The influence of headgroup structure and fatty acyl chain saturation of phospholipids on monolayer behavior: a comparative rheological study.

This paper compares six phospholipidic monolayers at the water/chloroform interface by performing dilational rheological measurements with a drop tensiometer apparatus. The chosen lipids differ both in their headgroup structure and fatty acyl chain saturation or symmetry. The study concentrated on monolayers formed with DPPC, DPPE, DOPC, DOPE, POPC and POPE.

Food restriction affects energy metabolism in rat liver mitochondria.

To examine the effect of 50% food restriction over a period of 3 days on mitochondrial energy metabolism, liver mitochondria were isolated from ad libitum and food-restricted rats. Mitochondrial enzyme activities and oxygen consumption were assessed spectrophotometrically and polarographically. With regard to body weight loss (-5%), food restriction decreased the liver to body mass ratio by 7%.

Mitochondrial energy metabolism in a model of undernutrition induced by dexamethasone.

The present investigation was undertaken to evaluate whether mitochondrial energy metabolism is altered in a model of malnutrition induced by dexamethasone (DEX) treatment (1.5 mg/kg per d for 5 d). The gastrocnemius and liver mitochondria were isolated from DEX-treated, pair-fed (PF) and control (CON) rats.

Dexamethasone treatment specifically increases the basal proton conductance of rat liver mitochondria.

We investigated the role that mitochondrial proton leak may play in the glucocorticoid-induced hypermetabolic state. Sprague-Dawley rats were injected with dexamethasone over a period of 5 days. Liver mitochondria and gastrocnemius subsarcolemmal and intermyofibrillar mitochondria were isolated from dexamethasone-treated, pair-fed and control rats.