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Deficiency of subunits of Complex I and mitochondrial encephalomyopathy
T Ichiki1, M Tanaka, M Nishikimi
1Department of Pediatrics, Nagoya City University Medical School, Japan.
Abstract:
Enzymic activities of the respiratory chain and content of immunochemically detectable subunits in NADH-ubiquinone oxidoreductase (Complex I) were measured in mitochondria from the skeletal muscles of 4 patients with mitochondrial myopathy, encephalopathy, lactic acidosis, and strokelike episodes (MELAS). The rotenone-sensitive NADH-cytochrome c reductase activity was extremely decreased, ranging from 0% to 27% of the control value. In all patients, the content of subunits of Complex I was also reduced in parallel with the rotenone-sensitive NADH-cytochrome c reductase activity. It is suggested that the variation in the degree of deficiency of Complex I subunits could explain the clinical heterogeneity of patients with MELAS.