The effect of butacaine on adenine nucleotide binding and translocation in rat liver mitochondria.

The effect of the local anaesthetic, butacaine, on adenine nucleotide binding and translocation in rat liver mitochondria partially depleted of their adenine nucleotide content was investigated. The range of butacaine concentrations that inhibit adenine nucleotide translocation and the extent of the inhibition are similar to the values obtained for native mitochondria. Butacaine does not alter either the total number of atractyloside-sensitive binding sites of depleted mitochondria, or the affinity of these sites for ADP or ATP under conditions where a partial inhibition of the rate of adenine nucleotide translocation is observed. The data are consistent with an effect of butacaine on the process by which adenine nucleotides are transported across the mitochondrial inner membrane rather than on the binding of adenine nucleotides to sites on the adenine nucleotide carrier. The results are briefly discussed in relation to the use of local anaesthetics in investigations of the mechanism of adenine nucleotide translocation.     

Modification by calcium ions of adenine nucleotide translocation in rat liver mitochondria

1. Added Ca(2+) stimulates the translocation of ATP by isolated rat liver mitochondria. 2. The apparent K(m) for added Ca(2+) in stimulating the translocation of 200mum-ATP is approx. 160mum (75mum ;free' Ca(2+)). 3. The greatest stimulation of ATP translocation by Ca(2+) occurs at the lower concentrations of ATP. 4. Sr(2+) (and to a lesser extent Ba(2+)) can replace Ca(2+) whereas Mg(2+) and Mn(2+) have only little ability to stimulate ATP translocation. 5. Translocation of dATP is also stimulated by Ca(2+) whereas that of ADP is stimulated to only a relatively small degree. 6. Studies with metabolic inhibitors and uncouplers provide evidence that stimulation by Ca(2+) and by uncouplers is additive and that the mechanism of Ca(2+) stimulation does not seem to involve the high-energy intermediate of oxidative phosphorylation. 7. In the presence of Ca(2+), ATP is able to effectively compete with ADP for translocation. 8. Added K(+) further enhances the ability of Ca(2+) to stimulate ATP translocation. 9. These findings are discussed in relation to the potential involvement of Ca(2+) in modifying enzymic reactions involved in the regulation of cell metabolism.     

The catabolism of endogenous adenine nucleotides in rat liver mitochondria

Summary The degradation of intramitochondrial adenine nucleotides to nucleosides and bases was investigated by incubating isolated rat liver mitochondria at 37°C under non-phosphorylating conditions in the presence of oligomycin and carboxyatractyloside. Within 30 min the adenine nucleotides were degraded by about 25 per cent. The main products formed were adenosine and inosine the contents of which increased five- to sevenfold.Compartmentation studies revealed that about 50 to 60 per cent of the adenosine formed remained inside the organelles whereas inosine was almost completely released into the surrounding medium. Outside the mitochondria only very small amounts of adenine nucleotides were detected. Similar incubations in the presence of [¹⁴C]-adenosine yielded no [¹⁴C]-inosine ruling out extramitochondrial adenosine deamination.It is concluded that endogenous adenine nucleotides can be degraded in mitochondria via AMP dephosphorylation and subsequent adenosine deamination. A purine nucleoside transport system mediating at least the efflux of inosine from the mitochondria is suggested.     

Net uptake of adenine nucleotides by newborn rat liver mitochondria

In newborn rat liver, the adenine nucleotide content (ATP + ADP + AMP) of mitochondria increases severalfold within 2 to 3 h of birth. The net increase in mitochondrial adenines suggests a novel mechanism by which mitochondria are able to accumulate adenine nucleotides from the cytosol (J. R. Aprille and G. K. Asimakis, 1980, Arch. Biochem. Biophys.201, 564.). This was investigated further in vitro. Isolated newborn liver mitochondria incubated with 1 mM ATP for 10 min at 30 °C doubled their adenine nucleotide content with effects on respiratory functions similar to those observed in vivo: State 3 respiration and adenine translocase activity increased, but uncoupled respiration was unchanged. The mechanism for net uptake of adenine nucleotides was found to be specific for ATP or ADP, but not AMP. Uptake was concentration dependent and saturable. The apparent K_m′s for ATP and ADP were 0.85 ± 0.27 mM and 0.41 ± 0.20 mM, respectively, measured by net uptake of [¹⁴C]ATP or [¹⁴C]ADP. The specific activities of net ATP and ADP uptake averaged 0.332 ± 0.062 and 0.103 ± 0.002 nmol/min/mg protein, respectively. ADP was a competitive inhibitor of net ATP uptake. If P_i was omitted from the incubations, net uptake of ATP or ADP was reduced by 51%. Either mersalyl or N-ethylmaleimide severely inhibited the accumulation of adenine nucleotides. Net ATP uptake was stoichiometrically dependent on MgCl₂, suggesting that Mg²⁺ is accumulated along with ATP (or ADP). Uptake was energy dependent as indicated by the following results: Net AdN uptake (especially ADP uptake) was stimulated by the addition of an oxidizable substrate (glutamate) and inhibited by FCCP (an uncoupler). Antimycin A had no effect on net ATP uptake but inhibited net ADP uptake, suggesting that ATP was able to serve as an energy source for its own accumulation. If carboxyatractyloside was added to inhibit the exchange translocase, thereby preventing rapid access of exogenous ATP to the matrix, net ATP uptake was inhibited; carboxyatractyloside had no effect on ADP uptake. It was concluded that the net uptake of adenine nucleotides from the extramitochondrial space occurs by a specific transport process distinct from the classic adenine nucleotide exchange translocase. The accumulation of adenine nucleotides may regulate matrix reactions which are allosterically affected by adenines or which require adenines as a substrate.     

