Corrigendum for: Sex Differences in Blood Pressure, Free Radicals and Plasma Cholesterol Fractions in Ren-2 Transgenic Rats of Various Ages.

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Sex differences in blood pressure, free radicals and plasma cholesterol fractions in Ren-2 transgenic rats of various ages.

Sex-related cardiovascular differences were observed in humans as well as in experimental animals. Our previous study demonstrated a marked sexual dimorphism in blood pressure (BP) of 9-month-old heterozygous transgenic Ren 2 rats (TGR), in which mouse Ren-2 renin gene was inserted into the genome of normotensive Hannover Sprague-Dawley rats (HanSD). We found significantly elevated BP only in male TGR, whereas BP of TGR females was similar to that of HanSD females. The aim of our present study was to compare BP of 3- and 6-month-old heterozygous TGR with age- and sex-matched HanSD under the same conditions as we measured in 9-month-old rats. We also monitored the amount of oxidative stress marker, thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS), and a main intracellular antioxidant, reduced glutathione in the heart, kidneys and liver. We also measured plasma triglycerides and cholesterol levels. We found an increased mean arterial pressure in both female and male 3-month-old TGR (172±17 vs. 187±4 mm Hg, respectively) compared to HanSD (115±5 vs. 133±3 mm Hg, respectively) but there was a marked sexual dimorphism of 6 month-old TGR where only males were hypertensive (145±5 mm Hg) while females became normotensive (123±7 mm Hg). We did not find any relationship between BP values and concentrations of TBARS or glutathione or plasma lipid levels. Our results demonstrated that 6-month-old TGR exhibited a marked sexual BP dimorphism, which was not dependent on the abnormalities in oxidative stress or cholesterol metabolism.

Coenzyme Q10 effects in neurological diseases.

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), a lipophilic substituted benzoquinone, is present in animal and plant cells. It is endogenously synthetized in every cell and involved in a variety of cellular processes. CoQ10 is an obligatory component of the respiratory chain in inner mitochondrial membrane. In addition, the presence of CoQ10 in all cellular membranes and in blood. It is the only endogenous lipid antioxidant. Moreover, it is an essential factor for uncoupling protein and controls the permeability transition pore in mitochondria. It also participates in extramitochondrial electron transport and controls membrane physicochemical properties. CoQ10 effects on gene expression might affect the overall metabolism. Primary changes in the energetic and antioxidant functions can explain its remedial effects. CoQ10 supplementation is safe and well-tolerated, even at high doses. CoQ10 does not cause any serious adverse effects in humans or experimental animals. New preparations of CoQ10 that are less hydrophobic and structural derivatives, like idebenone and MitoQ, are being developed to increase absorption and tissue distribution. The review aims to summarize clinical and experimental effects of CoQ10 supplementations in some neurological diseases such as migraine, Parkinson´s disease, Huntington´s disease, Alzheimer´s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Friedreich´s ataxia or multiple sclerosis. Cardiovascular hypertension was included because of its central mechanisms controlling blood pressure in the brainstem rostral ventrolateral medulla and hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus. In conclusion, it seems reasonable to recommend CoQ10 as adjunct to conventional therapy in some cases. However, sometimes CoQ10 supplementations are more efficient in animal models of diseases than in human patients (e.g. Parkinson´s disease) or rather vague (e.g. Friedreich´s ataxia or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis).

Sex differences in blood pressure of aged Ren-2 transgenic rats.

Sex-related differences were observed not only in human but also in experimental hypertension. The aim of our study was to compare blood pressure (BP) of aged male and female heterozygous transgenic rats (TGR) harboring Ren-2 mouse gene, with their normotensive Hannover Sprague-Dawley (HanSD) controls. At the age of 9 months, systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were measured by a direct puncture of carotid artery in rats awaking from isoflurane anesthesia. Thiobarbituric acid-reactive species (TBARS) formation was monitored as indicator of lipid peroxidation damage in heart, kidney and liver, whereas intracellular content of reduced glutathione was determined in the same organs as the main intracellular antioxidant. Furthermore, plasma triglycerides and total cholesterol as well as high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) fractions of cholesterol were measured. As compared to HanSD rats, we found significantly elevated BP only in male TGR (MAP: 123±1 vs. 171±5, SBP: 150±2 vs. 208±7, and DBP: 99±3 vs. 140±4 mm Hg), but not between TGR and HanSD females, which were both normotensive. We also did not find any significant differences in TBARS and reduced glutathione in the three above mentioned organs as well as in plasma cholesterol or its HDL and LDL fractions between transgene-negative HanSD and TGR animals of either sex. However, we found significant sex differences in TBARS, glutathione and plasma lipids in both rat strains. Our results confirmed that aged TGR exhibit a marked sexual BP dimorphism, which does not seem to be dependent on oxidative stress or abnormal cholesterol metabolism.

