Effects of vitamin E deficiency on GSH-induced swelling of rat liver mitochondria.

Liver mitochondria from alphatocopherol deficient rats swell more rapidly, both spontaneously and in the presence of GSH, than those from control animals. The increased swelling of deficient mitochondria induced by GSH was completely eliminated when mitochondria were left longer than two hours at 0 degrees in the suspending medium. GSH-induced swelling of liver mitochondria from alpha-tocopherol deficient rats is reversed by ATP, polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) and by oral administration alpha-tocopherol (2 mg/day per rat). Swelling of mitochondria in the above system was completely inhibited by the respiratory chain inhibitor, cyanide (.001 M), and partially by azide (0.001 M). We suggest that the swelling tendency of liver mitochondria from alpha-tocopherol deficient rats might be associated with an altered respiratory mechanism and/or an alteration in membrane permeability.