Thiols related to mitochondrial ATPase and transports: unmasking upon conformational changes supported by the comparative effects of ethacrynate and dihydroethacrynate.

Comparison between the effects on various rat liver mitochondrial functions of ethacrynate, a thiol reagent inhibitor of oxidative phosphorylations [3, 4] and those of dihydroethacrynate its saturated derivative which is not a thiol reagent, has been performed. Both, ethacrynate and dihydroethacrynate increase oxygen consumption by mitochondria in state 4 (succinate as substrate) in a concentration dependent way (from 1 to 5 X 10(-4) M EA or DHEA). This activation is followed, only with ethacrynate, by an inhibition appearing sooner with higher concentrations. After preincubation or mitochondria with ethacrynate (1 to 5 X 10(-4) M), the stimulation of respiration by (ADP + Pi) is completely inhibited whereas it is only weakly affected by dihydroethacrynate at the same concentrations. Ethacrynate and dihydroethacrynate provoke variations of intramitochondrial Mg2+ and K+ levels which need energy from the respiratory chain. These are affected by Pi or (Pi + ADP) in a different way with ethacrynate and with dihydroethacrynate. After preincubation with mitochondria, ethacrynate and to a smaller extent dihydroethacrynate, inhibit partially ADP translocation; ADP increases the inhibitory effect of EA on translocation and not that of dihydroethacrynate. Ethacrynate increases the oligomycin sensitive ATPase activity and dihydroethacrynate still more. After a ten minutes preincubation with mitochondria, ethacrynate and dihydroethacrynate hardly affect the 2.4 DNP stimulated ATPase activity. Preincubation with succinate or ADP strongly increases the ethacrynate inhibition whereas it decreases dihydroethacrynate inhibition. Ethacrynate and dihydroethacrynate do not affect the efflux of Pi produced by ATP hydrolysis but ethacrynate enforces the inhibitory effect of mersalyl (Mg2+ containing medium). After ten minutes of preincubation with mitochondria, ethacrynate binds 25 nmoles of -SH/mg protein (DTNB titration) and dihydroethacrynate has no effect. These results show an effect of ethacrynate on two types of thiols linked with energy conservation mechanisms and ADP translocation. These thiols could be unmasked or made accessible by conformational modifications of the inner membrane upon energization or addition of ADP.     

Parallel efflux of Ca2+ and Pi in energized rat liver mitochondria.

Addition of Ruthenium Red to energized rat liver mitochondria that have previously accumulated Ca2+ and phosphate from the external medium induces a parallel efflux of both these ions. Mersalyl or dithioerythritol, which decrease Ruthenium Red-insensitive Ca2+ efflux, also decrease phosphate efflux to the same extent. Conversely diazenedicarboxylic acid bis(NN-dimethylamide) (DDBA), which increases the Ruthenium Red-induced Ca2+ efflux concurrently increases phosphate release. Dithioerythritol and DDBA, reducing and oxidizing agents of thiol groups respectively, modify Ca2+ and Pi efflux without penetrating the mitochondrial inner membrane. Under all the adopted conditions the membrane potential is preserved. The release of resting respiration and the parallel efflux of Mg2+ and adenine nucleotides, events closely correlated to Ca2+ cycling, are equally prevented either by mersalyl, which inhibits phosphate transport, or dithioerythritol; DDBA has the opposite effect. These findings and the observation that suggest that Ca2+ and phosphate transport in energized liver mitochondria are closely related and dependent on the redox state of membrane-bound thiol groups.     

Modulation of Ca2+ efflux from heart mitochondria.

The efflux of Ca2+ from rat heart mitochondria has been examined by using Ruthenium Red to inhibit active uptake after predetermined loadings with Ca2+. The efflux is proportional to the internal Ca2+ load; it is increased by Na+ applied when the mitochondria are respiring and this effect is inhibited by oligomycin. The efflux of Ca2+ is diminished by ATP and by ADP, with the latter the more effective. Both active uptake and efflux of Ca2+ are slowed by bongkrekic acid; this action has a time lag. The lower efflux found with the nucleotides and with bongkrekic acid seems to correspond to the more condensed state seen in the electron microscope when these agents are applied [Stoner & Sirak (1973) J. Cell Biol. 56, 51-64, 65-73]. The results are discussed in relation to the less-permeable state being contingent upon nucleotide binding to the membrane.     

