CHARACTERIZATION OF THE OLIGOMYCIN-SENSITIVITY PROPERTIES OF THE F1F0-ATPASE IN MITOCHONDRIA FROM RATS INFECTED WITH THE LIVER FLUKE FASCIOLA-HEPATICA

The F1F0-ATPase activity of liver mitochondria isolated from rats infe cted with Fasciola hepatica at 3 and 4 weeks post-infection showed a m arked loss of sensitivity to oligomycin and to N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbod iimide. A loss of sensitivity to diethylstilbestrol was also demonstra ted at 4 weeks post-infection. Recovery was apparent in most cases by 6 weeks post-infection. No significant difference in latent ATPase act ivity was observed between mitochondria from control and infected live rs at any stage of the infection. The mitochondria from infected liver s were therefore considered to have a full complement of the F-1 moiet y of the F1F0-ATPase complex. Purification of the mitochondrial ATPase from 4-week infected livers resulted in a very low yield of an oligom ycin-insensitive complex. This was due to a failure to enrich specific activity during purification. The evidence presented indicates that i nfection with Fasciola hepatica gives rise to alterations in the funct ion of the host liver mitochondrial ATPase, namely loss of inhibitor s ensitivity and apparent structural alterations of the ATPase complex.