Interaction of intracellular signalling and metabolic pathways at inhibition of mitochondrial aconitase by fluoroacetate

Mitochondrial aconitase has been shown to be inactivated under the effects of many compounds and critical states. Fluoroacetate (FA) is the best-known aconitase-inhibiting toxic agent. The biochemistry of the toxic action of FA has been rather well studied; however, no effective therapy has been developed over the past six decades. To search for new approaches to the development of possible antidotes, experiments were carried out in vitro with rat liver mitochondria, Ehrlich ascite tumor (EAT) cells, and cardiomyocytes exposed to FA or fluorocitrate (FC). FA produced its effects at much higher concentrations as compared with FC; in experiments with mitochondria these effects depended on respiratory substrates: with pyruvate, FA induced a slow oxidation and/or a leak of pyridine nucleotides and inhibition of respiration. Oxidation of pyridine nucleotides (PN) was prevented by the incubation of mitochondria with cyclosporin A. Studies of the PN level and dynamics of Ca²⁺ in EAT cells during activation by ATP also revealed the PN leak from mitochondria, which led to a shift in the balance of mitochondrial and cytosolic NAD(P)H under action of FA. Moreover, an increase of cytosolic Ca²⁺ was revealed in the cells exposed to FA, which could be explained by the activation of plasma membrane calcium channels. This mechanism could affect the amplitude and rate of calcium waves in cardiomyocytes under the effects of FA. We emphasize the reciprocal relationship between intracellular PN dynamics and calcium balance and discuss possible pathways of metabolic modulation in the context of development of effective therapy of poisoning with FA and other aconitase inhibitors.     

Differential mitochondrial calcium responses in different cell types detected with a mitochondrial calcium fluorescent indicator, mito-GCaMP2

Mitochondrial calcium plays a crucial role in mitochondrial metabolism, cell calcium handling, and cell death. However, some mechanisms concerning mitochondrial calcium regulation are still unknown, especially how mitochondrial calcium couples with cytosolic calcium. In this work, we constructed a novel mitochondrial calcium fluorescent indicator (mito-GCaMP2) by genetic manipulation. Mito-GCaMP2 was imported into mitochondria with high efficiency and the fluorescent signals co-localized with that of tetramethyl rhodamine methyl ester, a mitochondrial membrane potential indicator. The mitochondrial inhibitors specifically decreased the signals of mito-GCaMP2. The apparent K(d) of mito-GCaMP2 was 195.0 nmol/L at pH 8.0 in adult rat cardiomyocytes. Furthermore, we observed that mito-GCaMP2 preferred the alkaline pH surrounding of mitochondria. In HeLa cells, we found that mitochondrial calcium ([Ca(2+)](mito)) responded to the changes of cytosolic calcium ([Ca(2+)](cyto)) induced by histamine or thapasigargin. Moreover, external Ca(2+) (100 μmol/L) directly induced an increase of [Ca(2+)](mito) in permeabilized HeLa cells. However, in rat cardiomyocytes [Ca(2+)](mito) did not respond to cytosolic calcium transients stimulated by electric pacing or caffeine. In permeabilized cardiomyocytes, 600 nmol/L free Ca(2+) repeatedly increased the fluorescent signals of mito-GCaMP2, which excluded the possibility that mito-GCaMP2 lost its function in cardiomyocytes mitochondria. These results showed that the response of mitochondrial calcium is diverse in different cell lineages and suggested that mitochondria in cardiomyocytes may have a special defense mechanism to control calcium flux.     

Membrane-bound Ca2+ in the mitochondria of Ehrlich ascitic tumor cells

Ca2+ transport in mitochondria of Ehrlich ascite tumour cells and in liver mitochondria has been compared. It has been shown that in tumour cell mitochondria unlike liver ones even small amounts of Ca2+ caused marked increase in membrane-bound Ca2+ level. Therefore, a decrease in the electro-neutral Ca2+ efflux, stabilization of mitochondria membranes and inhibition of phosphorylated respiration were observed. It has been proposed that high content of membrane-bound Ca2+ is predetermined by a higher affinity of membrane phospholipids to Ca2+.     

