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.
Molecular Cardiology Institute, Highland Park, New Jersey 08094, USA.
J
J
Marin-Garcia
R
R
Ananthakrishnan
M J
MJ
Goldenthal
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