Further studies on the mechanism of action of gossypol on mitochondrial membrane

Int J Biochem. 1993 Aug;25(8):1149-55. doi: 10.1016/0020-711x(93)90593-4.

Abstract

1. In order to explore the mechanism of inhibition of hydroxylases involved in steroidogenesis, by gossypol, we studied the effect of this drug on adrenal cortex mitochondria, and compared it with those on kidney and heart. 2. The uncoupler effect of gossypol (collapse of delta psi and Ca2+ efflux) was found to be lower in adrenal cortex mitochondria than in kidney and heart mitochondria. 3. Gossypol produced more extensive changes on the membrane lipidic matrix (increase in the order parameter for 5-doxylstearic acid) in adrenal cortex mitochondria than in the other mitochondria studied. 4. The results described above indicate that the mechanism of inhibition of gossypol of steroidogenic adrenal enzymes could be attributed to an alteration of the lipidic matrix which, in turn, modifies protein function.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Adrenal Cortex / drug effects*
  • Adrenal Cortex / enzymology
  • Adrenal Cortex / ultrastructure
  • Animals
  • Dogs
  • Gossypol / pharmacology*
  • Intracellular Membranes / drug effects*
  • Kidney / drug effects*
  • Kidney / ultrastructure
  • Membrane Fluidity / drug effects
  • Mitochondria / drug effects*
  • Mitochondria / ultrastructure
  • Mitochondria, Heart / drug effects*
  • Mitochondria, Heart / ultrastructure
  • Oxidative Phosphorylation / drug effects

Substances

  • Gossypol