Studies on the ionophorous antibiotics. XVI. The ionophore-mediated calcium transport and concomitant osmotic swelling of mitochondria.

The effects of various carboxylic ionophores on divalent metal cation translocation in mitochondria have been investigated. High levels of divalent cation ionophores lysocellin and lasalocid A (10 approximately 50 micrometer) produced mitochondrial osmotic swelling in Ca2+ or Mg2+ medium, which was associated with an increase of cation influx. The extent of swelling was a function of both the ionophore and cation concentrations in the medium. This effect was larger in mitochondria de-energized by treatment with antimycin A and oligomycin than in respiring mitochondria. On the other hand, the monovalent cation ionophores carriomycin and etheromycin at concentrations of 50 approximately 100 micrometer also induced mitochondrial swelling in Ca2+ medium but were ineffective in Mg2+ medium. Addition of ruthenium red reversed divalent cation ionophore-induced swelling and released Ca2+ from preloaded mitochondria. In contrast, ruthenium red increased monovalent cation ionophore-induced swelling. In a divalent cation-free medium, lysocellin and lasalocid A caused depletion of membrane-bound Ca2+ and released endogenous Ca2+ and Mg2+ from mitochondria, while carriomycin and etheromycin exerted only a limited effect. These results indicate that the divalent cation ionophores affect divalent cation distribution in mitochondria by increasing both influx and efflux of the cations through the inner membrane.