Isolation and characterization of mammary epithelial cells derived from Göttingen Minipigs: A comparative study versus hybrid pig cells from the IMI-ConcePTION Project

The value of pig as "large animal model" is a well-known tool for translational medicine, but it can also be beneficial in studying animal health in a one-health vision. The ConcePTION Project aims to provide new information about the risks associated with medication use during breastfeeding, as this information is not available for most commonly used drugs. In the IMI-Conception context, Göttingen Minipigs have been preferred to hybrid pigs for their genetic stability and microbiological control. For the first time, in the present research, three primary cell cultures of mammary epithelial cells were isolated and characterized from Göttingen Minipigs (mpMECs), including their ability to create the epithelial barrier. In addition, a comparative analysis between Göttingen Minipigs and commercial hybrid pig mammary epithelial cells (pMECs) was conducted. Epithelial markers: CKs, CK18, E-CAD, ZO-1 and OCL, were expressed in both mpMECs and pMECs. RT2 Profiler PCR Array Pig Drug Transporters showed a similar profile in mRNA drug transporters. No difference in energy production under basal metabolic condition was evidenced, while under stressed state, a different metabolic behaviour was shown between mpMECs vs pMECs. TEER measurement and sodium fluorescein transport, indicated that mpMECs were able to create an epithelial barrier, although, this turned out to be less compact than pMECs. By comparing mpMECs with mammary epithelial cells isolated from Hybrid pigs (pMECs), although both cell lines have morphological and phenotypic characteristics that make them both useful in barrier studies, some specific differences exist and must be considered in a translational perspective.

Molecular mechanisms of naringenin modulation of mitochondrial permeability transition acting on F1FO-ATPase and counteracting saline load-induced injury in SHRSP cerebral endothelial cells

Naringenin (NRG) was characterized for its ability to counteract mitochondrial dysfunction which is linked to cardiovascular diseases. The F1FO-ATPase can act as a molecular target of NRG. The interaction of NRG with this enzyme can avoid the energy transmission mechanism of ATP hydrolysis, especially in the presence of Ca2+ cation used as cofactor. Indeed, NRG was a selective inhibitor of the hydrophilic F1 domain displaying a binding site overlapped with quercetin in the inside surface of an annulus made by the three α and the three β subunits arranged alternatively in a hexamer. The kinetic constant of inhibition suggested that NRG preferred the enzyme activated by Ca2+ rather than the F1FO-ATPase activated by the natural cofactor Mg2+. From the inhibition type mechanism of NRG stemmed the possibility to speculate that NRG can prevent the activation of F1FO-ATPase by Ca2+. The event correlated to the protective role in the mitochondrial permeability transition pore opening by NRG as well as to the reduction of ROS production probably linked to the NRG chemical structure with antioxidant action. Moreover, in primary cerebral endothelial cells (ECs) obtained from stroke prone spontaneously hypertensive rats NRG had a protective effect on salt-induced injury by restoring cell viability and endothelial cell tube formation while also rescuing complex I activity.

Selenite ameliorates the ATP hydrolysis of mitochondrial F1FO-ATPase by changing the redox state of thiol groups and impairs the ADP phosphorylation

Selenite as an inorganic form of selenium can affect the redox state of mitochondria by modifying the thiol groups of cysteines. The F1FO-ATPase has been identified as a mitochondrial target of this compound. Indeed, the bifunctional mechanism of ATP turnover of F1FO-ATPase was differently modified by selenite. The activity of ATP hydrolysis was stimulated, whereas the ADP phosphorylation was inhibited. We ascertain that a possible new protein adduct identified as seleno-dithiol (-S-Se-S-) mercaptoethanol-sensitive caused the activation of F-ATPase activity and the oxidation of free -SH groups in mitochondria. Conversely, the inhibition of ATP synthesis by selenite might be irreversible. The kinetic analysis of the activation mechanism was an uncompetitive mixed type with respect to the ATP substrate. Selenite bound more selectively to the F1FO-ATPase loaded with the substrate by preferentially forming a tertiary (enzyme-ATP-selenite) complex. Otherwise, the selenite was a competitive mixed-type activator with respect to the Mg2+ cofactor. Thus, selenite more specifically bound to the free enzyme forming the complex enzyme-selenite. However, even if the selenite impaired the catalysis of F1FO-ATPase, the mitochondrial permeability transition pore phenomenon was unaffected. Therefore, the reversible energy transduction mechanism of F1FO-ATPase can be oppositely regulated by selenite.

Cell bioenergetics and ATP production of boar spermatozoa

Cellular metabolism is an important feature of spermatozoa that deserves more insights to be fully understood, in particular in porcine semen physiology. The present study aims to characterize the balance between glycolytic and oxidative metabolism in boar sperm cells. Agilent Seahorse technology was used to assess both oxygen consumption rate (OCR), as an oxidative metabolism index, and extracellular acidification rate (ECAR), as a glycolytic index. Different metabolic parameters were studied on freshly ejaculated sperm cells (identified as day zero sample, d0) and after one day of storage at 17 °C in Androhep extender (d1). Mitochondrial ATP production rate (MitoATP) was higher than the glycolytic ATP production rate (glycoATP) at both d0 and d1 while at d1 the amount of ATP production decreased, in particular, due to OXPHOS reduction. Conversely, glycoATP was not significantly different between d0 and d1. Interestingly, OCR profile showed no different bioenergetic parameters (i.e. ATP turnover, basal or maximal respiration, and spare respiration) between d0 and d1, thus indicating that sperm cell metabolism was reversibly decreased by preservation conditions. Other metabolic parameters showed the same trend, irrespective of the storage time: under stressed conditions (oligomycin plus FCCP), spermatozoa showed an increase in mitochondrial respiration while the metabolic potential of glycolysis did not undergo variations when compared to baseline metabolism. The rate of oxidation of fuel substrates - glucose, fatty acids, and glutamine - showed that sperm reliance on glucose oxidation to maintain baseline respiration was higher than fatty acids or glutamine. Interestingly spermatozoa demonstrated to have a low "capacity" parameter, which indicates that they cannot use only a single fuel substrate to produce energy. This feature of sperm metabolism to be unable to increase oxidation of a particular fuel to compensate for inhibition of alternative fuel pathway(s) was demonstrated by the negative value of "flexibility". Our results showed that ATP production in boar sperm cells relied on mitochondrial oxidative metabolism in freshly ejaculated cells, while, under liquid storage conditions, their oxidative metabolism decreased while the glycolysis remained constant. These results open new fields of research in the preservation techniques of boar sperm cells.

