p < .05) and a decrease in state 4 respiration (-22%) after anoxia/reoxygenation. In EPR spin-trapping measurement, EGb 761 decreased the EPR signal of superoxide anion produced during reoxygenation. In conclusion, EGb 761 specially protects mitochondrial ATP synthesis against anoxia/reoxygenation injury by scavenging the superoxide anion generated by mitochondria.     

The metabolic state of muscle in the isolated perfused rat hemicorpus in relation to rates of protein synthesis.

Measures of perfusion adequacy in perfused rat hemicorpus preparations were investigated as potential indices of tissue function during studies of muscle protein metabolism. Perfusion under normal conditions for up to 80 min resulted in rates of protein synthesis and concentrations of ATP in muscle that were similar to those in vivo, but phosphocreatine in muscle gradually decreased and muscle lactate increased. Hypoxic conditions led to lower rates of protein synthesis, lower phospho-creatine and raised lactate contents in muscle compared with normal perfusions, and ATP was slightly decreased. Hypoxic preparations also released more lactate and K+ into the medium and had higher perfusion pressures, but glucose uptake and muscle water content were not altered. In totally ischaemic muscle, concentrations of ATP and phosphocreatine were even lower than in hypoxic muscle, and that of lactate was higher. From 11 preparations perfused for 60 min under normal conditions, three were selected on the basis of lower muscle ATP content than the others. Preparations with low ATP also showed lower muscle phosphocreatine concentrations, O2 uptake and CO2 output, as well as higher perfusion pressure and muscle lactate concentrations than in the remaining preparations, but muscle water, ADP and AMP concentrations and lactate and K+ flux were no different. In perfusions extended to 3 h, deterioration of function was more apparent. There were significant correlations between rates of protein synthesis and the concentrations of ATP, phosphocreatine and lactate in two different muscles (r = 0.756-0.929), but not with any of the other indices investigated. Taken overall, these experiments showed that concentrations of ADP, AMP and water in muscle, rates of lactate and glucose metabolism, K+ output, perfusion pressure and blood gas parameters were unsuitable for distinguishing unsound from sound preparations, because they did not consistently demonstrate differences, or could not be ascribed to only muscle metabolism. It was found that ATP, phosphocreatine and lactate concentrations in muscle were the best indicators of impaired metabolic state in studies of protein synthesis. Measurements of these could be used on a routine basis for rejecting unsatisfactory preparations.     

Functional Coupling between Nucleoside Diphosphate Kinase of the Outer Mitochondrial Compartment and Oxidative Phosphorylation

In rat liver mitochondria all nucleoside diphosphate kinase of the outer compartment is associated with the outer surface of the outer membrane (Lipskaya, T. Yu., and Plakida, K. N. (2003) Biochemistry (Moscow), 68, 1136-1144). In the present study, three systems operating as ADP donors for oxidative phosphorylation have been investigated. The outer membrane bound nucleoside diphosphate kinase was the first system tested. Two others employed yeast hexokinase and yeast nucleoside diphosphate kinase. The two enzymes exhibited the same activity but could not bind to mitochondrial membranes. In all three systems, muscle creatine phosphokinase was the external agent competing with the oxidative phosphorylation system for ADP. Determination of mitochondrial respiration rate in the presence of increasing quantities of creatine phosphokinase revealed that at large excess of creatine phosphokinase activity over other kinase activities (of the three systems tested) and oxidative phosphorylation the creatine phosphokinase reaction reached a quasi-equilibrium state. Under these conditions equilibrium concentrations of all creatine phosphokinase substrates were determined and K(eq)app of this reaction was calculated for the system with yeast hexokinase. In samples containing active mitochondrial nucleoside diphosphate kinase the concentrations of ATP, creatine, and phosphocreatine were determined and the quasi-equilibrium concentration of ADP was calculated using the K(eq)app value. At balance of quasi-equilibrium concentrations of ADP and ATP/ADP ratio the mitochondrial respiration rate in the system containing nucleoside diphosphate kinase was 21% of the respiration rate assayed in the absence of creatine phosphokinase; in the system containing yeast hexokinase this parameter was only 7% of the respiration rate assayed in the absence of creatine phosphokinase. Substitution of mitochondrial nucleoside diphosphate kinase with yeast nucleoside diphosphate kinase abolished this difference. It is concluded that oxidative phosphorylation is accompanied by appearance of functional coupling between mitochondrial nucleoside diphosphate kinase and the oxidative phosphorylation system. Possible mechanisms of this coupling are discussed.     

