Lipoperoxidation associated with mitochondrial membrane permeabilization in the presence of Ca2+

Lipoperoxidation was investigated as a step for membrane protein thiol oxidation of rat liver mitochondria incubated in the presence of Ca2+ and t-butylhydroperoxide, by the determination of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances. Lipoperoxidation occurred only when the incubation medium contained 125 microM t-butylhydroperoxide (t-buOOH) in the presence of Ca2+ and phosphate (Pi). No lipoperoxidation was observed when acetate replaced Pi as permeant anion, or when the oxidant was omitted, even at high Ca2+ and Pi concentrations (up to 120 microM Ca2+ and 5 mM Pi), conditions under which the mitochondria are fully permeabilized. In both cases, ADP protected efficiently against permeabilization, indicating the possible involvement of the ADP/ATP carrier in the earlier stages of the process.