Two separate pathways underlie NADH and succinate oxidation in swine heart mitochondria: Kinetic evidence on the mobile electron carriers

We have investigated NADH and succinate aerobic oxidation in frozen and thawed swine heart mitochondria. Simultaneous oxidation of NADH and succinate showed complete additivity under a variety of experimental conditions, suggesting that the electron fluxes originating from NADH and succinate are completely independent and do not mix at the level of the so-called mobile diffusible components. We ascribe the results to mixing of the fluxes at the level of cytochrome c in bovine mitochondria: the Complex IV flux control coefficient in NADH oxidation was high in swine mitochondria but very low in bovine mitochondria, suggesting a stronger interaction of cytochrome c with the supercomplex in the former. This was not the case in succinate oxidation, in which Complex IV exerted little control also in swine mitochondria. We interpret the data in swine mitochondria as restriction of the NADH flux by channelling within the I-III₂-IV supercomplex, whereas the flux from succinate shows pool mixing for both Coenzyme Q and probably cytochrome c. The difference between the two types of mitochondria may be ascribed to different lipid composition affecting the cytochrome c binding properties, as suggested by breaks in Arrhenius plots of Complex IV activity occurring at higher temperatures in bovine mitochondria.

Novel Regioselective Synthesis of 1,3,4,5-Tetrasubstituted Pyrazoles and Biochemical Valuation on F1FO-ATPase and Mitochondrial Permeability Transition Pore Formation

An efficient, eco-compatible, and very cheap method for the construction of fully substituted pyrazoles (Pzs) via eliminative nitrilimine-alkene 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition (ENAC) reaction was developed in excellent yield and high regioselectivity. Enaminones and nitrilimines generated in situ were selected as dipolarophiles and dipoles, respectively. A deep screening of the employed base, solvent, and temperature was carried out to optimize reaction conditions. Recycling tests of ionic liquid were performed, furnishing efficient performance until six cycles. Finally, a plausible mechanism of cycloaddition was proposed. Then, the effect of three different structures of Pzs was evaluated on the F₁F_O-ATPase activity and mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP) opening. The Pz derivatives' titration curves of 6a, 6h, and 6o on the F₁F_O-ATPase showed a reduced activity of 86%, 35%, and 31%, respectively. Enzyme inhibition analysis depicted an uncompetitive mechanism with the typical formation of the tertiary complex enzyme-substrate-inhibitor (ESI). The dissociation constant of the ESI complex (K_i') in the presence of the 6a had a lower order of magnitude than other Pzs. The pyrazole core might set the specific mechanism of inhibition with the F₁F_O-ATPase, whereas specific functional groups of Pzs might modulate the binding affinity. The mPTP opening decreased in Pz-treated mitochondria and the Pzs' inhibitory effect on the mPTP was concentration-dependent with 6a and 6o. Indeed, the mPTP was more efficiently blocked with 0.1 mM 6a than with 1 mM 6a. On the contrary, 1 mM 6o had stronger desensitization of mPTP formation than 0.1 mM 6o. The F₁F_O-ATPase is a target of Pzs blocking mPTP formation.

1,5-disubstituted-1,2,3-triazoles counteract mitochondrial dysfunction acting on F1FO-ATPase in models of cardiovascular diseases

The compromised viability and function of cardiovascular cells are rescued by small molecules of triazole derivatives (Tzs), identified as 3a and 3b, by preventing mitochondrial dysfunction. The oxidative phosphorylation improves the respiratory control rate in the presence of Tzs independently of the substrates that energize the mitochondria. The F₁F_O-ATPase, the main candidate in mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP) formation, is the biological target of Tzs and hydrophilic F₁ domain of the enzyme is depicted as the binding region of Tzs. The protective effect of Tz molecules on isolated mitochondria was corroborated by immortalized cardiomyocytes results. Indeed, mPTP opening was attenuated in response to ionomycin. Consequently, increased mitochondrial roundness and reduction of both length and interconnections between mitochondria. In in-vitro and ex-vivo models of cardiovascular pathologies (i.e., hypoxia-reoxygenation and hypertension) were used to evaluate the Tzs cardioprotective action. Key parameters of porcine aortic endothelial cells (pAECs) oxidative metabolism and cell viability were not affected by Tzs. However, in the presence of either 1 μM 3a or 0.5 μM 3b the impaired cell metabolism of pAECs injured by hypoxia-reoxygenation was restored to control respiratory profile. Moreover, endothelial cells isolated from SHRSP exposed to high-salt treatment rescued the Complex I activity and the endothelial capability to form vessel-like tubes and vascular function in presence of Tzs. As a result, the specific biochemical mechanism of Tzs to block Ca²⁺-activated F₁F_O-ATPase protected cell viability and preserved the pAECs bioenergetic metabolism upon hypoxia-reoxygenation injury. Moreover, SHRSP improved vascular dysfunction in response to a high-salt treatment.

The Impairment of Cell Metabolism by Cardiovascular Toxicity of Doxorubicin Is Reversed by Bergamot Polyphenolic Fraction Treatment in Endothelial Cells

The beneficial effects of bergamot polyphenolic fraction (BPF) on the mitochondrial bioenergetics of porcine aortic endothelial cells (pAECs) were verified under the cardiotoxic action of doxorubicin (DOX). The cell viability of pAECs treated for 24 h with different concentrations of DOX was reduced by 50%, but the negative effect of DOX was reversed in the presence of increasing doses of BPF (100 µg/mL and 200 µg/mL BPF). An analysis of the protective effect of BPF on the toxic action of DOX was also carried out on cell respiration. We observed the inhibition of the mitochondrial activity at 10 µM DOX, which was not restored by 200 µg/mL BPF. Conversely, the decrease in basal respiration and ATP production caused by 0.5 or 1.0 µM DOX were improved in the presence of 100 or 200 µg/mL BPF, respectively. After 24 h of cell recovery with 100 µg/mL or 200 µg/mL BPF on pAECs treated with 0.5 µM or 1.0 µM DOX, respectively, the mitochondrial parameters of oxidative metabolism impaired by DOX were re-boosted.

The Evaluation of the Effects of Dietary Vitamin E or Selenium on Lipid Oxidation in Rabbit Hamburgers: Comparing TBARS and Hexanal SPME-GC Analyses

The effects and specificity of dietary supplementation of EconomasETM (EcoE), mainly consisting of organic selenium (0.15 or 0.30 mg/kg feed; Se) or of vitamin E (100 or 200 mg/kg feed; VE), on lipid oxidation were evaluated in rabbit hamburgers during refrigerated storage. Oxidation data obtained by thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) spectrophotometric analysis and solid-phase microextraction (SPME) coupled with gas chromatography (GC) to determine hexanal content were compared. The relationships between oxidation levels, colour and pH and the discriminability of EcoE- or VE-treatment compared with control were also examined. TBARS content decreased in both VE and EcoE groups, while hexanal showed lower values only in the VE100 dietary group. The colour parameters were compatible with acceptable product quality and seemed to parallel the TBARS values up to the second day storage. Both VE and EcoE improved oxidative stability without affecting the sensory properties, but the VE effect appeared to more specifically hamper lipid oxidation, as evidenced by the determination and quantification of hexanal, a specific product of fatty acid peroxidation.

