Temperature Dependence of Rat Liver Mitochondrial Respiration with Uncoupling of Oxidative Phosphorylation by Fatty Acids. Influence of Inorganic Phosphate

V. N. Samartsev^*, S. A. Chezganova, L. S. Polishchuk, A. P. Paydyganov, O. V. Vidyakina, and I. P. Zeldi

Mari State University, pl. Lenina 1, Yoshkar-Ola 421001, Russia; fax: (836-2) 45-4581; E-mail: samartsev@marsu.ru

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed.

Received March 1, 2002; Revision received April 29, 2002

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The respiration rate of liver mitochondria in the course of succinate oxidation depends on temperature in the presence of palmitate more strongly than in its absence (in state 4). In the Arrhenius plot, the temperature dependence of the palmitate-induced stimulation of respiration has a bend at 22°C which is characterized by transition of the activation energy from 120 to 60 kJ/mol. However, a similar dependence of respiration in state 4 is linear over the whole temperature range and corresponds to the activation energy of 17 kJ/mol. Phosphate partially inhibits the uncoupling effect of palmitate. This effect of phosphate is increased on decrease in temperature. In the presence of phosphate the temperature dependence in the Arrhenius plot also has a bend at 22°C, and the activation energy increases from 128 to 208 kJ/mol in the range from 13 to 22°C and from 56 to 67 kJ/mol in the range from 22 to 37°C. Mersalyl (10 nmol/mg protein), an inhibitor of the phosphate carrier, similarly to phosphate, suppresses the uncoupling effect of laurate, and the effects of mersalyl and phosphate are not additive. The recoupling effects of phosphate and mersalyl seem to show involvement of the phosphate carrier in the uncoupling effect of fatty acids in liver mitochondria. Possible mechanisms of involvement of the phosphate carrier in the uncoupling effect of fatty acids are discussed.

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KEY WORDS: liver mitochondria, free oxidation, respiration, uncoupling, fatty acids, temperature dependence, Arrhenius plot, phosphate carrier

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