Relationships between the neuronal sodium/potassium pump and energy metabolism. Effects of K+, Na+, and adenosine triphosphate in isolated brain synaptosomes

The relationships between Na/K pump activity and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production were determined in isolated rat brain synaptosomes. The activity of the enzyme was modulated by altering [K+]e, [Na+]i, and [ATP]i while synaptosomal oxygen uptake and lactate production were measured simultaneously. KCl increased respiration and glycolysis with an apparent Km of about 1 mM which suggests that, at the [K+]e normally present in brain, 3.3-4 mM, the pump is near saturation with this cation. Depolarization with 6-40 mM KCl had negligible effect on ouabain-sensitive O2 uptake indicating that at the voltages involved the activity of the Na/K ATPase is largely independent of membrane potential. Increases in [Na+]i by addition of veratridine markedly enhanced glycoside-inhibitable respiration and lactate production. Calculations of the rates of ATP synthesis necessary to support the operation of the pump showed that greater than 90% of the energy was derived from oxidative phosphorylation. Consistent with this: (a) the ouabain-sensitive Rb/O2 ratio was close to 12 (i.e., Rb/ATP ratio of 2); (b) inhibition of mitochondrial ATP synthesis by Amytal resulted in a decrease in the glycoside-dependent rate of 86Rb uptake. Analyses of the mechanisms responsible for activation of the energy-producing pathways during enhanced Na and K movements indicate that glycolysis is predominantly stimulated by increase in activity of phosphofructokinase mediated via a rise in the concentrations of adenosine monophosphate [AMP] and inorganic phosphate [Pi] and a fall in the concentration of phosphocreatine [PCr]; the main moving force for the elevation in mitochondrial ATP generation is the decline in [ATP]/[ADP] [Pi] (or equivalent) and consequent readjustments in the ratio of the intramitochondrial pyridine nucleotides [( NAD]m/[NADH]m). Direct stimulation of pyruvate dehydrogenase by calcium appears to be of secondary importance. It is concluded that synaptosomal Na/K pump is fueled primarily by oxidative phosphorylation and that a fall in [ATP]/[ADP][Pi] is the chief factor responsible for increased energy production.     

Structure–function relationships in feedback regulation of energy fluxes in vivo in health and disease: Mitochondrial Interactosome

The aim of this review is to analyze the results of experimental research of mechanisms of regulation of mitochondrial respiration in cardiac and skeletal muscle cells in vivo obtained by using the permeabilized cell technique. Such an analysis in the framework of Molecular Systems Bioenergetics shows that the mechanisms of regulation of energy fluxes depend on the structural organization of the cells and interaction of mitochondria with cytoskeletal elements. Two types of cells of cardiac phenotype with very different structures were analyzed: adult cardiomyocytes and continuously dividing cancerous HL-1 cells. In cardiomyocytes mitochondria are arranged very regularly, and show rapid configuration changes of inner membrane but no fusion or fission, diffusion of ADP and ATP is restricted mostly at the level of mitochondrial outer membrane due to an interaction of heterodimeric tubulin with voltage dependent anion channel, VDAC. VDAC with associated tubulin forms a supercomplex, Mitochondrial Interactosome, with mitochondrial creatine kinase, MtCK, which is structurally and functionally coupled to ATP synthasome. Due to selectively limited permeability of VDAC for adenine nucleotides, mitochondrial respiration rate depends almost linearly upon the changes of cytoplasmic ADP concentration in their physiological range. Functional coupling of MtCK with ATP synthasome amplifies this signal by recycling adenine nucleotides in mitochondria coupled to effective phosphocreatine synthesis. In cancerous HL-1 cells this complex is significantly modified: tubulin is replaced by hexokinase and MtCK is lacking, resulting in direct utilization of mitochondrial ATP for glycolytic lactate production and in this way contributing in the mechanism of the Warburg effect. Systemic analysis of changes in the integrated system of energy metabolism is also helpful for better understanding of pathogenesis of many other diseases.     

