Total NADH-cytochrome Research Articles

Altered muscle energy metabolism in post-absorptive patients with chronic renal failure.

Skeletal muscle biopsies were performed on 12 healthy sedentary subjects and on 22 non-dyalized chronic renal failure patients (CRF) on a free diet and after overnight fasting. Parathormone, glucagon and insulin were determined at the same time of biopsies. CRF patients showed significantly low ATP and creatine phosphate levels. Regarding enzyme activities, a high hexokinase Vmax was found, while the pyruvate kinase activity was lower than in the control group. For the tricarboxylic acid cycle, citrate synthase, succinate dehydrogenase and malate dehydrogenase activities were higher; total NADH cytochrome c reductase activity was also high, while cytochrome oxidase activity was slightly lower. Both alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase activities were considerably high in comparison with the control group. In conclusion, our study revealed a hypermetabolic TCA cycle, but impaired oxidative phosphorylation, which partly explained the reduced ATP concentration. Excessive protein intake and hormonal derangements may play a role in these metabolic changes.

Biochemical analysis of muscle biopsy in overnight fasting patients with severe chronic heart failure.

To better characterize the role of skeletal muscle in chronic heart failure we studied energetic charge, metabolites and enzyme activity in the energy production pathway. We selected 15 males with severe chronic heart failure (NYHA class III, stable clinical conditions and in normal nutritional status) and seven controls. Controls and patients were submitted to biopsy of the vastus lateralis muscle in resting and fasting conditions. Hormone profiles were also evaluated. Our results showed near normal ATP, ADP and AMP concentrations, but there were substantially more reductions in glycogen (46 +/- 5 vs 77 +/- 6 mumoles glycosidic units.g-1 fresh tissue) and creatine phosphate (5 +/- 1 vs 13 +/- 1 mumoles.g-1 fresh tissue) in patients than in controls. We also found a reduction in glycolytic activity (pyruvate kinase 1009 +/- 79 vs 1625 +/- 26 nmoles. min-1.mg protein-1), despite normal tricarboxylic acid cycle velocity, an increase in alanine amino-transferase (964 +/- 79 vs 425 +/- 34 nmoles. min-1.mg protein-1) and in aspartate aminotransferase (515 +/- 44 vs 291 +/- 56 nmoles.min-1.mg protein-1). An increase was also observed in total NADH cytochrome c reductase (128 +/- 14 vs 68 +/- 5 nmoles.min-1.mg protein-1), while cytochrome oxidase activity was normal. The cortisol/insulin ratio was slightly elevated (77 +/- 4 vs 32 +/- 12). In conclusion, normonutritive patients with severe heart failure show an imbalance in the energy production/utilization ratio. The impairment is probably due both to a decrease in production and an increase in consumption of energy owing to greater cellular workload and/or a hypercatabolic state.

Effects of hypoxia on enzyme activities in skeletal muscle of rats of different ages. An attempt at pharmacological treatment

The activities of enzymes related to energy metabolism in the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles in young-adult (4 months), mature (12 months) and senescent (24 months) rats were compared after 72 h of continuous exposure to normobaric hypoxia or normoxia after alpha-adrenergic antagonist nicergoline or saline solution had been given intraperitoneally for 30 consecutive days. The maximum rates (Vmax) of the following enzyme activities in the crude extract and/or the mitochondrial fraction of each muscle specimen were evaluated: (1) for the anaerobic glycolytic pathway: hexokinase, phosphofructokinase, pyruvate kinase and lactate dehydrogenase; (2) for the tricarboxylic acid cycle; citrate synthase and malate dehydrogenase; (3) for the electron transfer chain; cytochrome oxidase; and (4) for the NAD+/NADH redox state: total NADH cytochrome c reductase. The significant differences between the enzyme activities at different ages or under different experimental conditions in the two tissue preparations of the two muscles were determined by ANOVA. MCA and ETA were used to evaluate the net effects of the experimental conditions. Ageing did not seem to affect the soleus and gastrocnemius muscles in the same way. Changes were seen only in the glycolytic pathway enzymes in the crude extract from the gastrocnemius muscle. In the soleus muscle changes in enzyme activities as a function of ageing were also found in the mitochondrial fraction. We also found that hypoxia caused greater changes in 12-month-old rats than in those of other ages (especially in the enzyme activities of the gastrocnemius muscle). Finally out data show that only in certain cases was the pharmacological treatment able to modify the influence of hypoxic conditions on the levels of enzyme activities, regardless of the age of animals.

