Changes in phospholipid constituents in mitochondrial membranes after long lasting exercise in rat heart

Phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylcholine and cholesterol were found to be significantly decreased to 44, 56 and 54% of the control values (p less than 0.001, 0.05 and 0.05, respectively), in cardiac mitochondria from rats which were made to swim bearing a weight representing 3% of body weight for 3 or more hours in water at 35 degrees C. The ratio of cholesterol to phospholipid did not change. Membrane viscosity tended to decrease very slightly. Steady-state anisotropy at infinite time, fluorescence life time and wobbling angle of phospholipids showed no significant change. Electron-microscopy showed no clear morphological damage, swelling or hypertrophy of cardiac mitochondria after long lasting exercise. The number of mitochondria was found to be increased by 19% in the long lasting exercise group compared with the control group. It was noteworthy that the dynamic microstructure and electron-microscopic structure of the cardiac mitochondria remained unaltered despite the remarkable changes in the phospholipid constituents.