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A A Starkov

Publications and source records attributed to A A Starkov.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Cyclosporin A-sensitive decrease in the transmembrane potential across the inner membrane of liver mitochondria induced by low concentrations of fatty acids and Ca2+.

At low Ca2+ concentrations the pore of the inner mitochondrial membrane can open in substates with lower permeability (Hunter, D. R., and Haworth, R. A. (1979) Arch. Biochem. Biophys., 195, 468-477). Recently, we showed that Ca2+ loading of mitochondria augments the cyclosporin A-dependent decrease in transmembrane potential (DeltaPsi) across the inner mitochondrial membrane caused by 10 micro M myristic acid but does not affect the stimulation of respiration by this fatty acid. We have proposed that in our experiments the pore opened in a substate with lower permeability rather than in the "classic" state (Bodrova, M. E., et al. (2000) IUBMB Life, 50, 189-194). Here we show that under conditions lowering the probability of "classic pore" opening in Ca2+-loaded mitochondria myristic acid induces the cyclosporin A-sensitive DeltaPsi decrease and mitochondrial swelling more effectively than uncoupler SF6847 does, though their protonophoric activities are equal. In the absence of P(i) and presence of succinate and rotenone (with or without glutamate) cyclosporin A either reversed or only stopped DeltaPsi decrease induced by 5 micro M myristic acid and 5 micro M Ca2+. In the last case nigericin, when added after cyclosporin A, reversed the DeltaPsi decrease, and the following addition of EGTA produced only a weak (if any) DeltaPsi increase. In P(i)-containing medium (in the presence of glutamate and malate) cyclosporin A reversed the DeltaPsi decrease. These data show that the cyclosporin A-sensitive decrease in DeltaPsi by low concentrations of fatty acids and Ca2+ cannot be explained by specific uncoupling effect of fatty acid. We propose that: 1) low concentrations of Ca2+ and fatty acid induce the pore opening in a substate with a selective cation permeability, and the cyclosporin A-sensitive DeltaPsi decrease results from a conversion of DeltaPsi to pH gradient due to the electrogenic cation transport in mitochondria; 2) the ADP/ATP-antiporter is involved in this process; 3) higher efficiency of fatty acid compared to SF6847 in the Ca2+-dependent pore opening seems to be due to its interaction with the nucleotide-binding site of the ADP/ATP-antiporter and higher affinity of fatty acids to cations.

Animals↗

Effect of electron-transport inhibitors on the generation of reactive oxygen species by pea mitochondria during succinate oxidation.

The effect of inhibitors of the cytochrome pathway and alternative oxidase on the rate of respiration and generation of reactive oxygen species by pea mitochondria was studied. Respiration of mitochondria from pea cotyledons was inhibited by 70-80% by salicylhydroxamate (SHAM). The rate of hydrogen peroxide production by pea cotyledon mitochondria during succinate oxidation was 0.15 nmol/min per mg protein. SHAM considerably accelerated the hydrogen peroxide production. The SHAM-dependent H2O2 production was stimulated by 2 micro M antimycin A and inhibited by 5 mM KCN and 1 micro M myxothiazol. The study of the rate of O2*- generation by pea mitochondria using EPR spin traps and epinephrine oxidation showed that H2O2 accumulation can be accounted for by a significant increase in the rate of O2*- production.

Electron Transport↗

Thyroxine reversibly inhibits the uncoupling action of protonophores on energy production in rat thymus lymphocytes.

