O. M. Voloshchuk*, М. S. Ursatyy, G. P. Kopylchuk

Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University, Institute of Biology, Chemistry and Natural Resources, Ukraine;
*e-mail: o.voloschuk@chnu.edu.ua

Received: 11 November 2021; Accepted: 21 January 2022

The NADH-ubiquinone reductase (EC 7.1.1.2) and succinate dehydrogenase (EC 1.3.5.1) activity, the levels of total ubiquinone and its redox forms, and the degree of oxidative modification of mitochondrial proteins in the rat kidney were investigated. It was found that when consuming a low-protein diet there is a decrease in NADH-ubiquinone reductase and succinate dehydrogenase activity by 1.4-1.7 times, a 20% decrease in total ubiquinone and a quantitative redistribution of its oxidized and reduced form with a predominance of oxidized form. Under the studied conditions, there is no accumulation of carbonyl derivatives, but the level of free SH-groups is significantly reduced compared with control. At the same time, in animals consuming a high-sucrose diet there is an increase in NADH-ubiquinone reductase and succinate dehydrogenase activity by 1.5-2 times and maintenance of the total ubiquinone at the control level against the background of redistribution of its redox forms, namely a decrease in reduced ubiquinone and an increase in oxidized ubiquinone on average by 1.5 times. In addition, there is an intensification of the reactions of free radical damage of mitochondrial proteins in kidney cells, as evidenced by an increase in the level of carbonyl derivatives and a significant decrease in the level of free protein SH-groups by approximately 1.4-1.5 times. The most pronounced changes in the studied indicators are found in animals that consumed a low-protein/high-sucrose diet. In particular, an excessive consumption of sucrose on the background of protein deficiency is accompanied by a reduction of NADH-ubiquinone reductase and succinate dehydrogenase activity by 1.7-2 times, a decrease in total ubiquinone level by approximately 1.4 times, and a two-fold decrease in reduced ubiquinone against the background of intensification of the free radical oxidation of mitochondrial proteins, which can be considered as a prerequisite for the impairment of the renal function under the conditions of carbohydrate-protein imbalance.

Keywords: carbonyl derivatives, kidney, NADH-ubiquinone reductase, nutrients, protein SH-group, succinate dehydrogenase, ubiquinone