Red palm oil supplementation does not increase blood glucose or serum lipids levels in Wistar rats with different thyroid status.

Red palm oil (RPO) is a rich natural source of antioxidant vitamins, namely carotenes, tocopherols and tocotrienols. However, it contains approximately 50 % saturated fatty acids the regular consumption of which could negatively modify lipid profile. The aim of our study was to test whether 7 weeks of RPO supplementation (1 g/kg body weight/day) would affect blood glucose and lipid metabolism in adult male Wistar rats with altered thyroid status. We induced hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism in rats by oral administration of either methimazole or mixture of thyroid hormones. Different thyroid status (EU - euthyroid, HY - hypothyroid and HT - hyperthyroid) was characterized by different serum thyroid hormones levels (total and free thyroxine and triiodothyronine), changes in the activity of a marker enzyme of thyroid status - liver mitochondrial glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, and altered absolute and relative heart weights. Fasting blood glucose levels were higher in HT rats in comparison with EU and HY rats, but the changes caused by RPO supplementation were not significant. The achievement of the HY status significantly increased serum levels of total cholesterol, as well as with high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol: 2.43+/-0.15, 1.48+/-0.09, 0.89+/-0.08 mmol/l, compared to EU: 1.14+/-0.06, 0.77+/-0.06, 0.34+/-0.05 mmol/l and HT: 1.01+/-0.06, 0.69+/-0.04, 0.20+/-0.03 mmol/l, respectively. RPO supplementation did not increase significantly levels of blood lipids but tended to increase glutathione levels in the liver. In conclusion, RPO supplementation did not induce the presumed deterioration of glucose and lipid metabolism in rats with three well-characterized alterations in thyroid status.

Cardiac connexin-43 and PKC signaling in rats with altered thyroid status without and with omega-3 fatty acids intake.

Thyroid hormones are powerful modulators of heart function and susceptibility to arrhythmias via both genomic and non-genomic actions. We aimed to explore expression of electrical coupling protein connexin-43 (Cx43) in the heart of rats with altered thyroid status and impact of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-3) supplementation. Adult male Lewis rats were divided into following six groups: euthyroid controls, hyperthyroid (treated with T(3)) and hypothyroid (treated with methimazol) with or without six-weeks lasting supplementation with omega-3 (20 mg/100 g/day). Left and right ventricles, septum and atria were used for immunoblotting of Cx43 and protein kinase C (PKC). Total expression of Cx43 and its phosphorylated forms were significantly increased in all heart regions of hypothyroid rats compared to euthyroid controls. In contrast, the total levels of Cx43 and its functional phosphorylated forms were decreased in atria and left ventricle of hyperthyroid rats. In parallel, the expression of PKC epsilon that phosphorylates Cx43, at serine 368, was increased in hypothyroid but decreased in hyperthyroid rat hearts. Omega-3 intake did not significantly affect either Cx43 or PKC epsilon alterations. In conclusion, there is an inverse relationship between expression of cardiac Cx43 and the levels of circulating thyroid hormones. It appears that increased propensity of hyperthyroid while decreased of hypothyroid individuals to malignant arrhythmias may be in part attributed to the changes in myocardial Cx43.

The influence of erythrocyte maturity on ion transport and membrane lipid composition in the rat.