Mitochondria Bioenergetic Functions and Cell Metabolism Are Modulated by the Bergamot Polyphenolic Fraction

The bergamot polyphenolic fraction (BPF) was evaluated in the F₁F_O-ATPase activity of swine heart mitochondria. In the presence of a concentration higher than 50 µg/mL BPF, the ATPase activity of F₁F_O-ATPase, dependent on the natural cofactor Mg²⁺, increased by 15%, whereas the enzyme activity in the presence of Ca²⁺ was inhibited by 10%. By considering this opposite BPF effect, the F₁F_O-ATPase activity involved in providing ATP synthesis in oxidative phosphorylation and triggering mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP) formation has been evaluated. The BPF improved the catalytic coupling of oxidative phosphorylation in the presence of a substrate at the first phosphorylation site, boosting the respiratory control ratios (state 3/state 4) by 25% and 85% with 50 µg/mL and 100 µg/mL BPF, respectively. Conversely, the substrate at the second phosphorylation site led to the improvement of the state 3/state 4 ratios by 15% only with 100 µg/mL BPF. Moreover, the BPF carried out its beneficial effect on the mPTP phenomenon by desensitizing the pore opening. The acute effect of the BPF on the metabolism of porcine aortica endothelial cells (pAECs) showed an ATP rate index greater than one, which points out a prevailing mitochondrial oxidative metabolism with respect to the glycolytic pathway, and this ratio rose by about three times with 100 µg/mL BPF. Consistently, the mitochondrial ATP turnover, in addition to the basal and maximal respiration, were higher in the presence of the BPF than in the controls, and the MTT test revealed an increase in cell viability with a BPF concentration above 200 µg/mL. Therefore, the molecule mixture of the BPF aims to ensure good performance of the mitochondrial bioenergetic parameters.

The mitochondrial F1FO-ATPase exploits the dithiol redox state to modulate the permeability transition pore

The dithiol reagents phenylarsine oxide (PAO) and dibromobimane (DBrB) have opposite effects on the F₁F_O-ATPase activity. PAO 20% increases ATP hydrolysis at 50 μM when the enzyme activity is activated by the natural cofactor Mg²⁺ and at 150 μM when it is activated by Ca²⁺. The PAO-driven F₁F_O-ATPase activation is reverted to the basal activity by 50 μM dithiothreitol (DTE). Conversely, 300 μM DBrB decreases the F₁F_O-ATPase activity by 25% when activated by Mg²⁺ and by 50% when activated by Ca²⁺. In both cases, the F₁F_O-ATPase inhibition by DBrB is insensitive to DTE. The mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP) formation, related to the Ca²⁺-dependent F₁F_O-ATPase activity, is stimulated by PAO and desensitized by DBrB. Since PAO and DBrB apparently form adducts with different cysteine couples, the results highlight the crucial role of cross-linking of vicinal dithiols on the F₁F_O-ATPase, with (ir)reversible redox states, in the mPTP modulation.

The inhibition of gadolinium ion (Gd3+) on the mitochondrial F1FO-ATPase is linked to the modulation of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore

The mitochondrial permeability transition pore (PTP), which drives regulated cell death when Ca²⁺ concentration suddenly increases in mitochondria, was related to changes in the Ca²⁺-activated F₁F_O-ATPase. The effects of the gadolinium cation (Gd³⁺), widely used for diagnosis and therapy, and reported as PTP blocker, were evaluated on the F₁F_O-ATPase activated by Mg²⁺ or Ca²⁺ and on the PTP. Gd³⁺ more effectively inhibits the Ca²⁺-activated F₁F_O-ATPase than the Mg²⁺-activated F₁F_O-ATPase by a mixed-type inhibition on the former and by uncompetitive mechanism on the latter. Most likely Gd³⁺ binding to F₁, is favoured by Ca²⁺ insertion. The maximal inactivation rates (k_inact) of pseudo-first order inactivation are similar either when the F₁F_O-ATPase is activated by Ca²⁺ or by Mg²⁺. The half-maximal inactivator concentrations (K_I) are 2.35 ± 0.35 mM and 0.72 ± 0.11 mM, respectively. The potency of a mechanism-based inhibitor (k_inact/K_I) also highlights a higher inhibition efficiency of Gd³⁺ on the Ca²⁺-activated F₁F_O-ATPase (0.59 ± 0.09 mM^-1∙s^-1) than on the Mg²⁺-activated F₁F_O-ATPase (0.13 ± 0.02 mM^-1∙s^-1). Consistently, the PTP is desensitized in presence of Gd³⁺. The Gd³⁺ inhibition on both the mitochondrial Ca²⁺-activated F₁F_O-ATPase and the PTP strengthens the link between the PTP and the F₁F_O-ATPase when activated by Ca²⁺ and provides insights on the biological effects of Gd³⁺.

Vitamin K Vitamers Differently Affect Energy Metabolism in IPEC-J2 Cells

The fat-soluble vitamin K (VK) has long been known as a requirement for blood coagulation, but like other vitamins, has been recently recognized to play further physiological roles, particularly in cell development and homeostasis. Vertebrates cannot de novo synthesize VK, which is essential, and it can only be obtained from the diet or by the activity of the gut microbiota. The IPEC-J2 cell line, obtained from porcine small intestine, which shows strong similarities to the human one, represents an excellent functional model to in vitro study the effect of compounds at the intestinal level. The acute VK treatments on the bioenergetic features of IPEC-J2 cells were evaluated by Seahorse XP Agilent technology. VK exists in different structurally related forms (vitamers), all featured by a naphtoquinone moiety, but with distinct effects on IPEC-J2 energy metabolism. The VK1, which has a long hydrocarbon chain, at both concentrations (5 and 10 μM), increases the cellular ATP production due to oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) by 5% and by 30% through glycolysis. The VK2 at 5 μM only stimulates ATP production by OXPHOS. Conversely, 10 μM VK3, which lacks the long side chain, inhibits OXPHOS by 30% and glycolysis by 45%. However, even if IPEC-J2 cells mainly prefer OXPHOS to glycolysis to produce ATP, the OXPHOS/glycolysis ratio significantly decreases in VK1-treated cells, is unaffected by VK2, and only significantly increased by 10 μM VK3. VK1, at the two concentrations tested, does not affect the mitochondrial bioenergetic parameters, while 5 μM VK2 increases and 5 μM VK3 reduces the mitochondrial respiration (i.e., maximal respiration and spare respiratory capacity). Moreover, 10 μM VK3 impairs OXPHOS, as shown by the increase in the proton leak, namely the proton backward entry to the matrix space, thus pointing out mitochondrial toxicity. Furthermore, in the presence of both VK1 and VK2 concentrations, the glycolytic parameters, namely the glycolytic capacity and the glycolytic reserve, are unaltered. In contrast, the inhibition of glycoATP production by VK3 is linked to the 80% inhibition of glycolysis, resulting in a reduced glycolytic capacity and reserve. These data, which demonstrate the VK ability to differently modulate IPEC-J2 cell energy metabolism according to the different structural features of the vitamers, can mirror VK modulatory effects on the cell membrane features and, as a cascade, on the epithelial cell properties and gut functions: balance of salt and water, macromolecule cleavage, detoxification of harmful compounds, and nitrogen recycling.

