Correlation between decreased expression of mitochondrial F0F1-ATP synthase and low regenerating capability of the liver after partial hepatectomy inhypothyroid rats

In hypothyroid rats, partial hepatectomy does not induce liver regeneration until 120 h after surgical operation, when, instead, in normal rats a comp lete recovery of the liver mass, in this interval, is observed. In normal r ats, a good efficiency of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation is needed as an energy sourer for liver regeneration (Guerrieri, F. et al., 1995); i n hypothyroid rats the efficiency of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylatio n is low in the 0-120 h interval after partial hepatectomy. This low effici ency of oxidative phosphorylation appears to be related to a low mitochondr ial content of F0F1-ATP synthase, in liver of hypothyroid rats, which does not recover after partial hepatectomy. In the Liver of hypothyroid rats, lo w levels of the nuclear-encoded mitochondrial catalytic beta F-1 subunit an d of its transcript are observed and they do not increase, as occurs in nor mal rats, after partial hepatectomy.