Diss. ETH



Diss. ETH No. 11703

Alterations in Mitochondrial DNA Metabolism Caused

by Iron and Oxygen Species

Reactive

A dissertation submitted to the

SWISS FEDERAL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY for the

degree

of Doctor of Natural Sciences

presented by Patrick B.Walter B.Sc.

(Honours), Simon Fraser University

M.Sc, University of British Columbia born

February 16,

1959

citizen of Canada

Prof. Dr. K.H.

Winterhalter, examiner

Prof. Dr. C. Richter, co-examiner Prof. Dr. G. Brun, co-examiner

Zurich, 1996

V

Abstract

The livers of female Wistar rats fed

diet enhanced with 3.5% iron fumarate for 14 weeks had 10

a

times the iron load of control ammals, which is The increased

body

iron caused

mitochondria.

Fine

needle

microscopy (TEM) using freezing technique, sections

morphometric techniques and

occupied by

area

vivo

novel

using used

techniques. Samples

analyse

±

0.024 nmoles

using

I found

no

was

always

electrophoresis

0.007

showed

micrographs

Lipid peroxidation (n=20),

difference in the membrane

purified

and 0.150

to

dynamics (the

(relaxed

these oxidants

over

The

mtDNA.

dihydroxypyrimidine),

trolox-c

mtDNA

alloxan

peroxide and glutathione.

Thin and

a

decrease

analysed by

of control and iron-

0.023 nmoles

malondialdehyde was

finding

0.168

±

that the

as an

indicator of membrane

internal motions of the even

phospholipid acyl

though the respiratory control

significance

of

p