Mitochondrial dysfunction after fetal alcohol exposure.
Specific mitochondrial enzyme activities and mRNA levels were measured in the heart, brain, and liver tissues of a group of 1-day-old neonatal rats whose mothers were alcohol-fed during pregnancy and compared with a control group. The results show a significant decrease in mitochondrial ATP synthase activity in both the brain and liver, as well as a decrease in complex III activity in the liver of rats exposed to alcohol. Other mitochondrial enzymes activities (e.g., citrate synthase, cytochrome c oxidase, and complex I), as well as specific mitochondrial transcript levels, were not significantly affected. Heart mitochondrial enzyme activities were not significantly affected. These data reveal that a tissue-specific response occurs after fetal exposure to alcohol and may explain some of the cellular events occurring in fetal alcohol syndrome resulting in abnormal growth and neurological development.
Marin-Garcia
J
J
Molecular Cardiology Institute, Highland Park, New Jersey 08094, USA.
Ananthakrishnan
R
R
Goldenthal
M J
MJ
D025181:ATP Synthetase Complexes; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D002950:Citrate (si)-Synthase / Q000502:physiology; D015342:DNA Probes; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D014450:Electron Transport Complex III / Q000502:physiology; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D063647:Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D008929:Mitochondria, Heart / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D008930:Mitochondria, Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D009097:Multienzyme Complexes / Q000502:physiology; D016660:NAD(P)H Dehydrogenase (Quinone) / Q000502:physiology; D010085:Oxidative Phosphorylation / Q000187:drug effects; D017856:Phosphotransferases (Phosphate Group Acceptor) / Q000502:physiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
D015342:DNA Probes; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D009097:Multienzyme Complexes; D016660:NAD(P)H Dehydrogenase (Quinone); D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV; D002950:Citrate (si)-Synthase; D025181:ATP Synthetase Complexes; D017856:Phosphotransferases (Phosphate Group Acceptor); D014450:Electron Transport Complex III