Age-related alterations of skeletal muscle metabolism by intermittent hypoxia and trhanalogue treatment

The characteristics of the energy metabolism were evaluated in the gastrocnemius muscle from 3- and 24-month-old rats in normoxia or subjected to either mild or severe chronic (4 weeks) intermittent normobaric hypoxia. Furthermore, 4-week treatment with saline or the TRH-analogue posatireline was performed. The muscular concentration of the following metabolites related to the energy metabolism was evaluated: glycogen, glucose, glucose 6-phosphate, pyruvate, lactate, lactate-to-pyruvate ratio; citrate, a-ketoglutarate, succinate, malate; aspartate, glutamate, alanine; ammonia; ATP, ADP, AMP, creative phosphate; energy charge potential. Furthermore the maximum rate of the following muscular enzymes was evaluated: hexokinase, phosphofructokinase, pyruvate kinase, lactate dehydrogenase; citrate synthase, malate dehydrogenase; total NADH cytochrome c reductase; cytochrome oxidase. The age-related decrease in muscular glucose 6-phosphate, pyruvate and alanine concentrations and increase in citrate concentration were consistent with the age-related decreased hexokinase and increased citrate synthase activities. Ageing was characterized by a decrease in muscular creative phosphate concentration, while the energy mediators and the energy charge potential were unchanged. The chronic (4 weeks) intermittent normobaric mild and severe hypoxia-induced alterations of the components in the anaerobic glycolytic pathway, tricarboxylic acid cycle and energy storage, that were magnified in the skeletal muscle from the oldest animals. The effect of the chronic treatment with the TRH-analogue posatireline suggests that the action of central nervous system-acting drugs could also be related to their direct influence on the muscular biochemical mechanisms related to the energy transduction.

Regulating effect of mitochondrial lactate dehydrogenase on oxidation of cytoplasmic NADH via an “external” pathway in skeletal muscle mitochondria

1. 1. The specific activity of lactate dehydrogenase of skeletal muscle mitochondria was found to be 2.5 times lower than specific activity of total NADH-cytochrome c reductase. 2. 2. The specific activity of mitochondrial LDH in skeletal muscle mitochondria was almost equal to the activity of rotenone-insensitive NADH-cytochrome c reductase. 3. 3. Mitochondrial LDH acting as an oxidase of lactate to pyruvate may feed an “external” pathway, but the activity of the mitochondrial enzyme is a limiting factor in oxidation of lactate-derived NADH. 4. 4. Mitochondrial LDH acting as a reductase of pyruvate to lactate successfully competes with an “external” pathway for cytoplasmic NADH. 5. 5. Exogenous NADH oxidation via an “external” pathway was inhibited by pyruvic acid. This inhibition was overcome by addition of oxamic acid or hydrazine.

Biochemical changes induced in the myocardial cell during cardioplegic arrest supplemented with creatine phosphate

The purpose of this work was to evaluate the biochemical changes in the myocardial cell using cardioplegia supplemented with creatine phosphate (CP). Many previous studies have demonstrated the beneficial effect of CP on the ischemic myocardium and its mechanism of action has been assumed to be mainly extracellular. Based on the assumption that CP could also exert some influence on myocardial cellular metabolism, this investigation was carried out. Forty patients undergoing mitral valve replacement were divided into two groups: group 1 was treated with standard cardioplegic solution, and group 2 was treated with cardioplegic solution enriched with CP at a concentration of 10 mmol/L. Samples of papillary muscle, obtained from the removed valve, were studied by means of biochemical methods in order to assess the enzyme activities and the metabolites of the different biochemical pathways related to energy metabolism in the myocardial cell. One papillary muscle sample was used to determine enzyme activities spectrophotometrically; another was used to evaluate metabolite concentrations by spectrophotometric or spectrophotofluorimetric methods. The rate of spontaneous functional recovery after rewarming and weaning from cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) also was evaluated. In group 2, the V max of enzymatic activities was significantly greater (hexokinase, malate dehydrogenase, glutamate dehydrogenase, total NADH cytochrome c reductase) and a better functional state of the heart was observed after CPB. On the basis of the clinical and biochemical data, it is concluded that the myocardium was better preserved when CP was added to the cardioplegic solution. Therefore, the results suggest a possible interaction of exogenous CP with cellular metabolism.