Stimulation of calcium-ion efflux from liver mitochondria by sodium ions and its response to ADP and energy state.

The Ruthenium Red-insensitive efflux of Ca2+ from previously loaded rat liver mitochondria was studied as a function of the added Na+ concentration and ADP present. Stimulation of Ca2+ efflux is sigmoidally dependent on the Na+ concentration; maximal stimulation of efflux was observed with 12--15 mM-NaCl. Na+-stimulated Ca2+ efflux from liver mitochondria is about one-tenth that from cardiac mitochondria. No synergistic effect of K+ on the Na+-stimulated efflux was found. The alkali-metal cations other than Na+ did not stimulate efflux and did not prevent stimulation by Na+. In the absence of Na+, Ca2+ efflux was diminished by added ADP, but the Na+-stimulated efflux was made correspondingly greater as ADP concentration was increased to 16 microM. The Na+-stimulated Ca2+ efflux was inhibited by 70% by oligomycin and was not observed in the presence of antimycin. It is suggested that failure to observe Na+-stimulation of Ca2+ efflux from liver mitochondria by some investigators is attributable to a high basal efflux existing before addition of the Na+ salt.     

Calcium efflux parallel to total phosphate retention in rat liver mitochondria

Phosphate efflux from uncoupled rat liver mitochondria was completely inhibited when mersalyl plus butylmalonate and ATP were added to a sucrose suspending medium. Despite the total retention of phosphate a calcium efflux was observed even in presence of ruthenium red. Under the above conditions no phosphate is transported in association with the ADP/ATP carrier. While mersalyl completely blocked the phosphate release induced by ruthenium red or EGTA from coupled mitochondria it only partially inhibited the CA2+-efflux. The inhibition of Ca2+ efflux was almost completely abolished in the presence of acetate. The existence of a co-transport of Ca2+ associated with phosphate is discussed.     

Control of mitochondrial Mg++-efflux]

Inorganic phosphate stimulates the release of Mg++ from liver mitochondria, depending on concentration; a concentration as low as 0.1 mM phosphate is already effective. The process is dependent on the electron transfer of the respiratory chain, and its rate is highest under conditions of endogenous respiration and with ascorbate and TMPD as substrates, respectively. The phosphate stimulated release of Mg++ is followed, with a pronounced delay, by a Ca++ efflux and a swelling of mitochondria. Addition of EGTA strongly reduced the rate of Mg++ liberation in the presence and absence of inorganic phosphate. Exogenous Ca++ is able to abolish the EGTA effect. ADP and ATP inhibit the phosphate stimulated release of Mg++. Phosphoenol pyruvate and free fatty acids enhance the rate of Mg++ and Ca++ efflux from the mitochondria. The results permit the conclusion that inorganic phosphate, Ca++ and various metabolites of the cell metabolism influence the Mg++ distribution between the extra- and intramitochondrial space, thus controlling the permeability of the mitochondrial inner membrane for monovalent cations.     

Studies on the energy-linked Ca2+ accumulation in pig heart mitochondria - role of Mg2'ons

