The interaction of Ca2+ with mitochondria isolated from longissismus dorsi, a predominantly white skeletal muscle, of normal and
malignant hyperthermia pigs was investigated using tightly-coupled preparations. Arrhenius plots of mitochondrial Ca2+ -stimulated respiration for
succinate oxidation of
malignant hyperthermia pigs showed a transition temperature (Tt) of 26.31 +/- 0.80 degrees C (n = 5), which was decreased by
spermine to 15.41 +/- 0.69 degrees C (n = 3), a value very similar to that for normal pigs. No difference in either the Tt or in the activation energy (Ea) was observed between the two types of pigs when
ADP was used instead of Ca2+. Mitochondria of
malignant hyperthermia pigs were uncoupled at 40 degrees C by exogenous Ca2+ at 1221 +/- 301 (n = 9) nmol Ca2+ per mg proteinn during
succinate oxidation and the uncoupled mitochondria showed large amplitude swelling. Both the Ca2+ -induced uncoupling and swelling were prevented by
bovine serum albumin and by the
phospholipase inhibitors,
spermine and
tetracaine. In contrast, mitochondria of normal pigs were still tightly coupled even after a total addition of 2313 +/- 287 (n = 5) nmol Ca2+ per mg
protein and retained the original condensed configuration in the presence or absence of
spermine and
tetracaine. Mitochondria of
malignant hyperthermia pigs contained significantly (P less than 0.001) higher quantities of endogenous Ca2+ and showed a significantly (P less than 0.001) faster
FCCP-induced endogenous Ca2+ efflux rate than normal when monitored spectroscopically with
murexide. No significant difference was observed in either the rate of exogenous Ca2+ uptake or in the extent of Ca2+ accumulated in the aerobic steady state during
succinate oxidation between the two types of pigs. The rate of mitochondrial Ca2+ efflux of
malignant hyperthermia pigs during anaerobiosis was about twice that of normal. Experimental evidence suggests that mitochondria from musculi longissimus dorsi of
malignant hyperthermia pigs contained a Ca2+ -stimulated
phospholipase A2 (EC 3.1.1.4, phosphatide 2-acylhydrolase), and that this
enzyme if present in mitochondria of normal pigs is either latent or in very low concentration. The significance of the Ca2+ -stimulated
phospholipase A2 and its association with the enhanced rate of glycolysis in porcine
malignant hyperthermia syndrome and in the post-mortem formation of the pale, soft and exudative conditions observed in white skeletal muscles of
malignant hyperthermia pigs is discussed.