Nature of enhanced mitochondrial oxidative metabolism by a calf blood extract

The effect of calf blood extract (Solcoseryl, SS) on mitochondrial oxidative function in various states was studied polarographically in vitro. 1) Mitochondrial respiration in all 4 conventional study states (Estabrook, 1967) was enhanced by the addition of SS, including states 1 and 2 (endogenous substrates only). 2) The effect of SS on mitochondrial oxygen consumption was concentration dependent, while ADP/O ratio remained constant. The effect of added respiratory substrates varied with the particular substrate at optimally active concentrations. With suboptimal substrate levels, ADP/O ratios were concentration dependent, in contrast to the SS effect. Under oligomycin ATPase inhibition, SS was no longer active, in contrast to DNP, which remained active. 3) In states 3 (added ADP) and 4 (ADP exhausted), oxygen consumption and oxidative phosphorylation were enhanced by SS in the presence or absence of citrate, glutamate, pyruvate, lactate, or ascorbate. However, in the presence of succinate, SS had no effect. 4) ADP/O ratio was decreased by SS in the presence of added substrate, suggesting that SS activation of H(+)-ATPase enhances ATP hydrolysis as well as oxidative phosphorylation and ATP synthesis. 5) The enhancing effect of SS on mitochondrial function is due to hydrophilic components of SS. The lipidic components obtained by Folch fraction of SS have no effect. It is concluded that the effects of SS respiratory substrates and uncouplers on mitochondrial function are essentially different. SS enhances both ATP synthesis and oxygen consumption by mitochondria.