scholarly journals The effect of α-adrenergic agonists on the membrane potential of fat-cell mitochondria in situ

1982 ◽  
Vol 206 (3) ◽  
pp. 619-626 ◽  
Author(s):  
R J Davis ◽  
B R Martin

1. The accumulation of [3H]methyltriphenylphosphonium by isolated fat-cells was used to estimate the membrane potential of mitochondria in situ. 2. An alpha-adrenergic receptor-mediated decrease in the apparent accumulation of [3H]methyltriphenylphosphonium was observed. Methoxamine, clonidine and low concentrations of phenylephrine decreased the calculated mitochrondrial membrane potential without significantly raising cyclic AMP levels, adenylate cyclase activity or stimulating lipolysis. The agonist potency order was phenylephrine greater than methoxamine greater than clonidine. 3. The decrease in the calculated mitochondrial membrane potential caused by phenylephrine, clonidine and methoxamine was blocked by the alpha-adrenergic antagonist prazosin but not by yohimbine nor by the beta-antagonist propranolol. This suggests that the effect on the calculated mitochondrial membrane potential may be mediated by alpha 1-like receptors.

1991 ◽  
Vol 69 (11) ◽  
pp. 1705-1712 ◽  
Author(s):  
Noburu Konno ◽  
K. J. Kako

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and hypochlorite (HOCl) cause a variety of cellular dysfunctions. In this study we examined the effects of these agents on the electrical potential gradient across the inner membrane of mitochondria in situ in isolated rat heart myocytes. Myocytes were prepared by collagenase digestion and incubated in the presence of H2O2 or HOCl. Transmembrane electrical gradients were measured by distribution of [3H]triphenylmethylphosphonium+, a lipophilic cation. The particulate fraction was separated from the cytosolic compartment first by permeabilization using digitonin, followed by rapid centrifugal sedimentation through a bromododecane layer. We found that the mitochondrial membrane potential (161 ± 7 mV, negative inside) was relatively well maintained under oxidant stress, i.e., the potential was decreased only at high concentrations of HOCl and H2O2 and gradually with time. The membrane potential of isolated rat heart mitochondria was affected similarly by H2O2 and HOCl in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. High concentrations of oxidants also reduced the cellular ATP level but did not significantly change the matrix volume. When the extra-mitochondrial free calcium concentration was increased in permeabilized myocytes, the transmembrane potential was decreased proportionally, and this decrease was potentiated further by H2O2. These results support the view that heart mitochondria are equipped with well-developed defense mechanisms against oxidants, but the action of H2O2 on the transmembrane electrical gradient is exacerbated by an increase in cytosolic calcium. Keywords: ATP, calcium, cardiomyocyte, cell defense, mitochondrial membrane potential, oxidant, triphenylmethylphosphonium.


1989 ◽  
Vol 86 (17) ◽  
pp. 6626-6629 ◽  
Author(s):  
L B Margolis ◽  
Y u Novikova I ◽  
I A Rozovskaya ◽  
V P Skulachev

Acidification of the cytoplasm of Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cells to pH 6.3 arrests DNA synthesis in these cells. Such an effect can be achieved by incubating the cells at pH 6.2 or by adding low concentrations of the K+/H+ antiporter, the antibiotic nigericin, at neutral pH. Glucose and anaerobiosis potentiate the nigericin effect. The inhibition of DNA synthesis by nigericin occurs without any significant decrease in the ATP concentration and in the mitochondrial membrane potential. The DNA synthesis inhibition is caused neither by a decrease in the intracellular [K+] nor by an increase in the intracellular [Na+] accompanying the nigericin effect (at least at low concentrations of the antibiotic). Nigericin should thus be regarded as a type of a cytostatic primarily affecting intracellular pH.


1984 ◽  
Vol 217 (2) ◽  
pp. 453-459 ◽  
Author(s):  
M D Brand ◽  
S M Felber

The mitochondrial membrane potential (delta psi m) in intact lymphocytes was calculated by measuring the distribution of radiolabelled methyltriphenylphosphonium cation. The value obtained was 120 mV. The pH gradient across the mitochondrial membrane in situ (delta pH m) was estimated to be 73 mV (1.2 pH units). Thus the electrochemical gradient of protons was about 190 mV. Addition of the mitogen concanavalin A did not alter delta psi m, showing that, if movement of Ca2+ across the inner membrane of lymphocyte mitochondria occurs when concanavalin A is added, it is accompanied by charge-compensating ion movements.


1982 ◽  
Vol 206 (3) ◽  
pp. 611-618 ◽  
Author(s):  
R J Davis ◽  
B R Martin

1. The accumulation of [3H]methyltriphenylphosphonium by isolated fat-cells was used to estimate the membrane potential of mitochondria in situ. 2. Adrenaline caused a large decrease in the accumulation of [3H]methyltriphenylphosphonium. Mitochondria in fat-cells incubated in the presence of adrenaline had a very low calculated membrane potential. This effect was also given by isoprenaline (a beta-adrenergic agonist) and was blocked by propranolol (a beta-adrenergic antagonist). 3. The effect of isoprenaline could be partially antagonized by the use of media with high albumin concentrations. Addition of sodium oleate to saturate the fatty acid-binding sites on the albumin reversed this antagonism. 4. It is proposed that the decrease in the calculated mitochondrial membrane potential is due to the uncoupling effect of the non-esterified fatty acids released by the stimulation of lipolysis observed in the presence of beta-adrenergic agonists.


1992 ◽  
Vol 284 (2) ◽  
pp. 463-467 ◽  
Author(s):  
A E Vercesi ◽  
R Docampo

The use of low concentrations of digitonin allowed the quantitative determination of the mitochondrial membrane potential of Leishmania donovani promastigotes in situ using safranine O. L. donovani mitochondria were able to build up and retain a membrane potential of a value comparable with that of mammalian mitochondria. The response of promastigotes mitochondrial membrane potential to phosphate, carbonyl cyanide p-(trifluoromethoxy)phenylhydrazone (FCCP), valinomycin and Ca2+ indicates that these mitochondria behave similarly to vertebrate mitochondria with regard to the properties of their electrochemical proton gradient. When L. donovani promastigotes were permeabilized with digitonin in a reaction medium containing MgATP, succinate and 3.5 microM free Ca2+, they lowered the medium Ca2+ concentration to the submicromolar level (0.05-0.1 microM). The presence of 1 microM-FCCP decreased by about 75% the initial rate of Ca2+ sequestration by these permeabilized cells. This FCCP-insensitive Ca2+ uptake, probably by the endoplasmic reticulum, was completely inhibited by 500 microM-vanadate. On the other hand, when vanadate instead of FCCP was present, the initial rate of Ca2+ accumulation was decreased by about 25% and the Ca2+ set point was increased to 0.7 microM. The succinate-dependence and FCCP-and Ruthenium Red-sensitivity of the Ca2+ uptake detected in the presence of vanadate indicate that this uptake is probably by the mitochondria. This interpretation was further supported by the Ruthenium Red-sensitive decrease in the mitochondrial membrane potential caused by Ca2+ addition. The anti-leishmanial cationic drugs pentamidine and WR-6026 also induced a rapid collapse of the mitochondrial inner membrane potential of L. donovani promastigotes.


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