Decreased susceptibility of heart mitochondria from diabetic GK rats to mitochondrial permeability transition induced by calcium phosphate

Type 2 diabetes (or non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, NIDDM) is a co mmon metabolic disease in man. The Goto-Kakizaki (GK) rat has been designed as a NIDDM model. Previous studies with this strain have shown differences at the mitochondrial level. The mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT ) is a widely studied phenomenon but yet poorly understood, that leads to m itochondrial dysfunction and cell death. The aim of this work was to compar e the differences in susceptibility of induction of the MPT with calcium ph osphate in GK and Wistar rats. Our results show that heart mitochondria fro m GK rats are less susceptible to the induction of MPT, and show a larger c alcium accumulation before the overall loss of mitochondrial impermeability .