Decreased Pasteur effect in platelets of aged individuals

Mech Ageing Dev. 2001 Jun;122(8):823-33. doi: 10.1016/s0047-6374(01)00239-1.

Abstract

We have investigated the mitochondrial energy state in human platelets of young (19-30 years old) and aged individuals (65-87 years old) exploiting the Pasteur effect, i.e. stimulation of lactate production by incubation of the purified platelets with the mitochondrial respiratory chain inhibitor, antimycin A. This assay allows the determination of mitochondrial function with respect to glycolysis, and the ratio of mitochondrial adenosine triphosphate (ATP) to glycolytic ATP. A significant increase of basal, non-stimulated lactate production and decrease of the stimulation by antimycin A were observed in the older individuals, suggesting that the impairment of oxidative phosphorylation detectable in post-mitotic tissues of aged individuals can be observed also in easily collectable blood cells.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adenosine Triphosphate / metabolism
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Aging / blood
  • Aging / physiology*
  • Antimycin A / pharmacology
  • Blood Platelets / cytology
  • Blood Platelets / drug effects
  • Blood Platelets / physiology*
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Female
  • Glucose / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Lactic Acid / biosynthesis
  • Male
  • Mitochondria / physiology*

Substances

  • Lactic Acid
  • Antimycin A
  • Adenosine Triphosphate
  • Glucose

Grants and funding