Abstract
Specific mitochondrial enzyme activities and mRNA levels were measured in the heart, brain, and liver tissues of a group of 1-day-old neonatal rats whose mothers were alcohol-fed during pregnancy and compared with a control group. The results show a significant decrease in mitochondrial ATP synthase activity in both the brain and liver, as well as a decrease in complex III activity in the liver of rats exposed to alcohol. Other mitochondrial enzymes activities (e.g., citrate synthase, cytochrome c oxidase, and complex I), as well as specific mitochondrial transcript levels, were not significantly affected. Heart mitochondrial enzyme activities were not significantly affected. These data reveal that a tissue-specific response occurs after fetal exposure to alcohol and may explain some of the cellular events occurring in fetal alcohol syndrome resulting in abnormal growth and neurological development.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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ATP Synthetase Complexes
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Animals
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Animals, Newborn
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Brain / drug effects*
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Brain / physiology
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Citrate (si)-Synthase / physiology
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DNA Probes
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DNA, Mitochondrial / drug effects
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DNA, Mitochondrial / physiology
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Electron Transport Complex III / physiology
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Electron Transport Complex IV / physiology
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Female
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Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders / physiopathology*
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Mitochondria / drug effects*
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Mitochondria / physiology
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Mitochondria, Heart / drug effects*
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Mitochondria, Heart / physiology
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Mitochondria, Liver / drug effects*
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Mitochondria, Liver / physiology
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Multienzyme Complexes / physiology
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NAD(P)H Dehydrogenase (Quinone) / physiology
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Oxidative Phosphorylation / drug effects
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Phosphotransferases (Phosphate Group Acceptor) / physiology
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Pregnancy
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Rats
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Rats, Sprague-Dawley
Substances
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DNA Probes
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DNA, Mitochondrial
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Multienzyme Complexes
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NAD(P)H Dehydrogenase (Quinone)
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Electron Transport Complex IV
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Citrate (si)-Synthase
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ATP Synthetase Complexes
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Phosphotransferases (Phosphate Group Acceptor)
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Electron Transport Complex III