Effect of trifluoperazine on skeletal muscle mitochondrial respiration

The effect of trifluoperazine on the respiration of porcine liver and skeletal muscle mitochondria was investigated by polarographic and spectroscopic techniques. Low concentrations of trifluoperazine (88 nmol/mg protein) inhibited both the ADP- and Ca2+-stimulated oxidation of succinate, and reduced the values of the respiratory control index and the ADP/O and Ca2+/O ratio. High concentrations inhibited both succinate and ascorbate plus tetramethyl-p-phenylenediame (TMPD) oxidations, and uncoupler (carbonyl cyanide p-trifluromethoxyphenylhydrazone) and Ca2+-stimulated respiration. Porcine liver mitochondria were more sensitive to trifluoperazine than skeletal muscle mitochondria. Trifluoperazine inhibited the electron transport of succinate oxidation of skeletal muscle mitochondria within the cytochrome b-c1 and cytochrome c1-aa3 segments of the respiratory chain system. 233 nmol trifluoperazine/mg protein inhibited the aerobic steady-state reduction of cytochrome c1 by 92% with succinate as substrate, and of cytochrome c and cytochrome aa3 by 50-60% with ascorbate plus TMPD as electron donors. Trifluoperazine can thus inhibit calmodulin-independent reactions particularly when used at high concentrations.