Significant relationships between ion transport and membrane lipid composition (cholesterol, total phospholipids and sphingomyelins) were found in erythrocytes of salt hypertensive Dahl rats. In these animals mean cellular hemoglobin content correlated negatively with Na(+)-K(+) pump activity and Na(+) leak but positively with Na(+)-K(+) cotransport activity. Immature erythrocytes exhibit lower mean cellular hemoglobin content (MCHC) than mature ones. The aim of the present study was to find a relationship between erythrocyte maturity, membrane lipid composition and ion transport activity in Wistar rats aged three months which were subjected to repeated hemorrhage (blood loss 2 ml/day for 6 days) to enrich circulating erythrocytes with immature forms. Immature and mature erythrocyte fractions in control and hemorrhaged rats were separated by repeated centrifugation. Hemorrhaged rats had increased number of reticulocytes but reduced hematocrit and MCHC compared to control rats. Immature erythrocytes of hemorrhaged rats differed from mature ones of control animals by elevated Na(+)-K(+) pump activity, reduced Na(+)-K(+) cotransport activity and increased Rb(+) leak. These ion transport changes in immature erythrocytes were accompanied by higher concentration of total phospholipids in their cell membranes. Membrane phospholipid content correlated positively with Na(+)-K(+) pump activity and cation leaks but negatively with Na(+)-K(+) cotransport activity. Moreover, they were also negatively related with MCHC which correlated negatively with Na(+)-K(+) pump activity and Rb(+) leak but positively with Na(+)-K(+) cotransport activity. Thus certain abnormalities of erythrocyte ion transport and membrane lipid composition detected in hypertensive animals might be caused by higher incidence of immature cells.

NADPH oxidase activity and reactive oxygen species production in brain and kidney of adult male hypertensive Ren-2 transgenic rats.

Hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM) play an important role in brain control of blood pressure (BP). One of the important mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of hypertension is the elevation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production by nicotine adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase. The aim of our present study was to investigate NADPH oxidase-mediated superoxide (O(2)(-)) production and to search for the signs of lipid peroxidation in hypothalamus and medulla oblongata as well as in renal medulla and cortex of hypertensive male rats transgenic for the murine Ren-2 renin gene (Ren-2 TGR) and their age-matched normotensive controls - Hannover Sprague Dawley rats (HanSD). We found no difference in the activity of NADPH oxidase measured as a lucigenin-mediated O(2)(-) production in the hypothalamus and medulla oblongata. However, we observed significantly elevated NADPH oxidase in both renal cortex and medulla of Ren-2 TGR compared with HanSD. Losartan (LOS) treatment (10 mg/kg body weight/day) for 2 months (Ren-2 TGR+LOS) did not change NADPH oxidase-dependent O(2)(-) production in the kidney. We detected significantly elevated indirect markers of lipid peroxidation measured as thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) in Ren-2 TGR, while they were significantly decreased in Ren-2 TGR+LOS. In conclusion, the present study shows increased NADPH oxidase activities in renal cortex and medulla with significantly increased TBARS in renal cortex. No significant changes of NADPH oxidase and markers of lipid peroxidation were detected in the studied brain regions.

The effect of alpha-tocopheryl succinate on succinate respiration in rat liver mitochondria.

We compared the effect of alpha-tocopheryl succinate (TOS) on succinate-dependent respiration in rat liver mitochondria, homogenate and permeabilized hepatocytes in both a coupled and uncoupled state. In isolated mitochondria, a significant inhibitory effect was observed at a concentration of 5 microM, in liver homogenate at 25 microM and in permeabilized hepatocytes at 50 microM. The inhibitory effect of TOS on succinate respiration in an uncoupled state was less pronounced than in a coupled state in all the experimental models tested. When the concentration dependence of the TOS inhibitory effect was tested, the most sensitive in both states were isolated mitochondria; the most resistant were permeabilized hepatocytes.

ROS production is increased in the kidney but not in the brain of Dahl rats with salt hypertension elicited in adulthood.

Enhanced production of superoxide radicals by nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase in the brain and/or kidney of salt hypertensive Dahl rats has been proposed to participate in the pathogenesis of this form of experimental hypertension. Most information was obtained in young Dahl salt-sensitive (DS) rats subjected to high salt intake prior to sexual maturation. Therefore, the aim of our study was to investigate whether salt hypertension induced in adult DS rats is also accompanied with a more pronounced oxidative stress in the brain or kidney as compared to Dahl salt-resistant (DR) controls. NADPH oxidase activity as well as the content of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) and conjugated dienes (oxidative index), which indicate a degree of lipid peroxidation, were evaluated in two brain regions (containing either hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus or rostral ventrolateral medulla) as well as in renal medulla and cortex. High salt intake induced hypertension in DS rats but did not modify blood pressure in DR rats. DS and DR rats did not differ in NADPH oxidase-dependent production of ROS, TBARS content or oxidative index in either part of the brain. In addition, high-salt diet did not change significantly any of these brain parameters. In contrast, the enhanced NADPH oxidase-mediated ROS production (without significant signs of increased lipid peroxidation) was detected in the renal medulla of salt hypertensive DS rats. Our findings suggest that there are no signs of enhanced oxidative stress in the brain of adult Dahl rats with salt hypertension induced in adulthood.

