title: Age-associated decreased activities of mitochondrial electron transport chain complexes in heart and skeletal muscle: role of L-carnitine.
abstract: The mitochondrial respiratory chain is a powerful source of reactive oxygen species (ROS), considered as the pathogenic agent of many diseases and aging. L-Carnitine (4-N-trimethylammonium-3-hydroxybutric acid) plays an important role in transport of fatty acid from cytoplasm to mitochondria for energy production. Previous studies in our laboratory reported L-carnitine as a free radical scavenger in aged rats. In the present study we focused the effect of L-carnitine on the activities of electron transport chain in young and aged rats. The activities of electron transport chain complexes were found to be significantly decreased in aged rats when compared to young control rats. Supplementation of carnitine to young and aged rats for 14 and 21 days improved the electron transport chain complexes levels in aged rats when compared with young rats in duration dependent manner. No significant changes were observed in young rats. Our result suggested that L-carnitine improved the activities of electron transport chain enzymes there by improving the energy status in aged rats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biochemistry, Dr. AL Mudaliar Post Graduate Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Madras, Taramani Campus, Chennai 600 113, India.
authors.forename: Sundaram
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kumaran
authors.forename: Marimuthu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Subathra
authors.forename: Muthiyah
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Balu
authors.forename: Chinnakkannu
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Panneerselvam
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D002331:Carnitine / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D002417:Cattle; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D045222:Electron Transport Chain Complex Proteins / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000494:pharmacology; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D008929:Mitochondria, Heart / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D045222:Electron Transport Chain Complex Proteins; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D002331:Carnitine