Comparative intracellular distribution of Ca2+, Mg2+ and adenine nucleotides has been studied in pig heart by differential centrifugation or fractional extraction and has shown that Mg2+ and ATP are associated mainly with soluble fractions whereas Ca2+ and ADP are more tightly bound to subcellular structures. Ca2+ accumulation and Ca2+ stimulated respiration were studied in pig heart mitochondria under different energetic conditions in the absence or presence of phosphate. Ca2+ concentrations of about 1200 nmoles/mg protein inhibit Ca2+ accumulation, site I substrate oxidation and induce an efflux of mitochondrial Mg2+. These deleterious effects of Ca2+ on respiration occur even in the absence of phosphate or oxidizable substrate; they are completely prevented by ruthenium red only, and partially prevented by the addition of M2+ to the medium. The kinetics of Ca2+ uptake become of the sigmoidal type when Mg2+ is present. This cation strongly inhibits the rate of Ca2+ uptake in the presence of added phosphate and decreases the affinity of Ca2+ for its transport system. In the absence of phosphate, Mg2+ has no effect on Ca2+ uptake. The possible physiological implications of these findings are discussed     

Interactions between spermine and Mg2+ on mitochondrial Ca2+ transport

The effects of the polyamine spermine on the regulation of Ca2+ transport by subcellular organelles from rat liver, heart, and brain were investigated using ion-sensitive minielectrodes and a 45Ca2+ tracer method. Spermine stimulated Ca2+ uptake by mitochondria but not by microsomes. In the presence of spermine, isolated mitochondria could maintain a free extramitochondrial Ca2+ concentration of 0.3-0.2 microM. Stimulation of the initial rates of Ca2+ uptake and 45Ca2+ cycling of mitochondria by spermine shows that this was accomplished through a decrease of the apparent Km for Ca2+ uptake by the Ca2+ uniporter. The half maximally effective concentration of spermine (50 microM) was in the range of physiological concentrations of this polyamine in the cell. Spermidine was five times less effective. Putrescine was ineffective. The stimulation of mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake by spermine was inhibited by Mg2+ in a concentration-dependent manner. However, the diminished contribution of the mitochondria to the regulation of the free extraorganellar Ca2+ concentration could mostly be compensated for by microsomal Ca2+ uptake. Spermine also reversed ruthenium red-induced Ca2+ efflux from mitochondria. It is concluded that spermine is an activator of the mitochondrial Ca2+ uniporter and Mg2+ an antagonist. By this mechanism, the polyamines can confer to the mitochondria an important role in the regulation of the free cytoplasmic Ca2+ concentration in the cell and of the free Ca2+ concentration in the mitochondrial matrix.     

Fast efflux of Ca2+ mediated by the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2(+)-ATPase.

The Ca2(+)-ATPase found in the light fraction of sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles can be phosphorylated by Pi, forming an acylphosphate residue at the catalytic site of the enzyme. This reaction was inhibited by the phenothiazines trifluoperazine, chlorpromazine, imipramine, and fluphenazine and by the beta-adrenergic blocking agents propranolol and alprenolol. The inhibition was reversed by raising either the Pi or the Mg2+ concentration in the medium and was not affected by the presence of K+. Phosphorylation of the Ca2(+)-ATPase by Pi was also inhibited by ruthenium red and spermidine. These compounds compete with Mg2+, but, unlike the phenothiazines, they did not compete with Pi at the catalytic site, and the inhibition was abolished when K+ was included in the assay medium. The efflux of Ca2+ from loaded vesicles was greatly increased by the phenothiazines and by propranolol and alprenolol. In the presence of 200 microM trifluoperazine, the rate of Ca2+ efflux was higher than 3 mumol of Ca2+/mg of protein/10 s. The activation of efflux by these drugs was antagonized by Pi, Mg2+, K+, Ca2+, ADP, dimethyl sulfoxide, ruthenium red, and spermidine. The increase of Ca2+ efflux caused by trifluoperazine was not correlated with binding of the drug to the membrane lipids. It is concluded that the Ca2+ pump can be uncoupled by different drugs, thereby greatly increasing the efflux of Ca2+ through the ATPase. Displacement of these drugs by the natural ligands of the ATPase blocks the efflux through the uncoupled pathway and limits it to a much smaller rate. Thus, the Ca2(+)-ATPase can operate either as a pump (coupled) or as a Ca2+ channel (uncoupled).     

