Functional changes in liver mitochondria following in situ anoxia

Abstract

Liver anoxia was produced in rats by ligating the anterior mesenteric and celiac arteries and the portal vein for a 2-hour period. Mitochondria prepared from the livers of these animals were compared with normal or sham-operated rats. Mitochondrial protein from treated liver was lower than normal by almost 50%. In the anoxic mitochondria the potassium ion concentration decreased, the Mg ATPase was stimulated and the dinitrophenol ATPase was inhibited. There was an impairment of the DPN-linked dehydrogenase activity while succinate oxidation was less affected. Oxidative phosphorylation was uncoupled with pyruvate, α-ketoglutarate and ß-hydroxybutarate but unaffected with glutamate and succinate. A method for the measurement of mitochondrial swelling in vivo is presented and indicates that mitochondria from liver of treated animals are swollen. The changes in mitochondrial function following in situ anoxia are compared with those changes seen following carbon tetrachloride administration.