Chronic antioxidant therapy lowers blood pressure in adult but not in young Dahl salt hypertensive rats: the role of sympathetic nervous system.

AIM: It is well-known that salt hypertension is associated with increased oxidative stress. Since the development of salt hypertension is age-dependent, we were interested whether young and adult salt hypertensive Dahl rats differ in oxidative stress level and/or in the effects of chronic antioxidant therapy on blood pressure (BP) level and on the participation of particular vasoconstrictor/vasodilator systems in BP maintenance. METHODS: Young (5-week-old) and adult (12-week-old) salt-sensitive (Dahl-S) male rats were fed high-salt diet (5% NaCl) and drank tempol solution (2 mm) for 5 weeks. BP was monitored with radiotelemetry and vasoconstrictor/vasodilator balance was evaluated at the end of experiment. Moreover, NO synthase activity, superoxide production and lipoperoxidation were determined in heart, kidney and aorta in separate subgroups of Dahl rats. RESULTS: Tempol treatment had quite opposite BP effects in young and adult Dahl-S rats. While it tended to increase BP in young salt hypertensive Dahl-S rats, it significantly lowered BP in the adult ones due to reduced sympathetic vasoconstriction. Importantly, high salt intake substantially reduced NO synthase activity in heart and kidney, and markedly increased superoxide production in kidneys and aorta of adult Dahl-S rats in which BP correlated positively with superoxide production in thoracic aorta and lipoperoxidation in kidneys. CONCLUSION: Chronic antioxidant therapy lowered BP only in adult salt hypertensive Dahl-S rats in which superoxide levels were increased in both kidneys and aorta. Blood pressure reduction induced by chronic tempol treatment is related to attenuated sympathetic vasoconstriction rather than to augmented NO-dependent vasodilatation.

N-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids supplementation does not affect changes of lipid metabolism induced in rats by altered thyroid status.

Epidemiological studies have demonstrated that n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) consumption is associated with a reduced risk of atherosclerosis and hyperlipidemia. It is well known that lipid metabolism is also influenced by thyroid hormones. The aim of our study was to test whether n-3 PUFA supplementation (200 mg/kg of body weight/day for 6 weeks given intragastrically) would affect lipid metabolism in Lewis male rats with altered thyroid status. Euthyroid, hypothyroid, and hyperthyroid status of experimental groups was well defined by plasma levels of triiodothyronine, the activity of liver mitochondrial glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, and by relative heart weight. Fasting blood glucose levels were significantly higher in the hyperthyroid compared to the euthyroid and hypothyroid rats (5.0±0.2 vs. 3.7±0.4 and 4.4±0.2 mmol/l, respectively). In hyperthyroid animals, the concentration of plasma postprandial triglycerides was also increased compared to euthyroid and hypothyroid rats (0.9±0.1 vs. 0.5±0.1 and 0.4±0.1 mmol/l, respectively). On the other hand, hypothyroidism compared to euthyroid and hyperthyroid status was associated with elevated plasma levels of total cholesterol (2.6±0.2 vs. 1.5±0.1 and 1.6±0.1 mmol/l, respectively), LDL cholesterol (0.9±0.1 vs. 0.4±0.1 and 0.2±0.1 mmol/l, respectively) as well as HDL cholesterol (1.6±0.1 vs. 1.0±0.1 and 1.3±0.1 mmol/l, respectively). Supplementation of n-3 PUFA in the present study did not significantly modify either relative heart weight or glucose and lipid levels in any thyroid status.

Age-dependent salt hypertension in Dahl rats: fifty years of research.

Fifty years ago, Lewis K. Dahl has presented a new model of salt hypertension - salt-sensitive and salt-resistant Dahl rats. Twenty years later, John P. Rapp has published the first and so far the only comprehensive review on this rat model covering numerous aspects of pathophysiology and genetics of salt hypertension. When we summarized 25 years of our own research on Dahl/Rapp rats, we have realized the need to outline principal abnormalities of this model, to show their interactions at different levels of the organism and to highlight the ontogenetic aspects of salt hypertension development. Our attention was focused on some cellular aspects (cell membrane function, ion transport, cell calcium handling), intra- and extrarenal factors affecting renal function and/or renal injury, local and systemic effects of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, endothelial and smooth muscle changes responsible for abnormal vascular contraction or relaxation, altered balance between various vasoconstrictor and vasodilator systems in blood pressure maintenance as well as on the central nervous and peripheral mechanisms involved in the regulation of circulatory homeostasis. We also searched for the age-dependent impact of environmental and pharmacological interventions, which modify the development of high blood pressure and/or organ damage, if they influence the salt-sensitive organism in particular critical periods of development (developmental windows). Thus, severe self-sustaining salt hypertension in young Dahl rats is characterized by pronounced dysbalance between augmented sympathetic hyperactivity and relative nitric oxide deficiency, attenuated baroreflex as well as by a major increase of residual blood pressure indicating profound remodeling of resistance vessels. Salt hypertension development in young but not in adult Dahl rats can be attenuated by preventive increase of potassium or calcium intake. On the contrary, moderate salt hypertension in adult Dahl rats is attenuated by superoxide scavenging or endothelin-A receptor blockade which do not affect salt hypertension development in young animals.

