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Effects of disialoganglioside GD3 on the mitochondrial membrane potential
Author(s) -
Higuchi Yu,
Miura Tsuyoshi,
Kajimoto Tetsuya,
Ohta Yoshihiro
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/j.febslet.2005.04.054
Subject(s) - mitochondrion , membrane potential , mitochondrial permeability transition pore , intracellular , biophysics , chemistry , permeability (electromagnetism) , inner mitochondrial membrane , microbiology and biotechnology , membrane , membrane permeability , apoptosis , biochemistry , biology , programmed cell death
GD3 is an intracellular mediator of apoptotic signaling. Although GD3 is known to directly act on mitochondria, the dynamic responses of individual mitochondria to GD3 remain to be elucidated. In the current study, the membrane potential of single mitochondria is observed in the presence of GD3 or its analogues. Here, we report that (1) GD3 specifically induces gradual depolarizations of the inner membrane by a mechanism that differs from the permeability transition, and (2) the GD3‐induced depolarizations are suppressed by cyclosporin A. These results suggest that GD3 depolarizes mitochondria by a mechanism distinct from but relevant to the permeability transition.