Abstract
The mechanism by which the free radical scavenger butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) prevents cumene hydroperoxide-induced Ca 2+ release from rat liver mitochondria was studied. In Ca 2+-loaded mitochondria cumene hydroperoxide induced a rapid oxidation and subsequent hydrolysis of the pyridine nucleotides. In the presence of BHT, pyridine nucleotide oxidation by cumene hydroperoxide occurred but was reversible as hydrolysis was prevented by BHT. However, the addition of BHT directly to rat liver submitochondrial particles did not inhibit NAD + hydrolysis or the formation of ADP-ribose from NAD +. Thus, whilst BHT prevented NAD + hydrolysis in isolated mitochondria, this appeared not to be due to a direct effect of BHT on the NADase. It is concluded that the mechanism of action of BHT on cumene hydroperoxide-induced Ca 2+ release from mitochondria involves the inhibition of pyridine nucleotide hydrolysis by an indirect mechanism rather than the radical scavenging properties of BHT.
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