Earlier we reported that some thyroid and steroid hormones and also 6-ketocholestanol used in micromolar concentrations modulated the effects of protonophoric uncouplers on isolated mitochondria (Starkov et al. (1997) Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 1318, 173-183). In the present study we investigated the effects of a thyroid hormone, thyroxine, on energy coupling of intact rat thymus lymphocytes and mitochondria isolated from these cells. The resting (oligomycin-inhibited) respiration of the isolated intact lymphocytes was stimulated by the addition of protonophoric uncouplers 2,4-DNP, FCCP, or SF6847. Subsequent addition of micromolar concentrations of thyroxin decreased the rate of uncoupler-stimulated respiration and partially reversed uncoupler-induced decrease of membrane potential (DeltaPsi). In experiments with mitochondria isolated from thymus lymphocytes the re-coupling effect of thyroxine was not observed. In this case thyroxine did not influence mitochondrial respiration stimulated with 2,4-DNP, but did potentiate the stimulation of respiration and DeltaPsi decrease induced with another uncoupler, SF6847. The data are discussed in terms of a hypothesis that aromatic uncouplers are transported into the cell by the thyroxine carrier of the plasma membrane.

2,4-Dinitrophenol↗

Structural determinants of fluorochemical-induced mitochondrial dysfunction.

Perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) are thought to induce peroxisome proliferation and interfere with mitochondrial metabolic pathways. Direct measurements revealed that PFOA and the unsubstituted sulfonamide of perfluorooctane (FOSA) uncouple mitochondrial respiration by increasing proton conductance. The purpose of this investigation was to characterize structural determinants responsible for the mitochondrial uncoupling effect of several structurally related fluorochemicals. Included in the study were PFOA, PFOS, FOSA, the N-acetate of FOSA (perfluorooctanesulfonamidoacetate, FOSAA), N-ethylperfluorooctanesulfonamide (N-EtFOSA), and the N-ethyl alcohol [2-(N-ethylperfluorooctanesulfonamido)ethyl alcohol, N-EtFOSE] and N-acetic acid (N-ethylperfluorooctanesulfonamidoacetate, N-EtFOSAA) of N-EtFOSA. Each test compound was dissolved in ethanol and added directly to an incubation medium containing substrate-energized rat liver mitochondria. Mitochondrial respiration and membrane potential were measured concurrently using an oxygen electrode and a TPP+ -selective electrode, respectively. All of the compounds tested, at sufficiently high concentrations, had the capacity to interfere with mitochondrial respiration, albeit via different mechanisms and with varying potencies. At sufficiently high concentrations, the free acids PFOA and PFOS caused a slight increase in the intrinsic proton leak of the mitochondrial inner membrane, which resembled a surfactant-like change in membrane fluidity. Similar effects were observed with the sulfonamide N-EtFOSE. Another fully substituted sulfonamide, N-EtFOSAA, at high concentrations caused inhibition of respiration, the release of cytochrome c, and high-amplitude swelling of mitochondria. The swelling was prevented by cyclosporin A or by EGTA, indicating that this compound induced the mitochondrial permeability transition. The unsubstituted and mono-substituted amides FOSA, N-EtFOSA, and FOSAA all exerted a strong uncoupling effect on mitochondria resembling that of protonophoric uncouplers. Among these compounds, FOSA was a very potent uncoupler of oxidative phosphorylation, with an IC50 of approximately 1 microM. These data suggest that the protonated nitrogen atom with a favorable pKa is essential for the uncoupling action of perfluorooctane sulfonamides in mitochondria, which may be critical to the mechanism by which these compounds interfere with mitochondrial metabolism to induce peroxisome proliferation in vivo.

Alkanesulfonic Acids↗

Myxothiazol induces H(2)O(2) production from mitochondrial respiratory chain.

Interruption of electron flow at the quinone-reducing center (Q(i)) of complex III of the mitochondrial respiratory chain results in superoxide production. Unstable semiquinone bound in quinol-oxidizing center (Q(o)) of complex III is thought to be the sole source of electrons for oxygen reduction; however, the unambiguous evidence is lacking. We investigated the effects of complex III inhibitors antimycin, myxothiazol, and stigmatellin on generation of H(2)O(2) in rat heart and brain mitochondria. In the absence of antimycin A, myxothiazol stimulated H(2)O(2) production by mitochondria oxidizing malate, succinate, or alpha-glycerophosphate. Stigmatellin inhibited H(2)O(2) production induced by myxothiazol. Myxothiazol-induced H(2)O(2) production was dependent on the succinate/fumarate ratio but in a manner different from H(2)O(2) generation induced by antimycin A. We conclude that myxothiazol-induced H(2)O(2) originates from a site located in the complex III Q(o) center but different from the site of H(2)O(2) production inducible by antimycin A.

