Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:1.9.3.1 (cytochrome oxidase)
 8,822 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Mechanistically based short-term in vitro tests to evaluate the relative cytotoxicity of of chemicals will complement in vitro genotoxicity testing during the initial phases of toxicity evaluation as well as provide information on the cellular site of action for chemicals found to be toxic in animals. The objective of this study was to characterize a procedure for evaluating mitochondrial membrane potential, an integral component of cellular energy homeostasis and normal cellular function, as an in vitro indicator of chemically induced cytotoxicity. Rhodamine 123, a cationic fluorescent dye whose mitochondrial fluorescence intensity decreases quantitatively in response to dissipation of mitochondrial transmembrane potential, was used to evaluate disturbances in mitochondrial membrane potential. Cultured rat liver epithelial cells (WB cell line) or human skin fibroblasts (MSU-2 cell line) treated with the oxidative phosphorylation uncoupler 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP) or the cytochrome oxidase inhibitor sodium azide were used to characterize the system. In addition, acetaldehyde, which has been reported to damage the plasma membrane, but not the mitochondrial membrane, was used to demonstrate the specificity of this assay system. Mitochondrial membrane potential was not significantly affected by the cell culture density, as long as the cells were in the logarithmic phase of growth. The stage of the cell cycle influenced the mitochondrial membrane potential in human skin fibroblasts (highest in late G1-early S) but not in rat liver cells. DNP and sodium azide significantly (p less than 0.01) reduced the mitochondrial membrane potential in both cell lines compared to untreated cells, while acetaldehyde did not reduce the mitochondrial membrane potential in either cell line. This assay provides a tool for evaluating the effect of chemical treatments on mitochondrial membrane potential, as well as an indicator of cytotoxicity which does not require the use of animals.
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PMID:Assessment of mitochondrial membrane potential as an indicator of cytotoxicity. 185 17

In the present work we investigated the in vitro effect of the branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) accumulating in maple syrup urine disease (MSUD) on some parameters of energy metabolism in cerebral cortex of rats. 14CO2 production from [1-14C]acetate, [1-5-14C]citrate and [U-14C]glucose, as well as glucose uptake by the brain were evaluated by incubating cortical prisms from 30-day-old rats in the absence (controls) or presence of leucine (Leu), valine (Val) or isoleucine (Ile). All amino acids significantly reduced 14CO2 production by around 20-55%, in contrast to glucose utilization, which was significantly increased by up to 90%. Furthermore, Leu significantly inhibited the activity of the respiratory chain complex IV, whereas Val and Ile markedly inhibited complexes II-III, III and IV by up to 40%. We also observed that trolox (alpha-tocopherol) and creatine totally prevented the inhibitory effects provoked by the BCAA on the respiratory chain complex activities, suggesting that free radicals were involved in these effects. The results indicate that the major metabolites accumulating in MSUD disturb brain aerobic metabolism by compromising the citric acid cycle and the electron flow through the respiratory chain. We presume that these findings may be of relevance to the understanding of the pathophysiology of the neurological dysfunction of MSUD patients.
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PMID:Inhibition of brain energy metabolism by the branched-chain amino acids accumulating in maple syrup urine disease. 1768 Mar 60

Leucine accumulates in fluids and tissues of patients affected by maple syrup urine disease, an inherited metabolic disorder, predominantly characterized by neurological dysfunction. Although, a variable degree of cognition/psychomotor delay/mental retardation is found in a considerable number of individuals affected by this deficiency, the mechanisms underlying the neuropathology of these alterations are still not defined. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of acute intra-hippocampal leucine administration in the step-down test in rats. In addition, the leucine effects on the electrophysiological parameter, long-term potentiation generation, and on the activities of the respiratory chain were also investigated. Male Wistar rats were bilaterally administrated with leucine (80 nmol/hippocampus; 160 nmol/rat) or artificial cerebrospinal fluid (controls) into the hippocampus immediately post-training in the behavioral task. Twenty-four hours after training in the step-down test, the latency time was evaluated and afterwards animals were sacrificed for assessing the ex vivo biochemical measurements. Leucine-treated animals showed impairment in memory consolidation and a complete inhibition of long-term potentiation generation at supramaximal stimulation. In addition, a significant increment in complex IV activity was observed in hippocampus from leucine-administered rats. These data strongly indicate that leucine compromise memory consolidation, and that impairment of long-term potentiation generation and unbalance of the respiratory chain may be plausible mechanisms underlying the deleterious leucine effect on cognition.
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PMID:The intra-hippocampal leucine administration impairs memory consolidation and LTP generation in rats. 2058 63