Hydroperoxide-induced loss of pyridine nucleotides and release of calcium from rat liver mitochondria

It has been previously reported (L?tscher, H. R., Winterhalter, K. H., Carafoli, E., and Richter, C. (1979) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 76, 4340-4344) that in Ca2+-loaded mitochondria hydroperoxides induce a release of Ca2+ from mitochondria and an irreversible oxidation of mitochondrial pyridine nucleotides. Here we show that in the presence of Ca2+ oxidized mitochondrial pyridine nucleotides are hydrolyzed inside mitochondria and that nicotinamide is released from mitochondria. The extent of the hydrolysis of NAD(P)+ is dependent on the amount of both hydroperoxide and Ca2+. The hydrolysis is reversible in the presence of added nicotinamide. The release of Ca2+ from mitochondria is electroneutral, and is directly or indirectly dependent on oxidized mitochondrial pyridine nucleotides. By contrast, the uptake of Ca2+ most probably does not require the present of reduced pyridine nucleotides. Control experiments show that even under the most drastic conditions employed in this study (100 nmol of Ca2+ and 85 nmol of t-butylhydroperoxide/mg of protein) mitochondria retain a considerable degree of functional integrity.     

Uncoupler-stimulated release of Ca2+ from Ehrlich ascites tumor cell mitochondria

Ruthenium red-insensitive, uncoupler-stimulated release of Ca2+ from Ehrlich ascites tumor cell mitochondria is much slower than from rat liver mitochondria under comparable conditions. In the presence of Pi and at moderate or high Ca2+ loads, ruthenium red-insensitive Ca2+ efflux elicited with uncoupler is approximately 20 times more rapid for rat liver than Ehrlich cell mitochondria. This is attributed to resistance of tumor mitochondria to damage by Ca2+ due to a high level of endogenous Mg2+ that also attenuates Ca2+ efflux. Calcium release from rat liver and tumor mitochondria is inhibited by exogenous Mg2+. This applies to ruthenium red-insensitive spontaneous Ca2+ efflux associated with Ca2+ uptake and uncoupling, and (b) ruthenium red-insensitive Ca2+ release stimulated by uncoupling agent. The endogenous Mg2+ level of Ehrlich tumor mitochondria is approximately three times that of rat liver mitochondria. Endogenous Ca2+ is also much greater (six fold) in Ehrlich tumor mitochondria compared to rat liver. Despite the quantitative difference in endogenous Mg2+, the properties of internal Mg2+ are much the same for rat liver and Ehrlich cell mitochondria. Ehrlich ascites tumor mitochondria exhibit slow, metabolically dependent Mg2+ release and rapid limited release of Mg2+ during Ca2+ uptake. Both have been observed with rat liver and other types of mitochondria. The proportions of apparently "bound" and "free" Mg2+ (inferred from release by the ionophore, A23187) do not differ significantly between tumor and liver mitochondria. Thus, the endogenous Mg2+ of tumor mitochondria has no unusual features but is simply elevated substantially. Ruthenium red-insensitive Ca2+ efflux, when expressed as a function of the intramitochondrial Ca2+/Mg2+ ratio, is quite similar for tumor and rat liver. It is proposed, therefore, that endogenous Mg2+ is a major regulatory factor responsible for differences in the sensitivity to damage by Ca2+ and Ca2+ release by Ehrlich ascites tumor mitochondria compared to mitochondria from normal tissues.     

NADP-linked dismutation and concentrations of citrate, cytosolic free Ca2+ and phosphoenolpyruvate in islet B-cells stimulated with glucose

B-cells stimulated with glucose showed enhanced activities of NADP-isocitrate dehydrogenase, aconitase, ATP-citrate lyase and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxy-kinase, elevated cytosolic [NADPH]/[NADP+] ratio, and increased concentrations of glucose 6-phosphate, 6-phosphogluconate, citrate, phosphoenolpyruvate and cytosolic free Ca2+. Phosphoenolpyruvate induced release of Ca2+ accumulated in isolated mitochondria. Glucose is suggested to stimulate a cytosolic NADP-linked dismutation and synthesis of citrate, associated with increased cytosolic free Ca2+ concentration. Subsequent breakdown of cytosolic citrate may yield Pi (possibly related to the "phosphate flush") and phosphoenolpyruvate which potentiates the release of Ca2+ accumulated in the B-cell mitochondria.     

