By determining the calcium retention capacity (CRC) of rat liver mitochondria, we confirmed and extended previous observations describing the activation of mitochondrial swelling by phosphate and tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BHP). Using CRC measurements, we showed that both phosphate and t-BHP decrease the extent of calcium accumulation required for the full mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP) opening to 35 % of control values and to only 15 % when both phosphate and t-BHP are present in the medium. When changes in fluorescence were evaluated at higher resolution, we observed that in the presence of cyclosporine A fluorescence values return after each Ca(2+) addition to basal values obtained before the Ca(2+) addition. This indicates that the MPTP remains closed. However, in the absence of cyclosporine A, the basal fluorescence after each Ca(2+) addition continuously increased. This increase was potentiated both by phosphate and t-BHP until the moment when the concentration of intramitochondrial calcium required for the full opening of the MPTP was reached. We conclude that in the absence of cyclosporine A, the MPTP is slowly opened after each Ca(2+) addition and that this rate of opening can be modified by various factors such as the composition of the media and the experimental protocol used.

Department of Physiology Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Králové Charles University Hradec Králové Czech Republic

References provided by Crossref.org

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The Mitochondrial Permeability Transition Pore-Current Knowledge of Its Structure, Function, and Regulation, and Optimized Methods for Evaluating Its Functional State

Age-Dependent Changes in the Function of Mitochondrial Membrane Permeability Transition Pore in Rat Liver Mitochondria

Factors affecting the function of the mitochondrial membrane permeability transition pore and their role in evaluation of calcium retention capacity values