Comparison between developmental and senescent changes in enzyme activities linked to energy metabolism in rat heart.

The developmental and senescent patterns of a number of heart enzyme activities linked to energy metabolism have been studied in rats aged between 4 days and 21 months. A morphometric study of mitochondrial volume fractions and numbers has been also carried out. Developmental changes result in a rise of most mitochondrial enzymes (NADP+-isocitrate dehydrogenase, malic enzyme, succinate dehydrogenase, citrate synthase) and mitochondrial volume fractions. Exceptions are NAD+-isocitrate dehydrogenase, which declines from 4 days onwards, and NAD+-malate dehydrogenase, which declines and then rises over the same period. Senescent changes follow two different trends. While pyruvate kinase and those mitochondrial enzymes lying between citrate formation and isocitrate oxidation (citrate synthase, NADP+-and NAD+-isocitrate dehydrogenases) decline to some degree, mitochondrial succinate dehydrogenase and NAD+-malate dehydrogenase activities increase over the same period. This could point towards a partial impairment of Krebs cycle function, and a reduced energy-producing capacity in the aged rat heart.