Regulation of Ca2+ transport in brain mitochondria. I. The mechanism of spermine enhancement of Ca2+ uptake and retention

Spermine enhances electrogenic Ca2+ uptake and inhibits Na(+)-independent Ca2+ efflux in rat brain mitochondria. As a result, Ca2+ retention by brain mitochondria increases greatly and the external free Ca2+ level at steady-state can be lowered to physiologically relevant concentrations. The stimulation of Ca2+ uptake by spermine is more pronounced at low concentrations of Ca2+, effectively lowering the apparent Km for Ca2+ uptake from 3 microM to 1.5 microM. However, the apparent Vmax is also increased. At low Ca2+ concentrations, Ca2+ uptake is diffusion-limited. Spermine strongly inhibits Ca2+ binding to anionic phospholipids and it is suggested that this increases the rate of surface diffusion which reduces the apparent Km for uptake. The same effect could inhibit the Na(+)-independent efflux if the rate of efflux is limited by Ca2+ dissociation from the efflux carrier. In brain mitochondria (but not in liver) the spermine effect depends on the presence of ADP. In a medium that contains physiological concentrations of Pi, Mg+, K+, ADP and spermine, brain mitochondria sequester Ca2+ down to 0.1 microM and below, depending on the matrix Ca2+ load. Moreover, brain mitochondria under the same conditions buffer the external medium at 0.4 microM, a concentration at which the set point becomes independent of the matrix Ca2+ content. Thus, mitochondria appear to be capable of modulating calcium oscillations in brain cells.     

Production of thiol groups and retention of calcium ions by cardiac mitochondria.

Efflux of Ca2+ from previously Ca2+-loaded heart mitochondria was measured after inhibiting respiratory activity. The efflux was increased by p-chloromercuribenzoate, methylmercuric chloride, Cu2+, Fe2+, 4,5,6,7-tetrachloro-2-trifluoromethylbenzimidazole (uncoupler). 1,1,1-trifluoro-3-(2-thienylacetone and indomethacin; after such increase it could be diminished by dithiothreitol. The induced loss of the Ca2+ was accompanied by a loss of endogenous adenine nucleotide. Methylmercuric chloride was particularly effective, since it was active at ratios of about 1 nmol/mg of mitochondrial protein. The non-respiring mitochondria were found to regenerate bound thiol groups after their original complement had reacted with thiol-blocking reagent. This regeneration was diminished by the Ca2+-efflux stimulatig agents that were not themselves thiol-blocking reagents, such as thyroxine, uncoupler, trifluorothienylacetone and indomethacin. The external exposure of thiol groups was also diminished by thyroxine, uncoupler and trifluorothienylacetone. The results support the proposal made previously that the membrane is maintained in a state of low permeability by adenine nucleotide and Mg2+ being bound to thiol-dependent sites.     

The activation of non-phosphorylating electron transport by adenine nucleotides in Jerusalem-artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus) mitochondria.

In isolated plant mitochondria the oxidation of both succinate and exogenous NADH responded in the expected manner to the addition of ADP or uncoupling agents, and the uncoupled rate of respiration was often in excess of the rate obtained in the presence of ADP. However, the oxidation of NAD+-linked substrates responded in a much more complex manner to the addition of ADP or uncoupling agents such as carbonyl cyanide p-trifluoromethoxyphenylhydrazone to mitochondria oxidizing pyruvate plus malate failed to result in a reliable stimulation; this uncoupled rate could be stimulated by adding AMP or ADP in the presence of oligomycin or bongkrekic acid. Spectrophometric measurements showed that the addition of AMP or ADP resulted in the simultaneous oxidation of endogenous nicotinamide nucleotide and the reduction of cytochrome b. ADP was only effective in bringing about these changes in redox state in the presence of Mg2+ whereas AMP did not require Mg2+. It was concluded that AMP activated the flow of electrons from endogenous nicotinamide nucleotide to cytochrome b, possible at the level of the internal NADH dehydrogenase.     