Control of respiration and of motility in ejaculated bull spermatozoa

The relations between motility and respiration were studied in ejaculated bull spermatozoa respiring with lactate. Motility was quantitatively evaluated by a turbidimetric procedure as percentage of cells moving per minute from the bottom of the cuvette into the light path. For selective inhibition of ATP-consuming reactions including motility or of mitochondrial respiration, vanadate or cyanide, respectively, were used. Both inhibitors were found to produce proportional changes in motility and respiration. The simultaneous changes in motility and respiration were linked to shifts in the cellular ATP/ADP ratio. Partial uncoupling of respiration in vanadate-inhibited cells gave similar relations between respiration and ATP/ADP ratios as stepwise inhibition of ATP-utilizing reactions by vanadate. Presuming saturation kinetics with respect to the ATP/ADP ratio, half maximum constants of 1.7 and 4.7 for the ATP/ADP ratio and maximum values of about 130% and 300% (in comparison to untreated cells) were estimated for motility and respiration, respectively. Respiration showed a much steeper dependence on the ATP/ADP ratio than motility resulting in an apparent cooperativity coefficient of 2.9. From these dependences on the ATP/ADP ratio, the shares in the control of ATP turnover in untreated cells were estimated. At sufficient supply with substrate, more than 80% of control were excreted by motility and other ATP-utilizing reactions, the rest by mitochondrial ATP production, i.e., the reactions of oxidative phosphorylation.     

Regional Energy Balance in Rat Brain After Transient Forebrain Ischemia

Abstract: Phosphocreatine, ATP, and glucose were severely depleted, and the lactate levels were increased in the paramedian neocortex, dorsal-lateral striatum, and CA1 zone of hippocampus of rats exposed to 30 min of forebrain ischemia. Upon recirculation of the brain, phosphocreatine, ATP, and lactate concentrations recovered to control values in the paramedian neocortex and CA1 zone of hippocampus and to near-control values in the striatum. The phosphocreatine and ATP concentrations then fell and the lactate levels rose in the striatum after 6–24 h, and in the CA1 zone of hippocampus after 24–72 h. The initial recovery and subsequent delayed changes in the phosphocreatine, ATP, and lactate concentrations in the striatum and hippocampus coincided with the onset and progression of morphological injury in these brain regions. The results suggest that cells in these regions regain normal or near-normal mitochondrial function and are viable, in terms of energy production, for many hours before unknown mechanisms cause irreversible neuronal injury.     

RESPIRATION IN VITRO OF SYNAPTOSOMES FROM MAMMALIAN CEREBRAL CORTEX

Abstract— —(1) The respiratory properties of synaptosomes and mitochondria from mammalian cerebral cortex are compared.
(2) Synaptosome showed high and linear respiration with glucose and pyruvate as substrates in Krebs-Ringer media. Mitochondria showed such respiration only with pyruvate as substrate in media lacking Na and high in K and phosphate.
(3) Exposure of synaptosomes to hypotonic media caused loss of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and protein, and respiration diminished and became non-linear.
(4) Both ATP and phosphocreatine were synthesised by synaptosomes with glucose as substrate. ATP was synthesised by mitochondria in the presence of pyruvate.
(5) Synaptosome but not mitochondria showed some capacity for active accumulation of potassium.
(6) Both mitochondria and synaptosomes respired with glutamate as substrate. Glutamate caused 80 per cent loss of ATP and phosphocreatine in synaptosomes but did not diminish the level of mitochondrial ATP.     

