Lipid peroxidation and the reduction of ADP-Fe3+ chelate by NADH-ubiquinone reductase preparation from bovine heart mitochondria.

The NADH-ubiquinone reductase preparation (Complex I) of bovine hart mitochondria catalysed in the presence of reduced coenzymes and ADP-Fe3+ the lipid peroxidation of liposomes prepared from mitochondrial lipids. The apparent Km values for the coenzymes and the optimal pH of the reactions agreed well with those of the lipid peroxidation of the submitochondrial particles treated with rotenone. On assay of the reduction of ADP-Fe3+ chelate by the reduction of cytochrome c in the presence of superoxide dismutase and antimycin A or by the oxidation of reduced coenzymes, the reactions were not affected by rotenone but were inhibited by thiol-group inhibitors. The properties of the ADP-Fe3+ reductase activity were highly consistent with those of the lipid-peroxidation reaction. These observations suggest that electrons from reduced coenzymes are transferred to ADP-Fe3+ chelate from a component between a mercurial-sensitive site and the rotenone-sensitive one of the NADH dehydrogenase and that the reduction of ADP-Fe3+ chelate by the NADH dehydrogenase is an essential step in the lipid peroxidation.