Molecular and Supramolecular Structure of the Mitochondrial Oxidative Phosphorylation System: Implications for Pathology

Under aerobic conditions, mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) converts the energy released by nutrient oxidation into ATP, the currency of living organisms. The whole biochemical machinery is hosted by the inner mitochondrial membrane (mtIM) where the protonmotive force built by respiratory complexes, dynamically assembled as super-complexes, allows the F1FO-ATP synthase to make ATP from ADP + Pi. Recently mitochondria emerged not only as cell powerhouses, but also as signaling hubs by way of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. However, when ROS removal systems and/or OXPHOS constituents are defective, the physiological ROS generation can cause ROS imbalance and oxidative stress, which in turn damages cell components. Moreover, the morphology of mitochondria rules cell fate and the formation of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore in the mtIM, which, most likely with the F1FO-ATP synthase contribution, permeabilizes mitochondria and leads to cell death. As the multiple mitochondrial functions are mutually interconnected, changes in protein composition by mutations or in supercomplex assembly and/or in membrane structures often generate a dysfunctional cascade and lead to life-incompatible diseases or severe syndromes. The known structural/functional changes in mitochondrial proteins and structures, which impact mitochondrial bioenergetics because of an impaired or defective energy transduction system, here reviewed, constitute the main biochemical damage in a variety of genetic and age-related diseases.

Sulfide affects the mitochondrial respiration, the Ca2+-activated F1FO-ATPase activity and the permeability transition pore but does not change the Mg2+-activated F1FO-ATPase activity in swine heart mitochondria

In mammalian cells enzymatic and non-enzymatic pathways produce H₂S, a gaseous transmitter which recently emerged as promising therapeutic agent and modulator of mitochondrial bioenergetics. To explore this topic, the H₂S donor NaHS, at micromolar concentrations, was tested on swine heart mitochondria. NaHS did not affect the F₁F_O-ATPase activated by the natural cofactor Mg², but, when Mg²⁺ was replaced by Ca²⁺, a slight 15% enzyme inhibition at 100 µM NaHS was shown. Conversely, both the NADH-O₂ and succinate-O₂ oxidoreductase activities were totally inhibited by 200 μM NaHS with IC₅₀ values of 61.6 ± 4.1 and 16.5 ± 4.6 μM NaHS, respectively. Since the mitochondrial respiration was equally inhibited by NaHS at both first or second respiratory substrates sites, the H₂S generation may prevent the electron transfer from complexes I and II to downhill respiratory chain complexes, probably because H₂S competes with O₂ in complex IV, thus reducing membrane potential as a consequence of the cytochrome c oxidase activity inhibition. The Complex IV blockage by H₂S was consistent with the linear concentration-dependent NADH-O₂ oxidoreductase inhibition and exponential succinate-O₂ oxidoreductase inhibition by NaHS, whereas the coupling between substrate oxidation and phosphorylation was unaffected by NaHS. Even if H₂S is known to cause sulfhydration of cysteine residues, thiol oxidizing (GSSG) or reducing (DTE) agents, did not affect the F₁F_O-ATPase activities and mitochondrial respiration, thus ruling out any involvement of post-translational modifications of thiols. The permeability transition pore, the lethal channel which forms when the F₁F_O-ATPase is stimulated by Ca²⁺, did not open in the presence of NaHS, which showed a similar effect to ruthenium red, thus suggesting a putative Ca²⁺ transport cycle inhibition.

Mitochondrial F1FO-ATPase and permeability transition pore response to sulfide in the midgut gland of Mytilus galloprovincialis

The molecular mechanisms which rule the formation and opening of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP), the lethal mechanism which permeabilizes mitochondria to water and solutes and drives the cell to death, are still unclear and particularly little investigated in invertebrates. Since Ca²⁺ increase in mitochondria is accompanied by mPTP opening and the participation of the mitochondrial F₁F_O-ATPase in the mPTP is increasingly sustained, the substitution of the natural cofactor Mg²⁺ by Ca²⁺ in the F₁F_O-ATPase activation has been involved in the mPTP mechanism. In mussel midgut gland mitochondria the similar kinetic properties of the Mg²⁺- or Ca²⁺-dependent F₁F_O-ATPase activities, namely the same affinity for ATP and bi-site activation kinetics by the ATP substrate, in spite of the higher enzyme activity and coupling efficiency of the Mg²⁺-dependent F₁F_O-ATPase, suggest that both enzyme activities are involved in the bioenergetic machinery. Other than being a mitochondrial poison and environmental contaminant, sulfide at low concentrations acts as gaseous mediator and can induce post-translational modifications of proteins. The sulfide donor NaHS, at micromolar concentrations, does not alter the two F₁F_O-ATPase activities, but desensitizes the mPTP to Ca²⁺ input. Unexpectedly, NaHS, under the conditions tested, points out a chemical refractoriness of both F₁F_O-ATPase activities and a failed relationship between the Ca²⁺-dependent F₁F_O-ATPase and the mPTP in mussels. The findings suggest that mPTP role and regulation may be different in different taxa and that the F₁F_O-ATPase insensitivity to NaHS may allow mussels to cope with environmental sulfide.