Carboxyatractyloside-insensitive influx and efflux of adenine nucleotides in rat liver mitochondria

Unidirectional transport (influx and efflux) of adenine nucleotides in rat liver mitochondria was examined using carboxyatractyloside to inhibit rapid exchange of matrix and external adenine nucleotides via the adenine nucleotide translocase. Influx of adenine nucleotides was concentration-dependent. ATP was the preferred substrate with a Km of 2.67 mM and V of the preferred substrate with a Km of 2.67 mM and V of 8.33 nmol/min/mg of protein. For ADP, the Km was 14.7 mM and V was 10.8 nmol/min/mg of protein. Efflux of adenine nucleotides was also concentration-dependent, varying directly as a function of the matrix adenine nucleotide pool size. Any increase in the influx of adenine nucleotides was coupled to an increase in efflux. However, as the external ATP concentration was increased, influx was stimulated to a much greater extent than was efflux. This imbalance suggested that under certain conditions adenine nucleotide movement might be coupled to the movement of an alternate anion such as phosphate. Adenine nucleotide efflux increased as the external phosphate concentration was varied from 0.5 to 4 mM. Also, increasing the external phosphate concentration caused adenine nucleotide influx to decrease, suggesting competition. In the absence of external adenines and phosphate, no efflux occurred. Both adenine nucleotide influx and efflux were depressed if Mg2+ was omitted. Adenine nucleotide efflux in the presence of external phosphate was inhibited much less by lack of Mg2+ than was efflux in the presence of external ATP. This evidence supports a model in which either adenine nucleotides (probably with Mg2+) or phosphate can move across the mitochondrial membrane on a single carrier. Net adenine nucleotide movements can occur when adenine nucleotide movement is coupled to the movement of phosphate in the opposite direction.     

The effect of acetate oxidation on the endogenous adenine nucleotides of rat heart mitochondria

When citrate cycle substrates or glutamate are oxidized by rat heart mitochondria, AMP comprises only a few percent of the endogenous pool of adenine nucleotides. However, when acetate is oxidized, greater than half or about 30% of the total mitochondrial pool of adenine nucleotides is converted to AMP in the ADP-stimulated or resting state, respectively. Supporting substrates which form GTP as a result of their oxidation partially, but not completely, reverse the accumulation of AMP which results from acetate metabolism.     

The effect of adenine nucleotides and inhibitors of ADP translocation on uncoupled electron flux in bean mitochondria

The uncoupled electron flux and the influence of adenine nucleotides on this flux in mitochondria isolated from hypocotyls of Vigna sinensis (L.) Savi cv. Seridó were examined. In order to avoid the functioning of other enzymes capable of utilizing adenine nucleotides the reaction medium was free of Mg²⁺. When an oxidizable NADH -linked substrate such as L-malate was used, a stimulatory of adenosine-5′-monophosphate (AMP) and adenosine-5′-diphosphate (ADP) on uncoupled respiration was manifested. The stimulatory effect of AMP and ADP could not be shown when succinate was the substrate. Atractyloside and carboxyatractyloside had no effect on the stimulatory role played respectively by AMP and ADP in the presence of carbonyl cyanide p-trifluoromethoxy-phenylhydrazone (FCCP).     

Energy transduction and adenine nucleotides in mitochondria from rat liver after hypoxic perfusion.

The characteristics of mitochondria isolated from perfused livers of rats under hypoxic or oxic conditions were studied. The electron transfer activity was about 60% of normal after hypoxic perfusion for 3 h, but respiratory control was abolished almost completely. These parameters recovered considerably on subsequent oxic perfusion. The adenine nucleotide contents and their net uptake decreased in hypoxia, closely correlated with the energy transduction. Energy-dependent nicotinamide nucleotide transhydrogenase activity and NAD reduction by succinate in submitochondrial particles were most severely inhibited after hypoxic perfusion and were also correlated with adenine nucleotide contents in the particles. These results are discussed in terms of the involvement of adenine nucleotides in energy-transducing systems in mitochondrial membranes.     

