Oxidative Phosphorylation in Normal and Failure Liver,Kidney and Heart Mitochondria. ∗

Summary and Conclusion

1. Heart, kidney and liver mitochondria were derived from normal and experimental congestive heart failure guinea pigs. 2. Oxidative phosphorylation was studied in the mitochondrial preparations employing α-ketoglutarate, succinate, citrate and glutamate as substrates. Q^No₂ values were higher in the normal heart and kidney mitochondria than in the failure heart and kidney mitochondria when α-ketoglutarate, glutamate and citrate were employed. Q^No₂ values were higher in normal liver mitochondria than in failure liver preparations. 3. The absence of hexokinase-glucose produced interesting acceptor effects in all the mitochondrial preparations under study. The acceptor effects were less in the failure group than in the normal group. The only exception was in the case of citrate. 4. Addition of co-factors such as coenzyme A or diphosphopyridine nucleotide had varied effects on the mitochondrial systems. CoA appeared to have stimulatory effects on oxidative phosphorylation in both normal and failure kidney preparations. 5. The use of malonate in conjunction with α-ketoglutarate alone or with α-ketoglutarate fortified with the various cofactors decreased the Q^No₂ values generally and specifically in failure liver.