Alterations in intracellular calcium compartmentation following inhibition of calcium efflux from isolated hepatocytes

Addition of ATP to the incubation medium of freshly isolated rat hepatocytes causes a marked inhibition of the efflux of Ca2+ from the cells, and its accumulation in intracellular compartments. After an initial rise in cytosolic free Ca2+ concentration, as indicated by the activation of phosphorylase, Ca2+ is preferentially sequestered in the mitochondria, without any apparent contribution by the endoplasmic reticulum. Impairment of mitochondrial Ca2+ homeostasis by pyridine nucleotide oxidation associated with tert-butyl hydroperoxide metabolism, prevents the ATP-dependent cellular Ca2+ accumulation and causes a release of Ca2+ from the hepatocytes into the medium. Conversely, maintenance of the mitochondrial pyridine nucleotides in a more reduced state, e. g. in presence of 3-hydroxybutyrate in the medium, prevents this hydroperoxide-induced release of intracellular Ca2+. Under conditions of impaired mitochondrial Ca2+ sequestration, there appears to be a redistribution of a minor fraction of the intracellular Ca2+ from the mitochondria to the endoplasmic reticulum. Our results provide additional evidence for the critical involvement of the plasma membrane Ca2+-extruding system in the physiological regulation of the cytosolic free Ca2+ concentration in hepatocytes, and suggest that the mitochondria play a more important role than the endoplasmic reticulum in the regulation of the cytosolic free Ca2+ level when the plasma membrane Ca2+ pump is inhibited.     

Mobilization of mitochondrial Ca2+ by hydroperoxy-eicosatetraenoic acid

Hydroperoxy-eicosatetraenoic acids (HPETEs) and less effectively, also hydroxy-eicosatetraenoic acids (HETEs) stimulated Ca2+ release from rat liver mitochondria. Ca2+ release is accompanied by intramitochondrial pyridine nucleotide oxidation and hydrolysis. Both Ca2+ release and pyridine nucleotide oxidation are impeded when the flow of electrons between pyridine nucleotides and HPETE is impaired. Measurements of the mitochondrial membrane potential indicate that HPETE-stimulated Ca2+ release is not due to uncoupling of mitochondria. It is suggested that HPETEs and HETEs may act as mobilizers of mitochondrial Ca2+ during signal transduction related to proliferation and tumor promotion.     

Regulation of cytosolic free calcium concentration by intrasynaptic mitochondria.

By the use of digitonin permeabilized presynaptic nerve terminals (synaptosomes), we have found that intrasynaptic mitochondria, when studied "in situ," i.e., surrounded by their cytosolic environment, are able to buffer calcium in a range of calcium concentrations close to those usually present in the cytosol of resting synaptosomes. Adenine nucleotides and polyamines, which are usually lost during isolation of mitochondria, greatly improve the calcium-sequestering activity of mitochondria in permeabilized synaptosomes. The hypothesis that the mitochondria contributes to calcium homeostasis at low resting cytosolic free calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) in synaptosomes has been tested; it has been found that in fact this is the case. Intrasynaptic mitochondria actively accumulates calcium at [Ca2+]i around 10(-7) M, and this activity is necessary for the regulation of [Ca2+]i. When compared with other membrane-limited calcium pools, it was found that depending on external concentration the calcium pool mobilized from mitochondria is similar or even greater than the IP3- or caffeine-sensitive calcium pools. In summary, the results presented argue in favor of a more prominent role of mitochondria in regulating [Ca2+]i in presynaptic nerve terminals, a role that should be reconsidered for other cellular types in light of the present evidence.     

Mechanism of alloxan-induced calcium release from rat liver mitochondria

The objective of the present work was to investigate the mechanism of alloxan-induced Ca2+ release from rat liver mitochondria. Transport of Ca2+, oxidation and hydrolysis of mitochondrial pyridine nucleotides, changes in the mitochondrial membrane potential, and oxygen consumption by mitochondria were investigated. Alloxan does not inhibit the uptake of Ca2+ but stimulates the release of Ca2+ from liver mitochondria, which is accompanied by oxidation and hydrolysis of pyridine nucleotides. Oxidation of mitochondrial pyridine nucleotides by alloxan is not mediated by glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase and may occur largely nonenzymatically. Measurements of the mitochondrial membrane potential in combination with inhibitors of Ca2+ reuptake indicate that Ca2+ release takes place from intact liver mitochondria via a distinct pathway. Limited redox cycling of alloxan by mitochondria is indicated by measurements of the membrane potential and O2 consumption in the presence of cyanide. It is concluded that alloxan can cause Ca2+ release from intact rat liver mitochondria. Redox cycling of alloxan is not significantly involved in the Ca2+ release mechanism. Oxidation and hydrolysis of pyridine nucleotides, possibly in conjunction with oxidation of critical sulfhydryl groups, seem to be key events in the alloxan-induced Ca2+ release. Disturbance of cellular Ca2+ homeostasis may partly explain alloxan toxicity.     