Animals↗

Ascorbate and low concentrations of FeSO4 induce Ca2+-dependent pore in rat liver mitochondria.

Oxidative stress is one of the most frequent causes of tissue and cell injury in various pathologies. The molecular mechanism of mitochondrial damage under conditions of oxidative stress induced in vitro with low concentrations of FeSO4 and ascorbate (vitamin C) was studied. FeSO4 (1-4 microM) added to rat liver mitochondria that were incubated in the presence of 2.3 mM ascorbate induced (with a certain delay) a decrease in membrane potential and high-amplitude swelling. It also significantly decreased the ability of mitochondria to accumulate exogenous Ca2+. All the effects of FeSO4 + ascorbate were essentially prevented by cyclosporin A, a specific inhibitor of the mitochondrial Ca2+-dependent pore (also known as the mitochondrial permeability transition). EGTA restored the membrane potential of mitochondria de-energized with FeSO4 + ascorbate. We hypothesize that oxidative stress induced in vitro with FeSO4 and millimolar concentrations of ascorbate damages mitochondria by inducing the cyclosporin A-sensitive Ca2+-dependent pore in the inner mitochondrial membrane.

Animals↗

Mitochondrial targets of drug toxicity.

Mitochondria have long been recognized as the generators of energy for the cell. Like any other power source, however, mitochondria are highly vulnerable to inhibition or uncoupling of the energy harnessing process and run a high risk for catastrophic damage to the cell. The exquisite structural and functional characteristics of mitochondria provide a number of primary targets for xenobiotic-induced bioenergetic failure. They also provide opportunities for selective delivery of drugs to the mitochondrion. In light of the large number of natural, commercial, pharmaceutical, and environmental chemicals that manifest their toxicity by interfering with mitochondrial bioenergetics, it is important to understand the underlying mechanisms. The significance is further underscored by the recent identification of bioenergetic control points for cell replication and differentiation and the realization that mitochondria play a determinant role in cell signaling and apoptotic modes of cell death.

Animals↗

Fatty acids as natural uncouplers preventing generation of O2.- and H2O2 by mitochondria in the resting state.

Both natural (laurate) and artificial (m-chlorocarbonylcyanide phenylhydrazone; CCCP) uncouplers strongly inhibit O2.- and H2O2 formation by rat heart mitochondria oxidizing succinate. Carboxyatractylate, an ATP/ADP antiporter inhibitor, abolishes the laurate inhibition, the CCCP inhibition being unaffected. Atractylate partially releases the inhibition by laurate and decelerates the releasing effect of carboxyatractylate. GDP is much less effective than carboxyatractylate in releasing the laurate inhibition of reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation. Micromolar laurate concentrations arresting the ROS formation cause strong inhibition of reverse electron transfer from succinate to NAD+, whereas State 4 respiration and the transmembrane electric potential difference (delta psi) level are affected only slightly. It is suggested that (i) free fatty acids operate as natural 'mild uncouplers' preventing the transmembrane electrochemical H+ potential difference (delta muH+) from being above a threshold critical for ROS formation by complex I and, to a lesser degree, by complex III of the respiratory chain, and (ii) it is the ATP/ADP-antiporter, rather than uncoupling protein 2, that is mainly involved in this antioxidant mechanism of heart muscle mitochondria.

Animals↗

High protonic potential actuates a mechanism of production of reactive oxygen species in mitochondria.