Effects of hypoxia and pharmacological treatment on enzyme activities in skeletal muscle of rats of different ages

The activities of enzymes related to energy metabolism in the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles in young-adult (4 months), mature (12 months), and senescent (24 months) rats were compared after continous (72 consecutive h) exposure to normobaric hypoxia or normoxia after the vasodilator naftidrofuryl or saline solution had been given intraperitoneally for 30 consecutive days. The maximum rates (V max) of the following enzyme activities in the crude extract and/or the crude mitochondrial fraction of each muscle specimen were evaluated for: the anaerobic glycolytic pathway (hexokinase, phosphofructokinase, pyruvate kinase, and lactate dehydrogenase), the tricarboxylic acid cycle (citrate synthase, and malate dehydrogenase), the electron transfer chain (cytochrome oxidase), and the NAD +/NADH redox state (total NADH cytochrome c reductase). The significance of difference between the enzyme activities at different ages or under different experimental conditions in the two tissue preparations of the two muscles were determined by ANOVA. MCA and ETA 2 were used to evaluate the net effects of the experimental conditions. First, aging did not seem to affect the soleus and gatrocnemius muscles in the same way. In the gastrocnemius muscle, the major changes were seen in enzymes of the glycolytic pathway, in the crude extracts. In the soleus muscle, the more striking changes in enzyme activities as a function of aging were found in the crude mitochondrial funtion. We also found that hypoxia caused more important changes in 12-month-old rats than in those of other ages (especially the enzyme activities of the gastrocnemius muscle). Naftidrofuryl modified the effects of hypoxia only sometimes and further investigations are necessary before we can draw any conclusions about the pharmacological activity of naftidrofuryl in hypoxia.

Enzyme activities in perikaryal and synaptic mitochondrial fractions from rat hippocampus during development

When pharmacological or basic neurochemical systematic characterization of mitochondrial enzymatic systems correlated to energy transduction processes is attempted, studies must be based on subcellular fractions with a high degree of purity from specific brain areas and from individuals animals. Distinct populations of mitochondria heterogenous with respect to biochemical enzyme characteristics from rat brain hippocampus are described. Two mitochondrial populations were derived from synaptosomes by lysis and a third consists of free non-synaptic mitochondria. The maximumrate of some cerebral enzyme activities which are part of energy transduction (citrate synthase, malate dehydrogenease; total NADH-cytochrome c reductase, cytochrome oxidase) and amino acid metabolism (glutamate dehydrogenase) were tested on these mitochondrial populations of 8- and 16-week-old rats. A comprehensive analysis of the data suggests that extensive but highly diversified catalytic expressions of the enzymes studied occur in the hippocampus. This is true even when a short period of the rat life span is studied. Hence the varying pattern of evolution of the differing cerebral mitochodria, probably a consequence of different metabolic functions, should be taken into account in any pharmacological study on these systems.

Nuclear and mitochondrial DNA synthesis and energy metabolism in primary rat glial cell cultures.

DNA synthesis in nuclei and mitochondria purified from serum-supplemented rat glial cell cultures at different days after plating was studied. Furthermore in mitochondria, some enzymatic activities related to energy transduction (citrate synthase, malate dehydrogenase, total NADH-cytochrome c reductase, cytochrome oxidase and glutamate dehydrogenase) were measured. For DNA labeling [methyl-3H]thymidine was added to the culture medium at different days after plating. During the culture times studied the specific activity of total, nuclear, and mitochondrial DNA decreased from 8 days in vitro (DIV) to 21 DIV and increased at 30 DIV. The specific activity of nuclear DNA was always higher than that of mitochondrial DNA. The specific activity of the above mentioned mitochondrial enzymes increased from 8 DIV up to 21 DIV and decreased at 30 DIV, suggesting a relationship between the energy metabolism and the differentiation of glial cells in culture.