Inhibition by local anaesthetics of adenine nucleotide translocation in rat liver mitochondria

1. The mechanism of adenine nucleotide translocation in mitochondria isolated from rat liver was further examined by using the local anaesthetics procaine, butacaine, nupercaine and tetracaine as perturbators of lipid-protein interactions. Each of these compounds inhibited translocation of ADP and of ATP; butacaine was the most effective with 50% inhibition occurring at 30mum for 200mum-ATP and at 10mum for 200mum-ADP. The degree of inhibition by butacaine of both adenine nucleotides was dependent on the concentration of adenine nucleotide present; with low concentrations of adenine nucleotide, low concentrations of butacaine-stimulated translocation, but at high concentrations (greater than 50mum) low concentrations of butacaine inhibited translocation. Butacaine increased the affinity of the translocase for ATP to a value which approached that of ADP. 2. Higher concentrations of nupercaine and of tetracaine were required to inhibit translocation of both nucleotides; 50% inhibition of ATP translocation occurred at concentrations of 0.5mm and 0.8mm of these compounds respectively. The pattern of inhibition of ADP translocation by nupercaine and tetracaine was more complex than that of ATP; at very low concentrations (less than 250mum) inhibition ensued, followed by a return to almost original rates at 1mm. At higher concentrations inhibition of ADP translocation resulted. 3. That portion of ATP translocation stimulated by Ca(2+) was preferentially inhibited by each of the local anaesthetics tested. In contrast, inhibition by the anaesthetics of ADP translocation was prevented by low concentrations of Ca(2+). 4. The data provide further support for our hypothesis that lipid-protein interactions are important determinants in the activity of the adenine nucleotide translocase in mitochondria.     

Translocation and binding of adenine nucleotides by rat liver mitochondria partially depleted of phospholipids.

1. Rat liver mitochondria were partially depleted of their phospholipids using phospholipase A prepared from porcine pancreas (substrate specificity, cardiolipin greater than phosphatidylethanolamine greater than phosphatidylcholine) or from Crotalus adamanteus venom (substrate specificity, phosphatidylethanolamine = phosphatidylcholine greater than cardiolipin). 2. Removal of only about 1% of the mitochondrial phospholipid with the pancreatic enzyme leads to 50% and 25% losses in ADP and ATP translocation, respectively. Concomitant with the loss in translocation is a decline in the ability of both carbonylcyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone and Ca2+ to stimulate ATP translocation. 3. To achieve comparable losses in ADP and ATP translocation with the venom enzyme, it is necessary to remove about 8% of the total mitochondrial phospholipid. Following such treatment, carbonylcyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone and Ca2+ are still capable of stimulating ATP translocation. 4. Control experiments involving treatment of the mitochondria with the products of phospholipase digestion indicate that the effects observed on the translocase reflect a loss of phospholipid from the membrane. 5. Binding studies indicate that the loss in adenine nucleotide translocation following phospholipase treatment cannot be accoundted for by an altered ability to bind adenine nucleotides to atractyloside-sensitive sites. 6. The data are interpreted in terms of a mechanism of adenine nucleotide translocation involving a lipoprotein carrier system, consisting of the translocator protein and phospholipids, possibly cardiolipin and phosphatidylethanolamine.     

The effect of calcium on the oxidation of acetaldehyde by rat liver mitochondria.

Isolated liver mitochondria oxidized acetaldehyde in the following order: State 4< state 3< valinomycin. Ca²⁺, in concentrations greater than 0.10 mM, inhibited the oxidation of acetaldehyde by isolated liver mitochondria under all conditions. Valinomycin-stimulated oxidation of acetaldehyde was more sensitive to inhibition by Ca²⁺ than were the state 3 or 4 rates of acetaldehyde oxidation. Acetaldehyde could support an energy-dependent uptake of Ca²⁺ at rates about 20 percent that found with succinate. Ruthenium red, an inhibitor of Ca²⁺ translocation, almost completely prevented the inhibition by Ca²⁺, under all conditions. The addition of externally added NAD⁺ or NADH provided complete relief against the inhibitions by Ca²⁺ of the state 4 and 3 rates of acetaldehyde oxidation. Although some relief was also observed with the valinomycin-stimulated system, significant inhibition persisted. Cations such as Zn²⁺, Cu²⁺, or Hg²⁺ also inhibited acetaldehyde oxidation, whereas Mg²⁺ and Mn²⁺ were without effect. These cations also blocked glutamate oxidation and presumably inhibit acetaldehyde oxidation by preventing reoxidation of NADH. The greater sensitivity of the ionophore-stimulated oxidation of acetaldehyde to inhibition by Ca²⁺ may reflect release of intramitochondria K⁺, which is known to occur in the presence of Ca²⁺, suggesting that acetaldehyde oxidation is influenced by the cation environment within the mitochondria.