Nitric oxide regulation of myocardial O2 consumption and HEP metabolism

NO and O(2) compete at cytochrome-c oxidase, thus potentially allowing NO to modulate mitochondrial respiration. We previously observed a decrease of myocardial phosphocreatine (PCr)/ATP during very high cardiac work states, corresponding to an increase in cytosolic free ADP. This study tested the hypothesis that NO inhibition of respiration contributes to this increase of ADP. Infusion of dobutamine + dopamine (DbDp, each 20 microg.kg(-1).min(-1) iv) to more than double myocardial oxygen consumption (MVo(2)) in open-chest dogs caused a decrease of myocardial PCr/ATP measured with (31)P NMR from 2.04 +/- 0.09 to 1.85 +/- 0.08 (P < 0.05). Inhibition of NO synthesis with N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA), while catecholamine infusion continued, caused PCr/ATP to increase to the control value. In a second group of animals, L-NNA administered before catecholamine stimulation (reverse intervention of the first group) increased PCr/ATP during basal conditions. In these animals L-NNA did not prevent a decrease of PCr/ATP at the high cardiac work state but, relative to MVo(2), PCr/ATP was significantly higher after L-NNA. In a third group of animals, pharmacological coronary vasodilation with carbochromen was used to prevent changes in coronary flow that might alter endothelial NO production. In these animals L-NNA again restored depressed myocardial PCr/ATP during catecholamine infusion. The finding that inhibition of NO production increased PCr/ATP suggests that during very high work states NO inhibition of mitochondrial respiration requires ADP to increase to drive oxidative phosphorylation.     

1H-NMR study of the metabolome of an exceptionally anoxia tolerant vertebrate, the crucian carp (Carassius carassius)

The crucian carp (Carassius carassius) can tolerate anoxia for days to months, depending on the temperature. In this study, we applied ¹H-NMR-based metabolomics to polar extracts of crucian carp brain, heart, muscle and liver samples obtained from fish exposed to either control normoxic conditions, acute anoxia (24 h), chronic anoxia (1 week) or reoxygenation (for 1 week following chronic anoxia) at 5 °C. Spectra of the examined tissues revealed changes in several energy-related compounds. In particular, anoxic stress resulted in decreased concentrations of phosphocreatine (muscle, liver) and glycogen (liver) and ATP/ADP (liver, heart and muscle) and increased concentrations of lactate (brain, heart, muscle) and beta-hydroxybutyric acid (all tissues). Likewise, increased concentrations of inhibitory compounds (glycine, gamma-amino butyric acid or GABA) and decreased concentrations of excitatory metabolites (glutamate, glutamine) were confirmed in the anoxic brain extracts. Additionally, a decrease of N-acetylaspartate (NAA), an important neuronal marker, was also observed in anoxic brains. The branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) valine/isoleucine/leucine increased in all anoxic tissues. Possibly, this general tissue increase can be due to an inhibited mitochondrial function or due to protein degradation/protein synthesis inhibition. In this study, the potential and strength of the ¹H-NMR is highlighted by the detection of previously unrecognized changes in metabolites. Specifically, myo-inositol substantially decreased in the heart of anoxic crucian carp and anoxic muscle tissue displayed a decreased concentration of taurine, providing novel insights into the anoxia responses of the crucian carp.     

The characteristics of lactate oxidation in the tissue mitochondria of rats of different ages]

The parameters of respiration (V3, V4) and phosphorylation (the respiration control, ADP/O) have been studied using lactate as a substrate (obligatory with NAD addition) close by meaning to pyruvate on the liver and heart mitochondrion and homogenates of newborn rats. In 20-days and adult rats the mitochondria and homogenates oxidize the lactate (with NAD) with higher rate V4 but with lower value of respiration control as compared with the newborn animals. Simultaneously, a high activity of mitochondrial NADH-oxidase, oxidizing NADH, formed in the reaction of lactate dehydrogenase not connected with ATP synthesis. The role of mitochondrial NADH-oxidase are discussed as a factor increasing lactate oxidation, removing tissue lactate and activating the age dependent energy metabolism.     