Changes induced by ischemia on some cerebral enzymatic activities related to energy transduction and amino acid metabolism

The maximal rate of some cerebral enzymatic activities related to energy transduction (hexokinase; phosphofructokinase; lactate dehydrogenase; citrate synthase; malate dehydrogenase; total NADH-cytochrome c reductase; cytochrome oxidase), amino acid metabolism (glutamate decarboxylase; glutamate dehydrogenase) and cholinergic metabolism (acetylcholine esterase) were tested in the cerebral cortex and in sub-cortical area of rats. The evaluations were performed both in the homogenate in toto and in the crude mitochondrial fraction, before and after a postdecapitative normothermic ischemia of 5, 10, 20, and 40 min duration. The results are discussed also with respect to the pharmacological pretreatment with two biological substances which may modulate amino acid (L-alanine) and phospholipid metabolism (CDP-choline). The analysis of the present data suggests the occurrence in brain tissue of a variety of interrelated factors implicated in the ischemia-induced changes of the maximal rate of the enzymatic activities related to the energy transduction. These include: (a) rearrangement of the enzymatic activities because of the changed metabolic and chemico-physical condition; (b) decrease in the activity of enzymes related to the electron transfer chain and glycolysis; (c) changes in enzymes related to mitochondrial membranes. The effects of in vivo administration of alanine or CDP-choline, even if significant, are not consistent throughout the time period studied.

Rat cortex synaptic and nonsynaptic mitochondria: enzymatic characterization and pharmacological effects of naftidrofuryl.

In order to investigate the in vivo pharmacological effects of the drug naftidrofuryl, we prepared populations of synaptic and nonsynaptic mitochondria from rat brain cortex. In these different mitochondrial populations the activities of citrate synthase, malate dehydrogenase, total NADH cytochrome c reductase, cytochrome oxidase, and glutamate dehydrogenase were evaluated. Except for glutamate dehydrogenase, the specific activities of the enzymes evaluated in the "free" mitochondrial fraction were higher than those observed in the "synaptic" SM1 and SM2 mitochondrial fractions, the difference between SM1 and SM2 fractions being significant. The in vivo administration of naftidrofuryl induced few and different changes in the various mitochondrial populations.

The effect of ischemia and pharmacological treatment evaluated on synaptosomes and purified mitochondria from rat cerebral cortex

Changes in the maximal rate of some cerebral enzymatic activities related to energy transduction (lactate dehydrogenase; citrate synthase and malate dehydrogenase; total NADH-cytochrome c reductase and cytochrome oxidase) as well as both glutamate dehydrogenase and acetylcholine esterase were assayed in the purified mitochondrial fraction or in crude synaptosomal fraction from cerebral cortex. The evaluations were performed in rats before and after a postdecapitative normothermic ischemia of 5, 10, 20 and 40 min duration. The ischemic damage resulted in a decrease in the activity of mitochondrial malate dehydrogenase and total NADH-cytochrome c reductase, and of synaptosomal acetylcholine esterase. The biochemical evaluations were performed also after an i.p. pretreatment with vincamine, trimetazidine and suloctidil (50 mg/kg). The drugs induced different changes in enzyme activities as a function of the ischemia duration. These various interferences are discussed with regard to the possible drugs mode of action.

Brain enzymes and ischemia.

Changes in the maximal rate of some cerebral enzymatic activities related to 400ene transduction and neurotransmission (lactate dehydrogenase; citrate synthase and malate dehydrogenase; total NADH-cytochrome c reductase and cytochrome oxidase; glutamate dehydrogenase; acetylcholine esterase) were assayed both in the crude or purified mitochondrial fraction and in the crude synaptosomal fraction from rat whole brain or cerebral cortex. The evaluations were performed in rats before and after a postdecapitative normothermic ischemia of 5, 10, 20 and 40 min duration. Modification observed in some of these activities wer discussed for comparison with other experimental results from different researchers. At present no definite conclusions can be drawn, but certainly the observed modifications in activity of enzymes are not passive but expression of deranged metabolism of ischemic neurons.