Role of calcium ions in the regulation of intramitochondrial metabolism. Effects of Na+, Mg2+ and ruthenium red on the Ca2+-stimulated oxidation of oxoglutarate and on pyruvate dehydrogenase activity in intact rat heart mitochondria.

1. In uncoupled rat heart mitochondria, the kinetic parameters for oxoglutarate oxidation were very close to those found for oxoglutarate dehydrogenase activity in extracts of the mitochondria. In particular, Ca2+ greatly diminished the Km for oxoglutarate and the k0.5 value (concentration required for half-maximal effect) for this effect of Ca2+ was close to 1 microM. 2. In coupled rat heart mitochondria incubated with ADP, increases in the extramitochondrial concentration of Ca2+ greatly stimulated oxoglutarate oxidation at low concentrations of oxoglutarate, but not at saturating concentrations of oxoglutarate. The k0.5 value for the activation by extramitochondrial Ca2+ was about 20 nM. In the presence of either Mg2+ or Na+ this value was increased to about 90 nM, and in the presence of both to about 325 nM. 3. In coupled rat heart mitochondria incubated without ADP, increases in the extramitochondrial concentration of Ca2+ resulted in increases in the proportion of pyruvate dehydrogenase in its active non-phosphorylated form. The sensitivity to Ca2+ closely matched that found to affect oxoglutarate oxidation, and Mg2+ and Na+ gave similar effects. 4. Studies of others have indicated that the distribution of Ca2+ across the inner membrane of heart mitochondria is determined by a Ca2+-transporting system which is composed of a separate uptake component (inhibited by Mg2+ and Ruthenium Red) and an efflux component (stimulated by Na+). The present studies are entirely consistent with this view. They also indicate that the intramitochondrial concentration of Ca2+ within heart cells is probably about 2--3 times that in the cytoplasm, and thus the regulation of these intramitochondrial enzymes by Ca2+ is of likely physiological significance. It is suggested that the Ca2+-transporting system in heart mitochondria may be primarily concerned with the regulation of mitochondrial Ca2+ rather than cytoplasmic Ca2+; the possible role of Ca2+ as a mediator of the effects of hormones and neurotransmitters on mammalian mitochondrial oxidative metabolism is discussed.     

Exercise-induced alterations of hepatic mitochondrial function.

In order to examine the effect of a single bout of exercise on hepatic mitochondrial function, starved untrained male rats swam at 34-35 degrees C with a tail weight (5% of body wt.) for 100 min. The rates of ADP-stimulated and uncoupled respiration were higher in the mitochondria isolated from the exercised rats regardless of the substrate utilized. Succinate-linked Ca2+ uptake was 48% greater in the exercised group; however, Ca2+ efflux was markedly depressed. The inhibition of Ca2+ uptake by Mg2+ was higher in the control group, so that the difference in Ca2+ uptake between the two groups was greater in the presence of Mg2+ than in its absence. The response of phosphorylating respiration and Ca2+ fluxes to exogenous phosphate and the pH of the assay medium differed in the exercise group. These observations with the exercised group were not related to non-specific stress. The exercise-induced mitochondrial-functional alterations are reminiscent of those obtained from mitochondria isolated from glucagon- or catecholamine-treated sedentary rats. Thus, adrenergic stimulation as well as other factors may be operating during exercise, leading to an alteration of mitochondrial function in vitro.     

ATP-Mg/Pi carrier activity in rat liver mitochondria.