Submicromolar Ca2+ regulates phosphorylating respiration by normal rat liver and AS-30D hepatoma mitochondria by different mechanisms

The stimulation of 2-oxoglutarate and NAD(+)-isocitrate dehydrogenase by Ca2+ in mitochondria from normal tissues has been proposed to mediate partially the activation of oxidative energy metabolism elicited by physiological elevations in cytosolic Ca2+. This mode of regulation may also occur in tumor cells in which several aspects of mitochondrial metabolism are known to be altered. This study provides a comparison of the stimulation by submicromolar concentrations of Ca2+ on the rates of ATP-generating (state 3) respiration under physiologically realistic conditions by mitochondria isolated from normal rat liver and from highly malignant rat AS-30D ascites hepatoma cells. The K0.5 for activation of glutamate-dependent state 3 respiration by Ca2+ in the presence of ATP at 37 degrees C was determined to be 0.70 +/- 0.05 (S.E.) microM for hepatoma mitochondria and 0.90 +/- 0.03 microM for rat liver mitochondria. This activation was also reflected by a Ca2(+)-induced shift in the oxidation-reduction state of hepatoma mitochondrial pyridine nucleotides to a more reduced level and Ca2+ stimulation of 14CO2 production from [1-14C]glutamate. Whereas the Ca2+ sensitivity of state 3 respiration by hepatoma mitochondria can be explained by the activation of 2-oxoglutarate and possibly NAD(+)-isocitrate dehydrogenases, the Ca2+ sensitivity of liver mitochondrial respiration appears to be predominantly mediated by activation of electron flow through ubiquinone and Complex III of the electron transport chain, as indicated by the specificity of the effects of Ca2+ on respiration with different oxidizable substrates. Although rat liver and hepatoma mitochondria employ different modes of Ca2(+)-activated ATP generation, these results support the hypothesis that changes in cytosolic Ca2+ play a significant role in the potentiation of energy production in tumor, as well as normal tissue.     

Quantitative and mechanistic aspects of the hydroperoxide-induced release of Ca2+ from rat liver mitochondria

We have previously demonstrated in rat liver mitochondria a hydroperoxide-induced hydrolysis of pyridine nucleotides and release of Ca2+ [L?tscher, H. R., Winterhalter, K. H., Carafoli, E. & Richter, C. (1979) Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 76, 4340-4344, and L?tscher, H. R., Winterhalter, K. H., Carafoli, E. & Richter, C. (1980) J. Biol. Chem. 255, 9325-9330]. Here we investigate pyridine nucleotide hydrolysis and Ca2+ release under conditions of minimized Ca2+ cycling and with smaller Ca2+ loads. The extent of pyridine nucleotide hydrolysis, measured by pyridine-nucleotide-derived nicotinamide release from intact mitochondria, and the Ca2+ release rate show a very similar sigmoidal dependence on the mitochondrial Ca2+ load. The hydrolysis of oxidized pyridine nucleotides is limited under non-cycling conditions. Whereas pyridine nucleotide hydrolysis as measured by nicotinamide release is extensive, net loss of mitochondrial pyridine nucleotides is observed only at relatively high Ca2+ loads. Our results indicate the ability of mitochondria to resynthesize pyridine nucleotides after hydrolysis. Neither a decrease of reduced, nor an increase of oxidized, mitochondrial glutathione favour Ca2+ release. From these and previous findings it is concluded that the hydroperoxide-induced Ca2+ release is triggered by a factor which is distal to the oxidation of mitochondrial pyridine nucleotides. Ca2+ release is stimulated when the movement of protons across the inner mitochondrial membrane is facilitated, giving evidence for the operation of the hydroperoxide-induced release pathway as a Ca2+/H+ antiport.     

N-acetyl-p-benzoquinone imine induces Ca2+ release from mitochondria by stimulating pyridine nucleotide hydrolysis.

