Decorporation of copper from liver subcellular fractions after alimentary loading of rats.

Subcellular copper distribution was studied after single alimentary loading of rats with copper sulfate and after 2- and 4-day spontaneous decorporation of the metal. Copper content in mitochondria and in the soluble fraction was found to rise as early as the 1st day. Then it decreased reaching the normal values after 2-day and 4-day autodecorporation for cytosol and mitochondria, respectively. The activities of rotenone-sensitive NADH-cytochrome c reductase, succinate-cytochrome c reductase and cytochrome oxidase were inhibited by copper treatment but after a 4-day decorporation they became normal. On the contrary, rotenone-insensitive NADH-cytochrome c reductase was activated. Single alimentary copper treatment induced changes in electron transport and oxidative phosphorylation with succinate and glutamate as substrates. The changes established were in accordance with the decreased enzyme activities. After chronic copper loading (7-8 weeks) the interruption of copper-enriched diet for 5 days led to restoration of the copper content in the subcellular fractions. Treatment with unitiol did not change the spontaneous decorporation.