Effect of dietary antioxidant supplementation on rabbit performance, meat quality and oxidative stability of muscles

<p>The aim of this study was to cast light on the effects of EconomasE™ (EcoE), a patented pre-mixture of nutritional additives consisting mainly of organic selenium (0.15 or 0.30 mg/kg feed; Se) combined with vitamin C (5 and 10 mg/kg feed; VC), compared to DL-α-tocopherol acetate (100 or 200 mg/kg feed; VE) dietary supplementation on rabbit performance and meat quality. In fact, the role of Se supplementation in the rabbit diet has not yet been elucidated in the literature and, more specifically, there are no studies on the possible synergistic action between organic Se compared with VE on lipids, fatty acids (FA) and the oxidative stability of two glycolytic muscles, <em>longissimus lumborum</em> (LL) and <em>biceps femoris</em> (BF). Two hundred and seventy New Zealand White rabbits were divided into five dietary groups of 54 rabbits each: 1) control (basal diet = BD; CTRL); 2) VE100 (BD + VE100 mg/kg); 3) VE200 (BD + VE200 mg/kg); 4) EcoE100 (BD + EcoE100 mg/kg); and 5) EcoE200 (BD + EcoE200 mg/kg). Neither of the antioxidant treatments affected growth performance, carcass traits or meat characteristics. Lipid and fatty acid contents were similar in LL and BF and not influenced by the dietary treatment. Meat oxidative stability was strongly improved by both antioxidants. These findings indicate that both EcoE and VE greatly improved the oxidative stability of LL and BF muscles at the dosage rates which, from an economic point of view, would normally be included in the formulation of feeds for rabbits.</p>

1,5-Disubstituted-1,2,3-triazoles as inhibitors of the mitochondrial Ca2+ -activated F1 FO -ATP(hydrol)ase and the permeability transition pore

The mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP), a high-conductance channel triggered by a sudden Ca²⁺ concentration increase, is composed of the F₁ F_O -ATPase. Since mPTP opening leads to mitochondrial dysfunction, which is a feature of many diseases, a great pharmacological challenge is to find mPTP modulators. In our study, the effects of two 1,5-disubstituted 1,2,3-triazole derivatives, five-membered heterocycles with three nitrogen atoms in the ring and capable of forming secondary interactions with proteins, were investigated. Compounds 3a and 3b were selected among a wide range of structurally related compounds because of their chemical properties and effectiveness in preliminary studies. In swine heart mitochondria, both compounds inhibit Ca²⁺ -activated F₁ F_O -ATPase without affecting F-ATPase activity sustained by the natural cofactor Mg²⁺ . The inhibition is mutually exclusive, probably because of their shared enzyme site, and uncompetitive with respect to the ATP substrate, since they only bind to the enzyme-ATP complex. Both compounds show the same inhibition constant (K'_i ), but compound 3a has a doubled inactivation rate constant compared with compound 3b. Moreover, both compounds desensitize mPTP opening without altering mitochondrial respiration. The results strengthen the link between Ca²⁺ -activated F₁ F_O -ATPase and mPTP and suggest that these inhibitors can be pharmacologically exploited to counteract mPTP-related diseases.

Mitochondrial F-type ATP synthase: multiple enzyme functions revealed by the membrane-embedded FO structure

Of the two main sectors of the F-type ATP synthase, the membrane-intrinsic F_O domain is the one which, during evolution, has undergone the highest structural variations and changes in subunit composition. The F_O complexity in mitochondria is apparently related to additional enzyme functions that lack in bacterial and thylakoid complexes. Indeed, the F-type ATP synthase has the main bioenergetic role to synthesize ATP by exploiting the electrochemical gradient built by respiratory complexes. The F_O membrane domain, essential in the enzyme machinery, also participates in the bioenergetic cost of synthesizing ATP and in the formation of the cristae, thus contributing to mitochondrial morphology. The recent enzyme involvement in a high-conductance channel, which forms in the inner mitochondrial membrane and promotes the mitochondrial permeability transition, highlights a new F-type ATP synthase role. Point mutations which cause amino acid substitutions in F_O subunits produce mitochondrial dysfunctions and lead to severe pathologies. The F_O variability in different species, pointed out by cryo-EM analysis, mirrors the multiple enzyme functions and opens a new scenario in mitochondrial biology.

Mitochondrial Ca2+ -activated F1 FO -ATPase hydrolyzes ATP and promotes the permeability transition pore

The properties of the mitochondrial F₁ F_O -ATPase catalytic site, which can bind Mg²⁺ , Mn²⁺ , or Ca²⁺ and hydrolyze ATP, were explored by inhibition kinetic analyses to cast light on the Ca²⁺ -activated F₁ F_O -ATPase connection with the permeability transition pore (PTP) that initiates cascade events leading to cell death. While the natural cofactor Mg²⁺ activates the F₁ F_O -ATPase in competition with Mn²⁺ , Ca²⁺ is a noncompetitive inhibitor in the presence of Mg²⁺ . Selective F₁ inhibitors (Is-F₁ ), namely NBD-Cl, piceatannol, resveratrol, and quercetin, exerted different mechanisms (mixed and uncompetitive inhibition) on either Ca²⁺ - or Mg²⁺ -activated F₁ F_O -ATPase, consistent with the conclusion that the catalytic mechanism changes when Mg²⁺ is replaced by Ca²⁺ . In a partially purified F₁ domain preparation, Ca²⁺ -activated F₁ -ATPase maintained Is-F₁ sensitivity, and enzyme inhibition was accompanied by the maintenance of the mitochondrial calcium retention capacity and membrane potential. The data strengthen the structural relationship between Ca²⁺ -activated F₁ F_O -ATPase and the PTP, and, in turn, on consequences, such as physiopathological cellular changes.

Nicotinamide Nucleotide Transhydrogenase as a Sensor of Mitochondrial Biology

The enzyme nicotinamide nucleotide transhydrogenase (NNT) transfers hydride from NADH to NADP⁺ coupled to H⁺ translocation across the inner mitochondrial membrane. In a recent study, Kampjut and Sazanov reveal that the bifunctional NNT mechanism rules the NAD(P)⁺/NAD(P)H interconversion ratio, which in turn regulates antioxidant defense and sirtuin actions.

A Therapeutic Role for the F1FO-ATP Synthase

Recently, the F₁F_O-ATP synthase, due to its dual role of life enzyme as main adenosine triphosphate (ATP) maker and of death enzyme, as ATP dissipator and putative structural component of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP), which triggers cell death, has been increasingly considered as a drug target. Accordingly, the enzyme offers new strategies to counteract the increased antibiotic resistance. The challenge is to find or synthesize compounds able to discriminate between prokaryotic and mitochondrial F₁F_O-ATP synthase, exploiting subtle structural differences to kill pathogens without affecting the host. From this perspective, the eukaryotic enzyme could also be made refractory to macrolide antibiotics by chemically produced posttranslational modifications. Moreover, because the mitochondrial F₁F_O-ATPase activity stimulated by Ca²⁺ instead of by the natural modulator Mg²⁺ is most likely involved in mPTP formation, effectors preferentially targeting the Ca²⁺-activated enzyme may modulate the mPTP. If the enzyme involvement in the mPTP is confirmed, Ca²⁺-ATPase inhibitors may counteract conditions featured by an increased mPTP activity, such as neurodegenerative and cardiovascular diseases and physiological aging. Conversely, mPTP opening could be pharmacologically stimulated to selectively kill unwanted cells. On the basis of recent literature and promising lab findings, the action mechanism of F₁ and F_O inhibitors is considered. These molecules may act as enzyme modifiers and constitute new drugs to kill pathogens, improve compromised enzyme functions, and limit the deathly enzyme role in pathologies. The enzyme offers a wide spectrum of therapeutic strategies to fight at the molecular level diseases whose treatment is still insufficient or merely symptomatic.

