UNCOUPLING EFFECT OF FATTY-ACIDS IN HEPATOCYTES

Oleate (10-60 mu M) stimulated oxygen consumption by hepatocytes (2.10 (6) cells per 3 ml) in the presence of oligomycin. This stimulation of respiration was partially suppressed by 20 mu M carboxyatractylate, b ut was insensitive to 0.5 mu M cyclosporin A. These results show that fatty acids can induce an uncoupling in mitochondria of hepatocytes an d that the mechanism of the uncoupling in hepatocytes is similar to th at found in isolated liver mitochondria in the presence of EGTA.