Hypoxia-induced lipid peroxidation in the brain during postnatal ontogenesis.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are common products of the physiological metabolic reactions, which are associated with cell signaling and with the pathogenesis of various nervous disorders. The brain tissue has the high rate of oxidative metabolic activity, high concentration of polyunsaturated fatty acids in membrane lipids, presence of iron ions and low capacity of antioxidant enzymes, which makes the brain very susceptible to ROS action and lipid peroxidation formation. Membranes of brain cortex show a higher production of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) in prooxidant system (ADP.Fe(3+)/NADPH) than membranes from the heart or kidney. Lipid peroxidation influences numerous cellular functions through membrane-bound receptors or enzymes. The rate of brain cortex Na(+),K(+)-ATPase inhibition correlates well with the increase of TBARS or conjugated dienes and with changes of membrane fluidity. The experimental model of short-term hypoxia (simulating an altitude of 9000 m for 30 min) shows remarkable increase in TBARS in four different parts of the rat brain (cortex, subcortical structures, cerebellum and medulla oblongata) during the postnatal development of Wistar rat of both sexes. Young rats and males are more sensitive to oxygen changes than adult rats and females, respectively. Under normoxia or hypobaric hypoxia both ontogenetic aspects and sex differences play a major role in establishing the activity of erythrocyte catalase, which is an important part of the antioxidant defense of the organism. Rats pretreated with L-carnitine (and its derivatives) have lower TBARS levels after the exposure to hypobaric hypoxia. The protective effect of L-carnitine is comparable with the effect of tocopherol, well-known reactive species scavenger. Moreover, the plasma lactate increases after a short-term hypobaric hypoxia and decreases in L-carnitine pretreated rats. Acute hypobaric hypoxia and/or L-carnitine-pretreatment modify serum but not brain lactate dehydrogenase activity. The obtained data seem to be important because the variations in oxygen tension represent specific signals of regulating the activity of many specific systems in the organism.

Idebenone-induced recovery of glycerol-3-phosphate and succinate oxidation inhibited by digitonin.

Digitonin solubilizes mitochondrial membrane, breaks the integrity of the respiratory chain and releases two mobile redox-active components: coenzyme Q (CoQ) and cytochrome c (cyt c). In the present study we report the inhibition of glycerol-3-phosphate- and succinate-dependent oxygen consumption rates by digitonin treatment. Our results show that the inhibition of oxygen consumption rates is recovered by the addition of exogenous synthetic analog of CoQ idebenone (hydroxydecyl-ubiquinone; IDB) and cyt c. Glycerol-3-phosphate oxidation rate is recovered to 148 % of control values, whereas succinate-dependent oxidation rate only to 68 %. We find a similar effect on the activities of glycerol-3-phosphate and succinate cytochrome c oxidoreductase. Our results also indicate that succinate-dependent oxidation is less sensitive to digitonin treatment and less activated by IDB in comparison with glycerol-3-phosphate-dependent oxidation. These findings might indicate the different mechanism of the electron transfer from two flavoprotein-dependent dehydrogenases (glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase and succinate dehydrogenase) localized on the outer and inner face of the inner mitochondrial membrane, respectively.

Glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase expression and oxygen consumption in liver mitochondria of female and male rats with chronic alteration of thyroid status.