Direct evidence for the control of mitochondrial respiration by mitochondrial creatine kinase in oxidative muscle cells in situ

The efficiency of stimulation of mitochondrial respiration in permeabilized muscle cells by ADP produced at different intracellular sites, e.g. cytosolic or mitochondrial intermembrane space, was evaluated in wild-type and creatine kinase (CK)-deficient mice. To activate respiration by endogenous production of ADP in permeabilized cells, ATP was added either alone or together with creatine. In cardiac fibers, while ATP alone activated respiration to half of the maximal rate, creatine plus ATP increased the respiratory rate up to its maximum. To find out whether the stimulation by creatine is a consequence of extramitochondrial [ADP] increase, or whether it directly correlates with ADP generation by mitochondrial CK in the mitochondrial intermembrane space, an exogenous ADP-trap system was added to rephosphorylate all cytosolic ADP. Under these conditions, creatine plus ATP still increased the respiration rate by 2.5 times, compared with ATP alone, for the same extramitochondrial [ADP] of 14 microM. Moreover, this stimulatory effect of creatine, observed in wild-type cardiac fibers disappeared in mitochondrial CK deficient, but not in cytosolic CK-deficient muscle. It is concluded that respiration rates can be dissociated from cytosolic [ADP], and ADP generated by mitochondrial CK is an important regulator of oxidative phosphorylation.     

Compartmentalized energy transfer in cardiomyocytes: use of mathematical modeling for analysis of in vivo regulation of respiration.

The mathematical model of the compartmentalized energy transfer system in cardiac myocytes presented includes mitochondrial synthesis of ATP by ATP synthase, phosphocreatine production in the coupled mitochondrial creatine kinase reaction, the myofibrillar and cytoplasmic creatine kinase reactions, ATP utilization by actomyosin ATPase during the contraction cycle, and diffusional exchange of metabolites between different compartments. The model was used to calculate the changes in metabolite profiles during the cardiac cycle, metabolite and energy fluxes in different cellular compartments at high workload (corresponding to the rate of oxygen consumption of 46 mu atoms of O.(g wet mass)-1.min-1) under varying conditions of restricted ADP diffusion across mitochondrial outer membrane and creatine kinase isoenzyme "switchoff." In the complete system, restricted diffusion of ADP across the outer mitochondrial membrane stabilizes phosphocreatine production in cardiac mitochondria and increases the role of the phosphocreatine shuttle in energy transport and respiration regulation. Selective inhibition of myoplasmic or mitochondrial creatine kinase (modeling the experiments with transgenic animals) results in "takeover" of their function by another, active creatine kinase isoenzyme. This mathematical modeling also shows that assumption of the creatine kinase equilibrium in the cell may only be a very rough approximation to the reality at increased workload. The mathematical model developed can be used as a basis for further quantitative analyses of energy fluxes in the cell and their regulation, particularly by adding modules for adenylate kinase, the glycolytic system, and other reactions of energy metabolism of the cell.     

Mitochondrial creatine kinase activity prevents reactive oxygen species generation: antioxidant role of mitochondrial kinase-dependent ADP re-cycling activity

As recently demonstrated by our group (da-Silva, W. S., Gómez-Puyou, A., Gómez-Puyou, M. T., Moreno-Sanchez, R., De Felice, F. G., de Meis, L., Oliveira, M. F., and Galina, A. (2004) J. Biol. Chem. 279, 39846-39855) mitochondrial hexokinase activity (mt-HK) plays a preventive antioxidant role because of steady-state ADP re-cycling through the inner mitochondrial membrane in rat brain. In the present work we show that ADP re-cycling accomplished by the mitochondrial creatine kinase (mt-CK) regulates reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, particularly in high glucose concentrations. Activation of mt-CK by creatine (Cr) and ATP or ADP, induced a state 3-like respiration in isolated brain mitochondria and prevention of H(2)O(2) production obeyed the steady-state kinetics of the enzyme to phosphorylate Cr. The extension of the preventive antioxidant role of mt-CK depended on the phosphocreatine (PCr)/Cr ratio. Rat liver mitochondria, which lack mt-CK activity, only reduced state 4-induced H(2)O(2) generation when 1 order of magnitude more exogenous CK activity was added to the medium. Simulation of hyperglycemic conditions, by the inclusion of glucose 6-phosphate in mitochondria performing 2-deoxyglucose phosphorylation via mt-HK, induced H(2)O(2) production in a Cr-sensitive manner. Simulation of hyperglycemia in embryonic rat brain cortical neurons increased both DeltaPsi(m) and ROS production and both parameters were decreased by the previous inclusion of Cr. Taken together, the results presented here indicate that mitochondrial kinase activity performed a key role as a preventive antioxidant against oxidative stress, reducing mitochondrial ROS generation through an ADP-recycling mechanism.     