The ATP-Mg/Pi carrier in liver mitochondria is activated by micromolar Ca2+ and mediates net adenine nucleotide transport into and out of the mitochondrial matrix. The purpose of this study was to characterize certain features of ATP-Mg/Pi carrier activity that are essential for understanding how the mitochondrial adenine nucleotide content is regulated. The relative importance of ATP and ADP as transport substrates was investigated using specific trap assays to measure their separate rates of carrier-mediated efflux with Pi as the external counterion. Under energized conditions ATP efflux accounted for 88% of total ATP+ADP efflux. With oligomycin present to lower the matrix ATP/ADP ratio, ATP efflux was eliminated and ADP efflux was relatively unaffected. Mg2+ was stoichiometrically required for ATP influx and is probably transported simultaneously with ATP. Ca2+ and Mn2+ could substitute for the stoichiometric Mg2+ requirement. ADP influx and Pi-induced adenine nucleotide efflux were unaffected by external Mg2+. Experiments with Pi analogues suggested that Pi is transported as the divalent anion, HPO4(2-). The results show that ATP-Mg and divalent Pi are the major transport substrates; the most probable transport mechanism for the ATP-Mg/Pi carrier is an electroneutral exchange. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that the direction and magnitude of net adenine nucleotide movements are determined mainly by the (ATP-Mg)2- and HPO4(2-) concentration gradients across the inner mitochondrial membrane.     

The enhancement of Ca2+ efflux from sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles by urea.

Urea, in nondenaturing concentrations, inhibited Ca2+ uptake by sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles with no concomitant effect on ATP hydrolysis. This inhibition was antagonized by 5 mM oxalate and 20 mM orthophosphate. At concentrations of 0.2 to 1.0 M, urea induced an increase in the Ca2+ efflux from preloaded vesicles diluted in a medium at pH 7.0 containing 2 mM ethylene glycol bis(beta-aminoethyl ether)N,N'-tetraacetic acid, 0.1 mM orthophosphate, and 0.1 mM MgCl2. The urea-induced efflux was arrested by ligands of the (Ca(2+)-Mg2+) ATPase, namely, K+, Mg2+, Ca2+, and ADP, and by ruthenium red and the polyamines spermine, spermidine, and putrescine. In the case of polyamines a dissociation between the effect on the efflux and the net Ca2+ uptake was observed, as only the efflux could be blocked by the drugs. Glycine betaine, trimethylamine-N-oxide, and sucrose antagonized the effects of urea on both the net Ca2+ uptake and the rate of Ca2+ efflux.     

Regulation of Ca2+ transport by isolated organelles of a rat insulinoma. Studies with endoplasmic reticulum and secretory granules

The regulation of extramicrosomal Ca2+ concentration maintained by suspensions of rat insulinoma microsomes was studied using Ca2+-selective minielectrodes. The Ca2+-transporting activity was MgATP dependent and correlated with the endoplasmic reticulum marker NADPH-cytochrome c reductase. When incubated in a high KCl medium containing Mg2+ and phosphate, the microsomes lowered [Ca2+] within less than 10 min to around 0.2 microM. They had a high Ca2+-sequestering activity since they were able to take up and retain several small Ca2+ additions. No evidence for a Na+/Ca2+ countertransport was obtained. The accumulated Ca2+ was released by the Ca2+ ionophore A23187 or upon transforming ATP into ADP using glucose plus hexokinase. The addition of ADP, at concentrations present in cells, resulted in a dose-dependent and reversible net Ca2+ efflux from the microsomes until a higher [Ca2+] steady state was reached. This was specific for ADP since GDP, UDP, CDP, IDP, and the nonhydrolyzable analogue methylene-ADP as well as AMP and cAMP did not reproduce the effect. Insulin secretory granules were unable to lower medium [Ca2+] or to take up a pulse addition of Ca2+. However, most of the large granular calcium content was released by A23187. The addition of Na+ and lowering or increasing medium pH by 0.2 pH unit did not induce Ca2+ uptake or efflux from the secretory granules. The results indicate that insulinoma endoplasmic reticulum but not insulin secretory granules may play a critical role in the regulation of cytosolic Ca2+. A variation in cellular ADP content following secretagogue addition might modulate Ca2+ fluxes across the endoplasmic reticulum and contribute in raising cytosolic Ca2+.     