In our chronic experiments (over several months), the activity and protein amount of glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPDH) in mitochondria isolated from the liver of adult male and female inbred Lewis strain euthyroid (EU), hyperthyroid (TH), and hypothyroid (HY) rats were analyzed by biochemical and Western blot methods. The TH status was induced by intraperitoneal injections of 3,3',5-triiodo- L-thyronine and the HY status with 0.05% solution of methimazole in drinking water. The TH status led to a significant increase and the HY status to a significant decrease of enzyme activity and protein amount in both male and female animals. These changes were, however, more pronounced in females. The EU and TH female rats also showed a significantly higher activity and the TH female rats showed also a significantly higher enzyme amount in comparison with males, while the HY rats showed low levels in both sexes. The glycerol-3-phosphate-dependent oxygen consumption of freshly isolated rat liver mitochondria from the TH animals was higher in comparison with the EU animals and it was activated by idebenone, a synthetic analogue of coenzyme Q, in both the EU and TH rats. Measurements of serum thyroid hormone levels and analysis of anatomical parameters (relative heart and thyroid gland weights) confirmed that our procedures inducing the TH and HY states are efficient and reliable and that determination of GPDH can serve as an additional criterion for the evaluation of the thyroid hormone status.

Peroxidative damage of mitochondrial respiration is substrate-dependent.

The concentration-dependence of tert-butyl hydroperoxide (BHP) inhibitory effect on oxygen consumption in isolated rat liver mitochondria was measured in the presence of various respiratory substrates. Strong inhibitory effect at low concentrations of BHP (15-30 microM) was found for oxoglutarate and palmitoyl carnitine oxidation. Pyruvate and glutamate oxidation was inhibited at higher concentrations of BHP (100-200 microM). Succinate oxidation was not affected even at 3.3 mM BHP. Determination of mitochondrial membrane potential has shown that in the presence of NADH-dependent substrates the membrane potential was dissipated by BHP but was completely restored after addition of succinate. Our data thus indicate that beside peroxidative damage of complex I also various mitochondrial NADH-dependent dehydrogenases are inhibited, but to a different extent and with different kinetics. Our data also show that succinate could be an important nutritional substrate protecting hepatocytes during peroxidative damage.

Modification of respiratory-chain enzyme activities in brown adipose tissue mitochondria by idebenone (hydroxydecyl-ubiquinone).

Idebenone (IDE), a synthetic analog of coenzyme Q, strongly activates glycerol phosphate (GP) oxidation in brown adipose tissue mitochondria. GP oxidase, GP cytochrome c oxidoreductase and GP dehydrogenase activities were all significantly stimulated by 13 muM IDE. Substituted derivatives of IDE acetyl- and methoxyidebenone had similar activating effects. When succinate was used as substrate, no activation by IDE could be observed. The activation effect of IDE could be explained as release of the inhibition of glycerol phosphate dehydrogenase by endogenous free fatty acids. NADH oxidoreductase activity and oxidation of NADH-dependent substrates were inhibited by IDE. The extent of the inhibition and IDE concentration dependence varied when various substrates were tested, being highest for pyruvate and lowest for 2-oxoglutarate. This study thus showed that the effect of IDE on various mitochondrial enzymes is very different and thus its therapeutic use should take into account its specific effect on various mitochondrial dehydrogenases in relation to particular defects of mitochondrial respiratory chain.

Inhibition of palmityl carnitine oxidation in rat liver mitochondria by tert-butyl hydroperoxide.

Mitochondria as an energy generating cell device are very sensitive to oxidative damage. Our previous findings obtained in hepatocytes demonstrated that Complex I of the respiratory chain is more sensitive to oxidative damage than other respiratory chain complexes. We present additional data on isolated mitochondria showing that palmityl carnitine oxidation is strongly depressed at a low (200 microM) tert-butyl hydroperoxide (tBHP) concentration, while oxidation of the flavoprotein-dependent substrate-succinate is not affected and neither is ATP synthesis inhibited by tBHP. In the presence of tBHP, the respiratory control index for palmityl carnitine oxidation is strongly depressed, but when succinate is oxidized the respiratory control index remains unaffected. Our findings thus indicate that flavoprotein-dependent substrates could be an important nutritional factor for the regeneration process in the necrotic liver damaged by oxidative stress.

Erythrocyte ion transport in rats subjected to acute and chronic hypobaric hypoxia.

Our study addresses selected parameters of rat erythrocyte ion transport (Na(+)-K(+) pump, Na(+)-K(+)-2Cl- cotransport, and passive cation fluxes) after acute or chronic hypoxia exposure. We did not find any significant change of ion transport after acute hypoxia. However, chronic hypoxia could modify ion transport because the affinity of Na(+)-K(+) pump for intracellular Na(+) seems to be decreased.