Phosphocreatine production coupled to the glycolytic reactions in the cytosol of cardiac cells

Phosphocreatine production catalyzed by a cytosolic fraction from cardiac muscle containing all glycolytic enzymes and creatine kinase in a soluble form has been studied in the presence of creatine, adenine nucleotides and different glycolytic intermediates as substrates. Glycolytic depletion of glucose, fructose 1,6-bis(phosphate) and phosphoenolpyruvate to lactate was coupled to efficient phosphocreatine production. The molar ratio of phosphocreatine to lactate produced was close to 2.0 when fructose 1,6-bis(phosphate) was used as substrate and 1.0 with phosphoenolpyruvate. In these processes the creatine kinase reaction was not the rate-limiting step: the mass action ratio of the creatine kinase reaction was very close to its equilibrium value and the maximal rate of the forward creatine kinase reaction exceeded that of glycolytic flux by about 6-fold when fructose 1,6-bis(phosphate) was used as a substrate. Therefore, the creatine kinase raction was continuously in the state of quasiequilibrium and the efficient synthesis of phosphocreatine observed is a result of constant removal of ADP by the glycolytic system at an almost unchanged level of ATP ([ATP] ? [ADP]), this leading to a continuous shift of the creatine kinase equilibrium position.When phosphocreatine was added initially at concentrations of 5–15 mM the rate of the coupled creatine kinase and glycolytic reactions was very significantly inhibited due to a sharp decrease in the steady-state concentration of ADP. Therefore, under conditions of effective phosphocreatine production in heart mitochondria, which maintain a high phosphocreatine: creatine ratio in the myoplasm in vivo, the glycolytic flux may be suppressed due to limited availability of ADP restricted by the creatine kinase system. The possible physiological role of the control of the glycolytic flux by the creatine kinase system is discussed.     

Effects of 1-Methyl-4-Phenylpyridinium on Isolated Rat Brain Mitochondria: Evidence for a Primary Involvement of Energy Depletion

Abstract: The effects of 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP⁺) on the oxygen consumption, ATP production, H₂O₂ production, and mitochondrial NADH-CoQ₁ reductase (complex I) activity of isolated rat brain mitochondria were investigated. Using glutamate and malate as substrates, concentrations of 10–100 µ M MPP⁺ had no effect on state 4 (−ADP) respiration but decreased state 3 (+ADP) respiration and ATP production. Incubating mitochondria with ADP for 30 min after loading with varying concentrations of MPP⁺ produced a concentration-dependent decrease in H₂O₂ production. Incubation of mitochondria with ADP for 60 min after loading with 100 µ M MPP⁺ caused no loss of complex I activity after washing of MPP⁺ from the mitochondrial membranes. These data are consistent with MPP⁺ initially binding specifically to complex I and inhibiting both the flow of reducing equivalents and the production of H₂O₂ by the mitochondrial respiratory chain, without irreversibly damaging complex I. However, mitochondria incubated with H₂O₂ in the presence of Cu²⁺ ions showed decreased complex I activity. This study provides additional evidence that cellular damage initiated by MPP⁺ is due primarily to energy depletion caused by specific binding to complex I, any increased damage due to free radical production by mitochondria being a secondary effect.