Rat liver mitochondrial enzyme activities in hypoxia.

Rat liver mitochondrial enzyme activities were measured after exposing the animals to the atmospheric pressure of 380 mm Hg for 5 h and 14 days. Succinate dehydrogenase and succinate oxidase activities increased significantly during the hypoxic period of 14 days. No change was observed in cytochrome oxidase activity. Malate dehydrogenase and glutamate dehydrogenase activities increased somewhat, but not significantly. The efficiency of oxidative phosphorylation (the ADP:O ratio) in the isolated mitochondria remained unchanged. The exact mitochondrial protein values showed a 15% decrease as compared with the control group. The concentrations of cytochromes did not change significantly in the hypoxic group. During the short hypoxic period succinate dehydrogenase, succinate oxidase and cytochrome oxidase activities increased as compared with those in the control group.