Formation of H2O2 has been studied in rat heart mitochondria, pretreated with H2O2 and aminotriazole to lower their antioxidant capacity. It is shown that the rate of H2O2 formation by mitochondria oxidizing 6 mM succinate is inhibited by a protonophorous uncoupler, ADP and phosphate, malonate, rotenone and myxothiazol, and is stimulated by antimycin A. The effect of ADP is abolished by carboxyatractylate and oligomycin. Addition of uncoupler after rotenone induces further inhibition of H2O2 production. Inhibition of H2O2 formation by uncoupler, malonate and ADP+Pi is shown to be proportional to the delta psi decrease by these compounds. A threshold delta psi value is found, above which a very strong increase in H2O2 production takes place. This threshold slightly exceeds the state 3 delta psi level. The data obtained are in line with the concept [Skulachev, V.P., Q. Rev. Biophys. 29 (1996), 169-2021 that a high proton motive force in state 4 is potentially dangerous for the cell due to an increase in the probability of superoxide formation.

Adenosine Diphosphate↗

Inhibition of the alternative oxidase stimulates H2O2 production in plant mitochondria.

The hypothesis that a non-coupled alternative oxidase of plant mitochondria operates as an antioxygen defence mechanism [Purvis, A.C. and Shewfelt, R.L., Physiol. Plant. 88 (1993) 712-718; Skulachev, V.P., Biochemistry (Moscow) 59 (1994) 1433-1434] has been confirmed in experiments on isolated soybean and pea cotyledon mitochondria. It is shown that inhibitors of the alternative oxidase, salicyl hydroxamate and propyl gallate strongly stimulate H2O2 production by these mitochondria oxidizing succinate. Effective concentrations of the inhibitors proved to be the same as those decreasing the cyanide-resistant respiration. The inhibitors proved to be ineffective in stimulating H2O2 formation in rat liver mitochondria lacking the alternative oxidase.

Animals↗

Thyroxine induces cyclosporin A-insensitive, Ca2+-dependent reversible permeability transition pore in rat liver mitochondria.

The effect of thyroxine on Ca2+-dependent mitochondrial permeability transition has been examined. It is shown that 40 microM thyroxine induces high amplitude swelling and decrease in membrane potential in Ca2+-loaded rat liver mitochondria, both in the presence and absence of cyclosporin A. Thyroxine-induced decrease in membrane potential is partially or completely reversed by addition of EGTA into the incubation medium. Nigericin and ADP are shown to prevent, or significantly delay, the effects of thyroxine on both mitochondrial swelling and membrane potential, whereas nicotinamide potentiates the permeabilisation of mitochondria. It is suggested that thyroxine induced reversible, cyclosporin A-insensitive permeability transition pore (PTP) opening in the inner mitochondrial membrane.

Adenosine Diphosphate↗

6-Ketocholestanol is a recoupler for mitochondria, chromatophores and cytochrome oxidase proteoliposomes.

The effect of 6-ketocholestanol (kCh) on various natural and reconstituted membrane systems has been studied. 6-ketocholestanol (5 alpha-Cholestan-3 beta-ol-6-one), a compound increasing the membrane dipole potential, completely prevents or reverses the uncoupling action of low concentrations of the most potent artificial protonophore SF6847. This effect can be shown in the rat liver and heart muscle mitochondria, in the intact lymphocytes, in the Rhodobacter sphaeroides chromatophores, and in proteoliposomes with the heart muscle or Rh. sphaeroides cytochrome oxidase. The recoupling effect of kCh disappears within a few minutes after the kCh addition and cannot be observed at all at high SF6847 concentrations. Almost complete recoupling is also shown with FCCP, CCCP, CCP and platanetin. With 2,4-dinitrophenol, fatty acids and gramicidin, kCh is ineffective. With TTFB, PCP, dicoumarol, and zearalenone, low kCh concentrations are ineffective, whereas its high concentrations recouple but partially. The kCh recoupling is more pronounced in mitochondria, lymphocytes and proteoliposomes than in chromatophores. On the other hand, mitochondria, lymphocytes and proteoliposomes are much more sensitive to SF6847 than chromatophores. A measurable lowering of the electric resistance of a planar bilayer phospholipid membrane (BLM) are shown to occur at SF6847 concentrations which are even higher than in chromatophores. In BLMs, kCh not only fails to reverse the effect of SF6847, but even enhances the conductivity increase caused by this uncoupler. It is assumed that action of low concentrations of the SF6847-like uncouplers on coupling membranes involves cytochrome oxidase and perhaps some other membrane protein(s) as well. This involvement is inhibited by the asymmetric increase in the membrane dipole potential, caused by incorporation of kCh to the outer leaflet of the membrane.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Regulation of the energy coupling in mitochondria by some steroid and thyroid hormones.

