Some effects of salicylate on mitochondria from rat liver

Abstract

The effects of salicylate on oxidative-phosphorylation reactions in mitochondria prepared from rat liver have been studied. The phosphorylation associated with the oxidation of succinate and [beta]-hydroxybutyrate was completely uncoupled by 1 m[image] salicylate and higher concentrations; 0.1 and 0.5 m[image] produced smaller but still definite effects. Part of the phosphorylation accompanying the oxidation of [alpha] -oxoglutarate appeared to be resistant to salicylate. Five m[image] salicylate increased the rate of oxygen consumption in an acceptor-deficient system above that in a corresponding control system saturated with glucose and hexokinase. Five m[image] salicylate completely prevented the swelling of mitochondria occurring in 0.25 [image] sucrose solution. Lower salicylate concentrations caused less-marked effects. Some implications of these results are discussed.