An experimental model of mitochondrial myopathy: germanium-induced myopathy and coenzyme Q10 administration.
In skeletal muscles from rats treated with germanium for 23 weeks, there were numerous ragged-red fibers and cytochrome-c oxidase (COX)-deficient fibers. Biochemically, germanium reduced the enzyme activities in the mitochondrial respiratory chain. Rotenone-sensitive NADH-cytochrome-c reductase as well as COX activities were markedly reduced, while succinate-cytochrome-c reductase was less severely, but significantly, affected. The histopathological findings in these muscles were similar to those seen in patients with mitochondrial encephalomyopathy, suggesting that germanium-induced myopathy may be a useful experimental model. Coenzyme Q10 administration appeared to be ineffective in preventing this experimental myopathy.
Wu
C M
CM
Division of Ultrastructural Research, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan.
Matsuoka
T
T
Takemitsu
M
M
Goto
Y
Y
Nonaka
I
I
D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D003067:Coenzymes; D005260:Female; D005857:Germanium; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008931:Mitochondria, Muscle; D009132:Muscles / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D009135:Muscular Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D009929:Organ Size; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014451:Ubiquinone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use
D003067:Coenzymes; D005857:Germanium; D014451:Ubiquinone; C024989:coenzyme Q10