[The effect of bovine serum albumin conjugates with polyalkylene oxides on the respiration of heart mitochondria]

The effect of polyalkylene oxides and pluronics (block copolymers of polyethylene oxide and polypropylene oxide) and their conjugates with bovine serum albumin (BSA) on respiration and oxidative phosphorylation in rat heart mitochondria has been studied. The pluronics and their conjugates with BSA stimulate state 4 respiration in mitochondria, inhibit state 3 respiration and 2,4-dinitrophenol-uncoupled state respiration, decrease the respiratory control, ADP/O ratio values and display weak uncoupling properties. The pluronics inhibit respiration and oxidative phosphorylation more effectively than their conjugates with BSA. The effect of the conjugate on the mitochondrial membrane is reversible, in contrast with that of the pluronics. The compounds under study act preferentially on the NADH-dehydrogenase complex of the respiratory chain. Inhibition of respiration in thymocytes by these compounds confirms their ability to penetrate into the cell membrane. The dependence of membranotropic properties of polyalkylene oxides and their conjugates with the protein on their structure is discussed.