The mechanism of N-acetyl-p-benzoquinone imine (NAPQI)-induced release of Ca2+ from rat liver mitochondria was investigated. The addition of NAPQI or 3,5-Me2-NAPQI (a dimethylated analogue of NAPQI with only oxidizing properties) to mitochondria resulted in the rapid and extensive oxidation of NADH and NADPH. High-performance liquid chromatographic analysis of mitochondrial pyridine nucleotides revealed that the formation of NAD+ and NADP+ was followed by a time-dependent net loss of total pyridine nucleotides as a result of their hydrolysis, with the formation of nicotinamide. Preincubation of the mitochondria with cyclosporin A completely prevented the quinone imine-stimulated release of sequestered Ca2+ from mitochondria. Cyclosporin A did not affect the ability of NAPQI or 3,5-Me2-NAPQI to oxidize NAD(P)H but prevented the quinone imine-induced hydrolysis of the pyridine nucleotides. Although there was no detectable change in total protein-bound ADP-ribose content during quinone imine-induced Ca2+ release from mitochondria, meta-iodobenzylguanidine, a competitive inhibitor of protein mono(ADP-ribosylation), prevented Ca2+ release by NAPQI and 3,5-Me2-NAPQI; meta-iodobenzylguanidine did not inhibit the quinone imine-induced NAD(P)H oxidation and only partially blocked hydrolysis of the oxidized pyridine nucleotides. It is concluded that NAPQI causes the oxidation of mitochondrial NADH and NADPH, and stimulates Ca2+ release as a result of the further hydrolysis of the oxidized pyridine nucleotides and protein mono(ADP-ribosylation).     

Trypanosoma cruzi: calcium ion movement during internalization in host HeLa cells

The role of cytosolic Ca2+ and cytoplasmic calcium movement during the parasitization of HeLa cells by T. cruzi were studied. The level of calcium in parasitized cells increased compared to the control cells. Our experiments demonstrate that this cytosolic calcium originates from the release of the intracellular calcium deposits, especially from the mitochondria of the host cell. The parasitization rates decreased after the cells were treated with drugs to increase the cytosolic Ca2+ levels to inhibit the host-cell calmodulin.     

The role of extracellular calcium ions in HVJ (Sendai virus)-induced cell fusion

The biochemical and biophysical roles of extracellular calcium ions in HVJ (Sendai virus)-induced cell fusion were studied. (1) Various kinds of cell, such as Ehrlich ascites tumor cells, mouse melanoma cells (B16-CW1 cells) and human epidermoid carcinoma cells (KB cells), could fuse in Ca2+-free medium containing a cheletor, glycoletherdiaminetetraacetic acid, in the same way as in Ca2+-containing medium. (2) The ATP content in Ehrlich ascites tumor cells decreased rapidly when the cells were treated with the virus in Ca2+-free medium but not in Ca2+-containing medium. (3) Intracellular adenine nucleotides leaked out into the reaction medium when the cells were treated with the virus in Ca2+-free medium but not in Ca2+-containing medium. (4) On addition of the virus, O2 consumption of Ehrlich ascites tumor cells decreased in Ca2+-free medium, but not in Ca2+-containing medium. (5) HVJ (Sendai virus) did not affect production of lactate by Ehrlich ascites tumor cells in both Ca2+-free medium and Ca2+-containing medium. These observations suggest that the role of extracellular Ca2+ in virus-induced cell fusion is to maintain the ATP and other intracellular metabolite contents at normal levels instead of triggering the fusion reaction itself.     

Effect of glucose and deoxyglucose on the redistribution of calcium in ehrlich ascites tumour and Zajdela hepatoma cells and its consequences for mitochondrial energetics. Further arguments for the role of Ca(2+) in the mechanism of the crabtree effect.

The distribution of Ca(2+) in intact cells was monitored with fluorescent probes: fura-2 for cytosolic [Ca(2+)] and rhod-2 for mitochondrial [Ca(2+)]. It was found that in neoplastic cells, such as Ehrlich ascites tumour and Zajdela hepatoma, but not in non-malignant cells, such as fibroblasts, glucose and deoxyglucose elicited release of Ca(2+) from endoplasmic reticulum stores and an increase in Ca(2+) concentration in the cytosol. Parallel to this, a decrease in the rate of Ca(2+) extrusion from the cell and an enhanced uptake of Ca(2+) by mitochondria were observed. The increase in mitochondrial [Ca(2+)] was accompanied by an increase in the mitochondrial membrane potential and the reduction state of nicotinamide nucleotides. F(1)F(o)-ATPase in submitochondrial particles of Zajdela hepatoma was strongly inhibited in the presence of micromolar Ca(2+) concentrations, whereas this activity in submitochondrial particles from rat liver appeared to be less sensitive to Ca(2+). Indications of glycosylation of Ehrlich ascites tumour cell proteins were also obtained. These data strengthen the proposal [Bogucka, K., Teplova, V.V., Wojtczak, L. and Evtodienko, Y. V. (1995) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1228, 261-266] that the Crabtree effect is produced by mobilization of cell calcium, which is subsequently taken up by mitochondria and inhibits F(1)F(o)-ATP synthase.     

