The action of carbon tetrachloride on mitochondria in vitro

Abstract

Carbon tetrachloride produces pronouced morphological and biochemical changes in mitochondria in vitro. At high concentrations, it increases the rate of spontaneous swelling of the particles; at low concentrations it delays the rate of spontaneous swelling. Addition of CCl 4 (saturated aqueous solution) to mitochondria in vitro results in extensive uncoupling of oxidative phosphorylation, as well as in abolition of repiratory control. ATPase activity is increased. The effect of CCl 4 can be observed also in homogenates. If these are prepared with sucrose solutions previously saturated with CCl 4, the mitochondria show evidence of biochemical changes, which are, however, less marked than those produced by CCl 4 in the reaction medium. It is conceivable that part of the mitochondrial damage induced by CCl 4 is reversed by washing. Since the liver of CCl 4-treated rats contains CCl 4 in concentrations close to those shown to cause mitochondrial damage in vitro, the action of CCl 4 on mitochondria may account for the damage in vivo.