The hepatic response to Ca2+ is inhibited by Mg2+ and enhanced by phenylephrine or ouabain

Net hepatic Ca2+ efflux, K+ uptake and glycogen breakdown in response to the alpha 1-adrenergic agonist phenylephrine were studied. Rat livers were perfused with CO2/bicarbonate-buffered solutions containing 10 microM Ca2+ and different amounts of Mg2+. K+-free medium and/or ouabain were used to block (Na+ + K+)-ATPase-dependent K+ uptake. In some experiments a sharp increase in extracellular Ca2+ concentrations was produced by infusing CaCl2 into the medium entering the liver. Perfusion with K+-free medium and ouabain enhanced the phenylephrine-induced Ca2+ efflux and diminished the glycogenolytic response, indicating a dissociation of Ca2+ release and glycogenolysis. Exogenous Ca2+ had practically no effect if livers were perfused with regular medium containing 1.2 mM Mg2+. In the presence of phenylephrine and if extracellular Mg2+ concentrations were lowered by omitting Mg2+ from the medium or by preperfusion with EGTA, exogenous Ca2+ was glycogenolytically effective and also produced a transient K+ uptake. Increased extracellular concentrations of Mg2+ inhibited the effects of exogenous Ca2+. In the presence of phenylephrine, higher concentrations of Mg2+ were needed than in the absence of alpha 1-adrenergic agonist to achieve a similar degree of inhibition. In one respect ouabain effects were comparable to those of phenylephrine: the glycoside also increased the metabolic response to exogenous Ca2+ and diminished the sensitivity towards Mg2+. Phenylephrine and ouabain may both enhance the permeability of plasma membranes for Ca2+.     

Oligomycin strengthens the effect of cyclosporin A on mitochondrial permeability transition by inducing phosphate uptake

The purpose of this work was to assess the effect of oligomycin on the mitochondrial membrane permeability transition. The antibiotic was found to strengthen cyclosporin A (CSA)-induced protection of non-specific permeability, which is triggered by a matrix Ca2+ load in the absence of ADP. Oligomycin also reinforced the protective effect of CSA on carboxyatractyloside-induced pore opening in the absence of ADP, but failed to do so in mitochondria incubated under anaerobic conditions or after addition of CCCP. Analyzing the efflux of matrix Ca2+, we found that mitochondrial swelling and the collapse of the transmembrane electric gradient coincided with membrane leakage. The effects of the antibiotic were observed in phosphate-containing media but not in the presence of acetate. Furthermore, N-ethylmaleimide hindered the protective effect of oligomycin-CSA. In addition, the matrix phosphate concentration increased concurrently with a diminution in the matrix-free fraction of Ca2+. We concluded that oligomycin increases phosphate uptake by stimulating the phosphate-/OH- exchange reaction.     

Effects of low extracellular sodium on cytosolic ionized calcium. Na+-Ca2+ exchange as a major calcium influx pathway in kidney cells

The effects of extracellular Na+ (Na+o) on cytosolic ionized calcium (Ca2+i) and on calcium and sodium fluxes were measured in monkey kidney cells (LLC-MK2). Ca2+i was measured with aequorin and the ion fluxes with 45Ca and 22Na. Na+-free media rapidly increased Ca2+i from 60 to a maximum of about 700 nM in 2-3 min. After the peak, Ca2+i declined and reached a plateau of about twice the resting Ca2+i. The peak Ca2+i was inversely proportional to Na+o and directly proportional to the extracellular calcium concentration (Ca2+o). On the other hand, a pH of 6.8 reduced and Ca2+o substitution with Sr2+ completely blocked the Ca2+i response to low Na+o. A Na+-free medium stimulated calcium efflux from the cells 4-5-fold, a response which was abolished in the absence of extracellular Ca2+. Na+-free media also stimulated calcium influx and sodium efflux. The cell calcium content, however, was not increased. These results indicate that removal of extracellular Na+ increases Ca2+i by stimulating calcium influx and not by inhibiting calcium efflux; the increased calcium influx takes place on the Na+-Ca2+ antiporter operating in the reverse mode in exchange for sodium efflux. The increased calcium efflux occurs as a consequence of the rise in Ca2+i and presumably takes place on the (Ca2+-Mg2+) ATPase-dependent calcium pump.