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The antifertility agent, gossypol, releases calcium from rat liver mitochondria
F Martínez1, R Milán, T Espinosa-García
1Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, D.F.
Abstract:
1. The effect of gossypol in the presence of K+ or Ca2+, or both, was studied on respiration, ATPase activity, and Ca2+ transport of rat liver mitochondria. 2. The uncoupled respiration induced by gossypol was inhibited by Ca2+. 3. This inhibition was lowered by the presence of Mg2+. ATPase activity was stimulated when gossypol and Ca2+ were in the incubation medium, in a Ca(2+)-dose related fashion. 4. Mitochondrial Ca2+ was released by gossypol, an effect associated with the membrane fluidity. 5. The results suggest that gossypol modifies the mitochondrial concentration of Ca2+.