Effect of phenobarbital on cerebral energy state and metabolism. Enzymatic activities.

The changes induced by phenobarbital in cerebral enzymatic activities of the Krebs' cycle (citrate synthase, malate dehydrogenase) and electron transfer chain (total NADH-cytochrome c reductase and cytochrome oxidase) were studied. In addition, the activity of lactate dehydrogenase of acetylcholine esterase and of glutamate dehydrogenase was also studied. These enzymatic activities were evaluated in the homogenate in toto and in a crude mitochondrial fraction from rat brain. The modifications in some of these activities indicate that several new metabolic situations occur in brain tissue after phenobarbital treatment.

S-adenosyl- l-methionine, related compounds, and cerebral enzymatic activities during chronic hyperammonemia in rats

The effect of the im administration of some chemicals in the S -adenosyl- l -methionine system on the hyperammonemia syndrome was evaluated. This experimental syndrome was induced in the rat by ip administration of high doses of ammonium acetate (33, 100, and 300 mg/kg/day, 6 days a week for 40 days, followed by study of the activity of some cerebral enzymes involved in energy transduction. The enzymatic activities evaluated in the homogenate and/or in the mitochondrial fraction of brain tissue were: lactate dehydrogenase, citrate synthase, malate dehydrogenase, total NADH-cytochrome c reductase, and cytochrome oxidase. The lowest and highest doses of ammonium acetate did not induce any significant change in cerebral enzymatic activities, while the median dose reduced the activity of malate dehydrogenase (in the homogenate) and of total NADH-cytochrome c reductase (both in the homogenate and in the mitochondrial fraction). The simultaneous daily im treatment with equimolar doses of substances involved in the S -adenosyl- l -methionine system (adenosine, methionine, and S -adenosyl- l -methionine) did not cause any significant modification of the cerebral enzymatic activities associated with the administration of ammonium acetate at the three dose levels.

Structural and functional relationships of enzyme activities induced by nitrate in barley.

1. Nitrate induces the development of NADH-nitrate reductase (EC 1.6.6.1), FMNH(2)-nitrate reductase and NADH-cytochrome c reductase activities in barley shoots. 2. Sucrose-density-gradient analysis shows one band of NADH-nitrate reductase (8S), one band of FMNH(2)-nitrate reductase activity (8S) and three bands of NADH-cytochrome c reductase activity (bottom layer, 8S and 3.7S). Both 8S and 3.7S NADH-cytochrome c reductase activities are inducible by nitrate, but the induction of the 8S band is much more marked. 3. The 8S NADH-cytochrome c reductase band co-sediments with both NADH-nitrate reductase activity and FMNH(2)-nitrate reductase activity. Nitrite reductase activity (4.6S) did not coincide with the activity of either the 8S or the 3.7S NADH-cytochrome c reductase. 4. FMNH(2)-nitrate reductase activity is more stable (t((1/2)) 12.5min) than either NADH-nitrate reductase activity (t((1/2)) 0.5min) or total NADH-cytochrome c reductase activity (t((1/2)) 1.5min) at 45 degrees C. 5. NADH-cytochrome c reductase and NADH-nitrate reductase activities are more sensitive to p-chloromercuribenzoate than is FMNH(2)-nitrate reductase activity. 6. Tungstate prevents the formation of NADH-nitrate reductase and FMNH(2)-nitrate reductase activities, but it causes superinduction of NADH-cytochrome c reductase activity. Molybdate overcomes the effects of tungstate. 7. The same three bands (bottom layer, 8S and 3.7S) of NADH-cytochrome c reductase activity are observed irrespective of whether induction is carried out in the presence or absence of tungstate, but only the activities in the 8S and 3.7S bands are increased. 8. The results support the idea that NADH-nitrate reductase, FMNH(2)-nitrate reductase and NADH-cytochrome c reductase are activities of the same enzyme complex, and that in the presence of tungstate the 8S enzyme complex is formed but is functional only with respect to NADH-cytochrome c reductase activity.