The Changes Of Mitochondrial Respiratory Chain Complex And Membrane Potential In Parkin’s Disease Fibroblasts

Objective:1. To investigate the function of mitochondrial respiratory chain complex and mitochondrial membrane porential in PD patients fibroblasts.2. To explore the relationships between parkin gene mutant、 mitochondrial function and parkin’s disease.Methods:1. Punch skin biopsies were taken from two patients with parkin mutant and eight patients without parkin mutant. Control skin were obtained from12healthy control subjects. Primary fibroblasts were culcured continously.2. Activities of respiratory chain complex Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ、Ⅳ were measured using the assay kit according to the manufacturer’s instructions.3. Mitochondrial membrane porential were measured using the JC-1kit according to the manufacturer’s instructions.4. Statistical analysis was performed using the SPSS13.0. We compared the variable by means of the Oneway ANOVA and q-test. A level of significance of p<0.05was used.Results:1. Activities of respiratory chain complex I were significantly lower in cells with and without parkin-mutantions than that in normal controls(P <0.05). Activities of complex I were lower in parkin mutant cells than that in cells without parkin mutantions, but there was no significant difference(P>0.05). Activities of complex Ⅱ、Ⅲ、Ⅳare similar in every group.2. Mitochondrial membrane porential were also lower in cells with and without parkin-mutantions than that in normal controls(P<0.05). There was also a significant difference between parkin mutant cells and without parkin mutant cells.Conclusions:Activities of respiratory chain complex I were lower in PD, this may be induce mitochondrial dysfunction. The decrease of mitochondrial membrane porential suggested apoptosis. The changes of mitochondrial is related to parkinson’s disease. Park gene has a great role in the pathogenesis of parkinson’s disease.The relationships between parkin gene and mitochondrial function requires further studies.