The proton stoichiometry of electron transport in Ehrlich ascites tumor mitochondria.

Initial rate measurements of the stoichiometric relationships between H+ ejection, K+ and Ca2+ uptake, and electron transport were carried out on mitochondria from Ehrlich ascites tumor cells grown in mice. With succinate as substrate and N-ethylmaleimide to prevent interfering H+ reuptake via the phosphate carrier, close to 8 H+ were ejected per oxygen atom reduced (H+/O ejection ratio = 8.0); with the NAD-linked substrates pyruvate or pyruvate + malate, the H+/O ejection ratio was close to 12. The average H+/site ratio (H+ ejected/2e-/energy-conserving site) was thus close to 4. The simultaneous uptake of charge-compensating cations, either K+ (in the presence of valinomycin) or Ca2+, was also measured, yielding average K+/site uptake ratios of very close to 4 and Ca2+/site ratios close to 2. It was also demonstrated that each calcium ion enters the respiring tumor mitochondria carrying two positive electric charges. These stoichiometric data observed in mitochondria from Ehrlich ascites tumor cells thus are in complete agreement with similar data on normal rat liver and rat heart mitochondria and suggest that the H+/site ratio of mitochondrial electron transport may be 4 generally. It was also observed that the rate of deltaH+ back-decay in anaerobic tumor mitochondria following oxygen pulses is some 6- to 8-fold greater than in rat liver mitochondria tested at equal amounts of mitochondrial protein.     

Control of mitochondrial content of adenine nucleotides by submicromolar calcium concentrations and its relationship to hormonal effects

Rat liver mitochondria were incubated at 30 degrees C with 4 mM ATP in a medium similar in electrolyte composition to that of hepatic cytosol. Under these conditions, a net increase in mitochondrial adenine nucleotides was observed that was dependent on the concentration of free Ca2+ [( Ca2+]) in the incubation medium. At 0.2 microM [Ca2+] or less, there was no demonstrable uptake of adenine nucleotides; at 0.4 microM [Ca2+], or greater, net uptake occurred. The calcium-dependent accumulation of nucleotides by mitochondria required Mg2+ in the incubation medium and was insensitive to carboxyatractyloside. The uptake of adenine nucleotides was enhanced by the addition of antimycin A or antimycin A together with oligomycin. Accumulation of nucleotides appeared to be associated with a small increase in mean mitochondrial volume, but the membrane potential was not affected. No uptake or loss of NAD-NADH by mitochondria was detected. Ruthenium red failed to inhibit the calcium-dependent uptake of adenine nucleotides by the mitochondria, indicating that stimulation of this process by Ca2+ does not involve transport of the cation into mitochondria by the Ca2+ uniporter. Because glucagon acts to elevate cytosolic [Ca2+] from approximately 0.2 microM to 0.6 microM, the same range affecting nucleotide uptake, it is proposed that the increase in mitochondrial adenine nucleotides that follows treatment with glucagon is mediated by the rise in cytosolic [Ca2+] produced by the hormone. This hypothesis was supported by the observation that epinephrine and A23187, agents that raise cytosolic [Ca2+], increased the content of mitochondrial adenine nucleotides in isolated hepatocytes. Furthermore, cells, incubated under calcium-depleting conditions, had a diminished response to glucagon.     

Regulated release of Ca2+ from respiring mitochondria by Ca2+/2H+ antiport.

Simultaneous measurements of oxygen consumption and transmembrane transport of Ca2+, H+, and phosphate show that the efflux of Ca2+ from respiring tightly coupled rat liver mitochondria takes place by an electroneutral Ca2+/2H+ antiport process that is ruthenium red-insensitive and that is regulated by the oxidation-reduction state of the mitochondrial pyridine nucleotides. When mitochondrial pyridine nucleotides are kept in a reduced steady state, the efflux of Ca2+ is inhibited; when they are in an oxidized state, Ca2+ efflux is activated. These processes were demonstrated by allowing phosphate-depleted mitochondria respiring on succinate in the presence of rotenone to take up Ca2+ from the medium. Upon subsequent addition of ruthenium red to block Ca2+ transport via the electrophoretic influx pathway, and acetoacetate, to bring mitochondrial pyridine nucleotides into the oxidized state, Ca2+ efflux and H+ influx ensued. The observed H+ influx/Ca2+ efflux ratio was close to the value 2.0 predicted for the operation of an electrically neutral Ca2+/2H+ antiport process.