Action of SCN- on rat liver mitochondria.

Thiocyanate has been shown to inhibit the following functions in liver mitochondria: Succinate and β-hydroxybutyrate oxidation, P/O ratio, ATP binding, Pi-ATP exchange, and valinomycin-induced K+ uptake. This inhibition can be overcome by increased ADP or substrate concentrations, and is presumably due to interaction of SCN- with anion-binding sites in the mitochondrial membrane.It has been shown (1) that the action of SCN- on the gastric mucosa is not limited to inhibition of HC1 secretion, but appears to extend to effects on K+ permeability and on metabolism since there is alteration in O2 consumption (2) and inhibition of microsomal and mitochondrial ATPase (3).By measurements of the action of SCN-on: (1) P/O ratio of mitochondrial preparations with a variety of substrates; (2) oxidation rate of various substrates; (3) ion transport of mitochondria; and (4) binding of nucleotides by mitochondria, it was shown that SCN- had significant effects on various aspects of mitochondrial metabolism. These result...