Characterization of metabolic profiles and lipopolysaccharide effects on porcine vascular wall mesenchymal stem cells

The link between metabolic remodeling and stem cell fate is still unclear. To explore this topic, the metabolic profile of porcine vascular wall mesenchymal stem cells (pVW-MSCs) was investigated. At the first and second cell passages, pVW-MSCs exploit both glycolysis and cellular respiration to synthesize adenosine triphosphate (ATP), but in the subsequent (third to eighth) passages they do not show any mitochondrial ATP turnover. Interestingly, when the first passage pVW-MSCs are exposed to 0.1 or 10 μg/ml lipopolysaccharides (LPSs) for 4 hr, even if ATP synthesis is prevented, the spare respiratory capacity is retained and the glycolytic capacity is unaffected. In contrast, the exposure of pVW-MSCs at the fifth passage to 10 μg/ml LPS stimulates mitochondrial ATP synthesis. Flow cytometry rules out any reactive oxygen species (ROS) involvement in the LPS effects, thus suggesting that the pVW-MSC metabolic pattern is modulated by culture conditions via ROS-independent mechanisms.

Crucial aminoacids in the FO sector of the F1FO-ATP synthase address H+ across the inner mitochondrial membrane: molecular implications in mitochondrial dysfunctions

The eukaryotic F₁F_O-ATP synthase/hydrolase activity is coupled to H⁺ translocation through the inner mitochondrial membrane. According to a recent model, two asymmetric H⁺ half-channels in the a subunit translate a transmembrane vertical H⁺ flux into the rotor rotation required for ATP synthesis/hydrolysis. Along the H⁺ pathway, conserved aminoacid residues, mainly glutamate, address H⁺ both in the downhill and uphill transmembrane movements to synthesize or hydrolyze ATP, respectively. Point mutations responsible for these aminoacid changes affect H⁺ transfer through the membrane and, as a cascade, result in mitochondrial dysfunctions and related pathologies. The involvement of specific aminoacid residues in driving H⁺ along their transmembrane pathway within a subunit, sustained by the literature and calculated data, leads to depict a model consistent with some mitochondrial disorders.

From the Ca2+-activated F1FO-ATPase to the mitochondrial permeability transition pore: an overview

Based on recent advances on the Ca²⁺-activated F₁F_O-ATPase features, a novel multistep mechanism involving the mitochondrial F₁F_O complex in the formation and opening of the still enigmatic mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP), is proposed. MPTP opening makes the inner mitochondrial membrane (IMM) permeable to ions and solutes and, through cascade events, addresses cell fate to death. Since MPTP forms when matrix Ca²⁺ concentration rises and ATP is hydrolyzed by the F₁F_O-ATPase, conformational changes, triggered by Ca²⁺ insertion in F₁, may be transmitted to F_O and locally modify the IMM curvature. These events would cause F₁F_O-ATPase dimer dissociation and MPTP opening.

The inhibition of the mitochondrial F1FO-ATPase activity when activated by Ca2+ opens new regulatory roles for NAD

The mitochondrial F1FO-ATPase is uncompetitively inhibited by NAD+ only when the natural cofactor Mg2+ is replaced by Ca2+, a mode putatively involved in cell death. The Ca2+-dependent F1FO-ATPase is also inhibited when NAD+ concentration in mitochondria is raised by acetoacetate. The enzyme inhibition by NAD+ cannot be ascribed to any de-ac(et)ylation or ADP-ribosylation by sirtuines, as it is not reversed by nicotinamide. Moreover, the addition of acetyl-CoA or palmitate, which would favor the enzyme ac(et)ylation, does not affect the F1FO-ATPase activity. Consistently, NAD+ may play a new role, not associated with redox and non-redox enzymatic reactions, in the Ca2+-dependent regulation of the F1FO-ATPase activity.

Post-translational modifications of the mitochondrial F1FO-ATPase

BACKGROUND

The mitochondrial F₁F_O-ATPase has the main role in synthesizing most of ATP, thus providing energy to living cells, but it also works in reverse and hydrolyzes ATP, depending on the transmembrane electrochemical gradient. Within the same complex the vital role of the enzyme of life coexists with that of molecular switch to trigger programmed cell death. The two-faced vital/lethal role makes the enzyme complex an intriguing biochemical target to fight pathogens resistant to traditional therapies and diseases linked to mitochondrial dysfunctions. A variety of post-translational modifications (PTMs) of selected F₁F_O-ATPase aminoacids have been reported to affect the enzyme function.

SCOPE OF REVIEW

By reviewing the known PTMs of aminoacid side chains of both F₁ and F_O sectors according to the most recent advances, the main aim is to highlight how local chemical changes may constitute the molecular key leading to pathological or physiological events.

MAJOR CONCLUSIONS

PTMs represent the chemical tool to modulate the F₁F_O-ATPase activity in response to different stimuli. Some PTMs are required to ensure the enzyme catalysis or, conversely, to inactivate the enzyme function. Each covalent modification of the F₁F_O-ATPase, which occur in response to local changes, is the result of a selective molecular mechanism which, by translating a chemical modification into a biochemical effect, guarantees the enzyme tuning under changing conditions.

GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE

Once highlighted how the molecular mechanism works, some PTMs may be exploited to modulate the effect of drugs targeting the enzyme complex or constitute promising tools for F₁F_O-ATPase-targeted therapeutic strategies.

Lipid unsaturation per se does not explain the physical state of mitochondrial membranes in Mytilus galloprovincialis

Through a multiple approach, the present study on the mitochondrial membranes from mussel gills and swine heart combines some biochemical information on fatty acid composition, sterol pattern, and temperature dependence of the F1FO-ATPase activity (EC 3.6.3.14.) with fluorescence data on mitochondrial membranes and on liposomes obtained from lipid extracts of mitochondria. The physical state of mussel gills and swine heart was investigated by Laurdan steady state fluorescence. Quite surprisingly, the similar temperature dependence of the F1FO complex, illustrated as Arrhenius plot which in both mitochondria exhibits the same discontinuity at approximately 21°C and overlapping activation energies above and below the discontinuity, is apparently compatible with a different composition and physical state of mitochondrial membranes. Accordingly, mussel membranes contain highly unsaturated fatty acids, abundant sterols, including phytosterols, while mammalian membranes only contain cholesterol and in prevalence shorter and less unsaturated fatty acids, leading to a lower membrane unsaturation with respect to mussel mitochondria. As suggested by fluorescence data, the likely formation of peculiar microdomains interacting with the membrane-bound enzyme complex in mussel mitochondria could produce an environment which somehow approaches the physical state of mammalian mitochondrial membranes. Thus, as an adaptive strategy, the interaction between sterols, highly unsaturated phospholipids and proteins in mussel gill mitochondria could allow the F1FO-ATPase activity to maintain the same activation energy as the mammalian enzyme.