Male sex hormones [dihydrotestosterone (DTS), and testosterone] and progesterone, when added to the isolated rat liver mitochondria before or after some protonophores, lower the respiration rate and increase the delta psi level, i.e., reverse the protonophore-induced uncoupling. Such a recoupling ability shows specific structural requirements correlating with hormonal activity of steroids studied. For instance, epiandrosterone, a DTS isomer of very low hormonal activity, and deoxycorticosterone, differing from progesterone by additional OH-group and possessing quite different hormonal activity, as well as female sex hormones (estron and estradiol) show no recoupling effect. Like 6-ketocholestanol (kCh), male sex hormones and progesterone recouple mitochondria uncoupled by low concentrations of SF6847, FCCP and CCCP, but not by high concentration of these uncouplers or by any concentration of DNP, palmitate and gramicidin. In contrast to recoupling by kCh, hormonal recoupling requires addition of serum albumin and is inhibited by low concentrations of palmitate. Recoupling can also be shown on the heart and skeletal muscle mitochondria, being absent from the heart muscle submitochondrial particles, the bacterial chromatophores and the cytochrome oxidase proteoliposomes. In mitochondria it does not depend upon the oxidation substrate used (succinate or PMS + ascorbate were tested). Pronounced seasonal effect upon the DTS recoupling degree was revealed. The recoupling is maximal in January, February and from June to November, being minimal in the spring months and in December. In spring, the in vivo administration of thyroxine, di- or triiodothyronine improves the recoupling ability of DTS. 2 x 10 - 6 M. Thyroxine, when added in vitro, does not affect energy coupling if SF6847 was absent. In the presence of small amounts of SF6847, thyroxine stimulates the uncoupling in a DTS-sensitive fashion, di- and triiodothyronines being less effective. Addition of thyroxine to azide-inhibited mitochondria (oligomycin is present) stimulates respiration and normalizes the delta psi level. In this system, triiodothyronine is much less effective, whereas diiodothyronine is not effective at all. In the intact cells (thymocytes and the Krebs-II cells were tested), DTS lowers the respiration rate stimulated by low concentrations of SF6846 or FCCP. In this case, serum albumin is not required. It is suggested that recoupling effects of male sex hormones and progesterone are involved in their anabolic action just as uncoupling takes part in the catabolic activity of thyroid hormones.

Animals↗

"Mild" uncoupling of mitochondria.

Recently, it was proposed that the thyroid hormone-mediated uncoupling in mitochondria is involved in the cellular defence system against free radicals (Skulachev V.P. (1996) Quart. Rev. Biophys. 29:169-202). This phenomenon was named "mild" uncoupling. It was postulated to be a protein-mediated process controlled by several factors. The data reported during the past 40 years, pointing to the protein-mediated uncoupling mechanism in mitochondria, are reviewed in a context of hypothetical properties of "mild" uncoupling. The mechanism of "mild" uncoupling is suggested to be the following: (a) mitochondria possess protein(s) that regulate the proton permeability of inner mitochondrial membrane; (b) these proteins are regulated by binding of an unidentified low-molecular-weight endogenous compound with properties resembling those of the most active artificial uncouplers like FCCP and SF6847; (c) the interaction of this compound with its target protein(s) is modulated by a thyroid hormone in a positive (i.e. enhancing the proton permeability) way and by sex steroid hormones in a negative way; (e) endogenous fatty acids can attenuate the influence of both thyroid and steroid hormones.

