Changes in NADH-ubiquinone reductase (complex I) with autolysis in the rat heart as experimental model.

Complex I (NADH-ubiquinone reductase) is a complex system located in the inner mitochondrial membrane and has the ability to catalyse several different enzymatic reactions concerned in electron transport. It is known to be one of the first components of the respiratory chain to be damaged by ischemia. Our results, using autolysis in the rat heart as experimental model, indicate that the NADH dehydrogenase system was impaired relatively early during ischemia while transhydrogenation and NADPH dehydrogenation appeared to be relatively resistant.