[Effect of melitten from bee venom on mitochondrial functions].

Effect of different concentrations of bee venom melittin on respiration, mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation, and permeability of mitochondrial inner membranes for different ions is studied. Low melittin concentrations (1-2 mcM) increased in several times the rate of H+, K+, Na+ ions and Tris transport, in a lesser degree--bivalent ions and Cl- transport and did not affect the permeability for succrose. Thus, the uncoupling effect of low melittin concentrations on mitochondrial energetic apparatus is due to unspecific increase of inner membrane permeability. High melittin concentrations (50-100 mcM) inhibited mitochondrial respiration due to disturbances of membrane and organized respication complexes structures.