Animals↗

6-ketocholestanol abolishes the effect of the most potent uncouplers of oxidative phosphorylation in mitochondria.

The effect of a keto-derivative of cholesterol, namely, 6-ketocholestanol (5 alpha-cholestan-3 beta-ol-6-one; kCh) on the uncoupling of oxidation and phosphorylation by various uncouplers was studied in rat heart mitochondria. kCh was found to completely abolish the uncoupling effect (the increase in the respiration rate under the respiratory control conditions and the decrease in the membrane potential) caused of FCCP, CCCP and SF6847 and partially by TTFB at low concentrations of uncouplers. It was without effect on the uncoupling by PCP, DNP and palmitate. Carboxyatractylate, a specific inhibitor of the ADP/ATP-antiporter, was shown to almost completely abolish the uncoupling induced by palmitate and partially by low concentration of TTFB, PCP and DNP. Effects of high concentrations of all these uncouplers as well as of any concentrations of gramicidin proved to be kCh- and carboxyatractilate-insensitive. The data are discussed in terms of the hypothesis on the protein-mediated mechanism of the protonophorous uncoupling.

Animals↗

[Closure of Ca2+-dependent pores by cyclosporin A: the role of magnesium ions, adenine nucleotides, and conformation status of the ADP/ATP antiporter].

Effects of ADP and Mg2+ on the ability of cyclosporin A to "reseal" mitochondria permeabilized by Ca2+ and P(i) have been studied. Cyclosporin A was completely ineffective, when ADP and Mg2+ were not included into the incubation medium. Both ADP and Mg2+ used at high concentrations potentiated the effect of cyclosporin A and prevented it reversal by carboxyatractylate. Data on the influence of different concentrations of ADP and Mg2+ on the resealing efficiency of cyclosporin A suggest that the true effector modulating the state of the Ca(2+)-dependent pore is the ADP-Mg2+ complex, but not ADP or Mg2+ used separately. The ability of non-hydrolyzable analogs of adenine nucleotides, ADP-S and ATP-S, to potentiate the resealing action of cyclosporin on mitochondria permeabilized by loading of different Ca2+ concentrations to that of ADP was compared. ATP-S was ineffective when the pore was induced by high concentrations of Ca2+. The results obtained are discussed in terms of hypothesis on the direct involvement of the ADP/ATP antiporter in regulation of the inner mitochondrial membrane Ca(2+)-dependent pore state.

Adenine Nucleotides↗

Ca(2+)-loading modulates potencies of cyclosporin A, Mg2+ and ADP to recouple permeabilized rat liver mitochondria.

We studied the relative potencies of cyclosporin A and endogenous effectors (Mg2+ and ADP) to recouple rat liver mitochondria permeabilized by different Ca(2+)-loading in a P(i)-containing medium. Recoupling efficiency of cyclosporin A dramatically decreased at high Ca(2+)-loading (approx. 100 nM of Ca2+/mg protein and more). Mitochondria permeabilized by high Ca2+ were recoupled with approximately equal efficiency by higher cyclosporin A concentrations or by adding 1-5 mM Mg2+ together with low concentrations of cyclosporin A while potentiating effect of ADP on the cyclosporin A recoupling potency was insignificant. Mg2+ ions at concentrations of 3 mM and higher also prevented the carboxyatractylate-induced reversion of cyclosporin A recoupling effect. The data point to competitive relationships between cyclosporin A and/or Mg2+ ions and Ca2+ ions for the site(s) regulating permeability state of the pore.

2,4-Dinitrophenol↗