Opposite rotation directions in the synthesis and hydrolysis of ATP by the ATP synthase: hints from a subunit asymmetry

The ATP synthase can be imagined as a reversible H(+)-translocating channel embedded in the membrane, FO portion, coupled to a protruding catalytic portion, F1. Under physiological conditions the F1FO complex synthesizes ATP by exploiting the transmembrane electrochemical gradient of protons and their downhill movement. Alternatively, under other patho-physiological conditions it exploits ATP hydrolysis to energize the membrane by uphill pumping protons. The reversibility of the mechanism is guaranteed by the structural coupling between the hydrophilic F1 and the hydrophobic FO. Which of the two opposite processes wins in the energy-transducing membrane complex depends on the thermodynamic balance between the protonmotive force (Δp) and the phosphorylation potential of ATP (ΔG P). Accordingly, while Δp prevalence drives ATP synthesis by translocating protons from the membrane P-side to the N-side and generating anticlockwise torque rotation (viewed from the matrix), ΔG P drives ATP hydrolysis by chemomechanical coupling of FO to F1 with clockwise torque. The direction of rotation is the same in all the ATP synthases, due to the conserved steric arrangement of the chiral a subunit of FO. The ability of this coupled bi-functional complex to produce opposite rotations in ATP synthesis and hydrolysis is explained on the basis of the a subunit asymmetry.

The a subunit asymmetry dictates the two opposite rotation directions in the synthesis and hydrolysis of ATP by the mitochondrial ATP synthase

The main and best known role of the mitochondrial ATP synthase is to synthesize ATP by exploiting the transmembrane electrochemical gradient of protons and their downhill movement. However, under different conditions, the same enzyme can also switch to the opposite function of ATP hydrolysis and exploits its energy to pump protons against their gradient and energize the membrane. The change in functionality is linked to the change of direction of rotation of the two matched sectors of this unique complex, namely the hydrophilic F1, which performs the catalysis, and the hydrophobic membrane-embedded FO, which channels protons. Accordingly, viewed from the matrix side, ATP synthesis is driven by counterclockwise rotation and ATP hydrolysis by clockwise rotation of the FO rotor which is transmitted to F1. ATP dissipation through this mechanism features some diseases such as myocardial ischemia. Increasing evidence shoulders the hypothesis that the asymmetry of the a subunit of FO and particularly the steric arrangement of the two inner semi-channels for protons, play a key role in conferring to the coupled bi-functional complex the ability to reverse rotation by switching from ATP synthesis to ATP hydrolysis and vice versa. Accordingly, the conserved steric arrangement of the chiral a subunit of FO yields the same direction of rotation for all the ATP synthases. According to this hypothesis, the a subunit chirality imposes the direction of rotation of the rotor according to the proton gradient across the membrane. It seems likely that the direction of rotation of the membrane-embedded c-ring, which is adjacent to the a-subunit and acts as a rotor, may be under multiple control, being rotation essential to make the whole enzyme machinery work. However, the asymmetric features of the a subunit would make it the master regulator, thus directly determining which of the two functions, ATP production or ATP dissipation, will be performed. The handedness of a subunit should be considered in drug design to counteract tissue damage under all pathological conditions linked to functional impairment of ATP synthase.

Dietary enhancement of selected fatty acid biosynthesis in the digestive gland of Mytilus galloprovincialis Lmk

The fatty acid composition of the digestive gland from the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis subjected to three different dietary regimens for 30 days was analyzed. Samples were collected at the beginning and end of the trial to obtain a comprehensive picture of fatty acid dynamics. Group A was unfed; group B received a diet consisting of 100% Thalassiosira weissflogii and, thus, similar to natural food; and group C received a diet consisting of 100% wheat germ conferring a 18:2ω-6 abundance. Results indicate that fatty acid composition of lipid and phospholipid classes was affected by dietary treatments. However, adult mussel homeostatic skills minimized effects, and thus, only wheat germ diet deeply modified the fatty acid composition. Furthermore, in group C, the occurrence of the non-methylene-interrupted trienoic fatty acids was indicative of de novo fatty acid synthesis presumably because of active fatty acid elongation and Δ5 desaturation system, also supported by the general ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid decrease.

Tributyltin inhibits the oligomycin-sensitive Mg-ATPase activity in Mytilus galloprovincialis digestive gland mitochondria

Tributyltin (TBT), widely employed in the past in antifouling paints, is one of the most toxic organic pollutants. Although recently banned, it still threatens coastal water ecosystems and accumulates in filter-feeding molluscs. TBT is known to act as a membrane-active toxicant; however data on mussels are scanty and exposure effects on mitochondrial ATPase activities remain hitherto unexplored. TBT effects on the mitochondrial Mg-ATPase activities in the digestive gland of Mytilus galloprovincialis were investigated both in vitro and in TBT-exposed mussels. Both an oligomycin-sensitive Mg-ATPase (OS Mg-ATPase) (70% of total Mg-ATPase activity) and an oligomycin-insensitive ATPase (OI Mg-ATPase) (30%) were found. The OS-Mg-ATPase was as much as 70% in vitro inhibited by 0.7 μM (203 μg/L) TBT, while higher concentrations promoted a partial inhibition release up to 5.0 μM TBT; higher than 10.0 μM TBT concentrations yielded nearly complete enzyme inhibition. Concentrations higher than 1 μM TBT enhanced the OI Mg-ATPase. Mussels exposed to 0.5 and 1.0 μg/L TBT in aquaria showed a 30% depressed OS Mg-ATPase activity, irrespective of TBT dose and exposure time (24 and 120 h). The OI Mg-ATPase activity was apparently refractory to TBT exposure and halved both in control and TBT-exposed mussels after 120 h exposure.

Phosphorylated intermediate of the ouabain-insensitive, Na(+)-stimulated ATPase in rat kidney cortex and rainbow trout gills

Several tissues from different animals, including the rat kidney and the freshwater rainbow trout gills, show an ouabain-insensitive, furosemide-sensitive, Na(+)-stimulated ATPase activity, which has been associated with the active control of the cell volume. This Na-ATPase is Mg(2+) dependent and it is inhibited by vanadate, which can be taken as an indication that this enzyme is a P-type ATPase. The P-type ATPases are known to form a phosphorylated intermediate during their catalytic cycle, where the phosphate binds an aspartyl residue at the enzyme's substrate site. In the current study, we partially characterized the phosphorylated intermediate of the ouabain-insensitive Na-ATPase of rat kidney cortex homogenates and that of gill microsomes from freshwater rainbow trout. While the kidney cortex homogenates, under our assay conditions, show both Na- and Na,K-ATPase activities, the gill microsomes, when assayed at pH 5.2, only show Na-ATPase activity. Both preparations showed a Mg(2+)-dependent, Na(+)-stimulated phosphorylated intermediate, which is enhanced by furosemide. Incubation of the phosphorylated enzyme with 0.6 N hydroxylamine (NH(2)OH) showed that it is acid-stable and sensitive to hydroxylamine, either when phosphorylated in the presence or absence of furosemide. Addition of ADP to the incubation medium drives the reaction cycle of the enzyme backward, diminishing its phosphorylation. Na(+) seems to stimulate both the phosphorylation and the dephosphorylation of the enzyme, at least for the Na-ATPase from gill microsomes. In a E1-E2 reaction cycle of the Na-ATPase, furosemide seems to be blocking the transition step from Na.E1 approximately P to Na.E2-P.

