Biochemical background of atherosclerotic heart lesion in an experiment.

The authors investigated enzymic systems and corresponding substrate cycles that transport hydrogen across the mitochondrial membrane in a myocardium with experimental cholesterol-induced atherosclerosis. Sensitive spectrophotometric methods were used for assessing the activities of cytoplasmic and mitochondrial enzymes: lactate and alpha-glycerphosphate dehydrogenases, and of characteristic mitochondrial enzymes: glutamate and beta-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenases. Specific enzymological methods were used in determining the concentrations of lactic, pyruvic, glycerophosphoric, dihydroacetonephosphoric, malic, oxaloacetic, glutamic, alpha-ketoglutaric, acetoacetic, and beta-hydroxybutyric acids. The cytoplasmic NAD/NADH quotient was calculated. The investigators found a reduction of enzymic activities in the "shuttle" transport system studied, marked deviations from normal levels of their substrates, and a reduction of the NAD/NADH quotient by the factor 0.56. All these phenomena represent a biochemical background of a complex of symptoms characterizing severe myocardial lesion in experimental atherosclerosis.