Stabilising action of carnitine on energy linked processes in rat liver mitochondria
Di Lisa, F.; Bobyleva-Guarriero, V.; Jocelyn, P.; Toninello, A.; Siliprandi, N.
Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 131(2): 968-973
1985
ISSN/ISBN: 0006-291X PMID: 4052078 Document Number: 265393
Rat liver mitochondria exposed to stressing conditions - ageing at room temperature, incubation in the presence of t-butyl hydroperoxide or damaging concentrations of Ca2+ and phosphate- undergo a rapid fall in their membrane potential (.DELTA.psi.) with a concomitant release of endogenous Mg2+ and accumulated Ca2+. Addition of L-carnitine to the incubation medium considerably delays mitochondrial deenergization. A similar, though lower, protection has also been observed in L-carnitine pretreated and subsequently washed rat liver mitochondria. Furthermore mitochrondria isolated from livers of starved rats, treated with L-carnitine 30 minutes before death and exposed to the same stressing conditions show similar delay in the decrease of .DELTA.psi. and concurrent energy linked processes as compared with untreated animals. Both the in vitro and in vivo results strongly indicate that the stabilising action of L-carnitine on liver mitochondria is due to the removal of membrane bound long chain acyl CoA.