Response of Na(+)-dependent ATPase activities to the contaminant ammonia nitrogen in Tapes philippinarum: possible atpase involvement in ammonium transport

In vivo and in vitro experiments elicited different responses to ammonia nitrogen (ammonia-N) of gill and mantle Na,K-ATPase and ouabain-insensitive Na-ATPase activities in the Philippine clam Tapes philippinarum. Short-term (120 h) exposed clams to sublethal ammonia-N (NH(3)+NH (4) (+) ) concentrations (1.5 and 3.0 mg/L ammonia-N) showed enhanced gill and mantle ouabain-insensitive ATPase activity and decreased mantle Na,K-ATPase activity with respect to unexposed clams, while gill Na,K-ATPase was unaffected. In vitro experiments showed that NH (4) (+) could efficiently replace Na(+) in ouabain-insensitive ATPase activation and K(+), but not Na(+), in Na, K-ATPase activation. Simple saturation kinetics was constantly followed with similar K (0.5) values to that of the substituted cation. The same maximal ouabain-insensitive ATPase activation was obtained at 80 mM Na(+) or NH (4) (+) in the gills and at 50 mM Na(+) or NH (4) (+ ) in the mantle and that of Na,K-ATPase at 10 mM K(+) or NH (4) (+) in the presence of 100 mM Na(+) in both tissues. The two coexistent ATPase activities maintained their typical response to ouabain also when stimulated by NH (4) (+) : when activated by Na(+)+K(+) or by Na(+)+NH (4) (+) the ATPase activity was completely suppressed by 10(-3 )M ouabain, whereas the Na(+)- or NH (4) (+) -stimulated ATPase activity was unaffected by up to 10(-2 )M ouabain. The whole of the data suggests a possible involvement of the two ATPase activities in NH (4) (+) transmembrane transport.

Changes in fatty acid composition of Mytilus galloprovincialis (Lmk) fed on microalgal and wheat germ diets

Dietary fatty acid incorporation and changes in various lipid and phospholipid classes in the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis subjected to three different dietary regimens were analysed and compared. Group A was unfed; group B received a diet consisting of 100% Thalassiosira weissflogii, exhibiting the typical fatty acid composition of diatoms, and group C received a diet consisting of 100% wheat germ conferring a 18:2:n-6 abundance. Biochemical analyses of diets and mussels were carried out at the beginning and at the end of the 30-day experimental period. Starvation and T. weissflogii based diet poorly affected mussel growth and fatty acid composition which remained unchanged. On the contrary, the wheat germ-based diet increased the condition index and deeply affected the fatty acid profile of all lipid and phospholipid classes. The high dietary 18:2n-6 level drastically reduced tissue content of 20:4n-6, 20:5n-3 and 22:6n-3. The biosynthesis of Non Methylene Interrupted (NMI) dienoic fatty acid appeared to be insensitive to the high input of 16:1n-7 and 18:1n-9 respectively from diet B and C, and to the PUFA shortage of diet C. Nevertheless the two NMI trienoic derivatives, 20:3Delta5,11,14 and 22:3Delta7,13 16, were found higher in C with respect to other groups, presumably due to the high 18:2n-6 content of this diet.

Response to alkyltins of two Na+-dependent ATPase activities in Tapes philippinarum and Mytilus galloprovincialis

Organotin effects on the Na-dependent ATPases involved in ionic regulation of aquatic animals are poorly known, in spite of the largely documented contamination of seafood, especially bivalve molluscs. This study deals with the in vitro effect of TBT on the Na,K-ATPase and the ouabain-insensitive Na-ATPase in gill and mantle microsomes from the cultured bivalve molluscs Tapes philippinarum and Mytilus galloprovincialis. In the mussel also MBT, DBT and TeET were tested. While in both species the Na-ATPase showed an overall refractoriness to organotins, the Na,K-ATPase was progressively inhibited by increasing TBT concentrations (0-34 microM). In both species the Na,K-ATPase activity was more strongly inhibited in the gills than in the mantle. At the maximal TBT concentration tested (34.4 microM), while gill Na,K-ATPase activity was abolished, mantle enzyme activity was, respectively, reduced to 20% in T. philippinarum and to 50% in M. galloprovincialis. Mussel Na,K-ATPase was differently susceptive to the organotins tested and in both tissues showed an inhibition efficiency order TBT>DBT>>MBT=TeET (no effect), tentatively related to the different organotin polarity and to a possible interaction with membrane-bound enzyme complexes. The different response of the two ATPases to organotins is consistent with the known different susceptivity of the two enzyme activities to environmental contaminants, assay conditions and endogenous factors.

Yessotoxin, a shellfish biotoxin, is a potent inducer of the permeability transition in isolated mitochondria and intact cells

The diarrhetic poisoning by bivalve molluscs, diarrhetic shellfish poisoning, is due to consumption of mussels containing biotoxins produced by some Dinoflagellate species. Toxic effects of yessotoxin (YTX) include morphological alterations of mitochondria from heart and liver but the biochemical basis for these alterations is completely unknown. This paper demonstrates that YTX is a very powerful compound that opens the permeability transition pore (PTP) of the inner mitochondrial membrane of rat liver mitochondria at nanomolar concentrations. The effect requires the presence of a permissive level of calcium, by itself incapable of opening the pore. The direct effect of YTX on PTP is further confirmed by the inhibition exerted by cyclosporin A (CsA) that is known as a powerful inhibitor of PTP opening. Moreover, YTX induces membrane depolarization as shown by the quenching of tetramethylrhodamine methyl ester (TMRM), also prevented by the addition of CsA. YTX caused PTP opening in Morris Hepatoma 1C1 cells, as shown by the occurrence of CsA-sensitive depolarization within minutes of the addition of submicromolar concentrations of the toxin. These results provide a biochemical basis for the mitochondrial alterations observed in the course of intoxication with YTX, offering the first clue into the pathogenesis of diseases caused by YTX, and providing a novel tool to study the PTP in situ.