Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Wu, J-L
• Wu, Q-P
• Peng, Y-P
• Zhang, J-M

Titel

Effects of L-malate on mitochondrial oxidoreductases in liver of aged rats

Ist Teil von

• Physiological research, 2011-01, Vol.60 (2), p.329-336

Ort / Verlag

Czech Republic: Institute of Physiology

Erscheinungsjahr

2011

Quelle

MEDLINE

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• Accumulation of oxidative damage has been implicated to be a major causative factor in the decline in physiological functions that occur during the aging process. The mitochondrial respiratory chain is a powerful source of reactive oxygen species (ROS), considered as the pathogenic agent of many diseases and aging. L-malate, a tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediate, plays an important role in transporting NADH from cytosol to mitochondria for energy production. Previous studies in our laboratory reported L-malate as a free radical scavenger in aged rats. In the present study we focused on the effect of L-malate on the activities of electron transport chain in young and aged rats. We found that mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and the activities of succinate dehydrogenase, NADH-cytochrome c oxidoreductase and cytochrome c oxidase in liver of aged rats were significantly decreased when compared to young control rats. Supplementation of L-malate to aged rats for 30 days slightly increased MMP and improved the activities of NADH-dehydrogenase, NADH-cytochrome c oxidoreductase and cytochrome c oxidase in liver of aged rats when compared with aged control rats. In young rats, L-malate administration increased only the activity of NADH-dehydrogenase. Our result suggested that L-malate could improve the activities of electron transport chain enzymes in aged rats.