Characteristics of mitochondria isolated by rate zonal centrifugation from normal liver and Novikoff hepatomas.

Mitochondria were isolated from whole homogenates of normal liver and Novikoff hepatomas using reorienting rate zonal centrifugation on sucrose gradients. The activities of several mitochondrial-specific enzymes and ultrastructure were compared in the two tissues. Our results indicate that cytochrome oxidase, lipoamide dehydrogenase, malate dehydrogenase, and succinate dehydrogenase activities are all higher in liver homogenates than in Novikoff hepatoma homogenates. Mitochondrial hexokinase, however, is much greater in the hepatoma than in liver. The activity of these enzymes in isolated mitochondria displayed a much different pattern. Both cytochrome oxidase and succinate dehydrogenase activities were higher in hepatoma mitochondria than in liver mitochondria. Lipoamide dehydrogenase and malate dehydrogenase, conversely, were higher in liver mitochondria. Hexokinase was found to be virtually absent in liver mitochondria but plentiful in hepatoma mitochondria. Ultrastructural studies have shown that the hepatoma mitochondria are much smaller in size, which results in a decreased rate of migration into the gradient. These studies have also shown that normal liver consists of predominantly "condensed" forms of mitochondria, whereas hepatoma contained a majority of "twisted" species. Experiments using 1% bovine serum albumin in the homogenization procedures and in the gradient have confirmed earlier observations that bovine serum albumin is essential for optimal isolation of neoplastic mitochondria.