ubiquinone and Starvation

Ketosis induced by starvation or feeding a ketogenic diet has widespread and often contradictory effects due to the simultaneous elevation of both ketone bodies and free fatty acids. The elevation of ketone bodies increases the energy of ATP hydrolysis by reducing the mitochondrial NAD couple and oxidizing the coenzyme Q couple, thus increasing the redox span between site I and site II. In contrast, metabolism of fatty acids leads to a reduction of both mitochondrial NAD and mitochondrial coenzyme Q causing a decrease in the ΔG of ATP hydrolysis. In contrast, feeding ketone body esters leads to pure ketosis, unaccompanied by elevation of free fatty acids, producing a physiological state not previously seen in nature. The effects of pure ketosis on transcription and upon certain neurodegenerative diseases make approach not only interesting, but of potential therapeutic value.

Topics: Adenosine Triphosphate; Diet, Ketogenic; Esters; Fatty Acids; Humans; Ketones; Ketosis; NAD; Starvation; Ubiquinone

Under conditions of metabolic stress induced in Wistar rats by 5-day starvation with subsequent refeeding, supplementation with coenzyme Q10 in doses of 10 and 100 μg/kg of body weight resulted in significant increase in liver weight after the experiment. Percent ratio of liver cell populations was changed, which was detected by flow cytometry. In addition, specific effects of low dose of coenzyme Q10 (10 mg/kg body weight) on hepatocytes was observed, which manifested in increased number of mitoses and percentage of S-phase cells, enhanced expression of D1 and Rb-protein expression, and reduced percent of apoptotic hepatocytes. Adaptive effects of coenzyme Q10 are associated with enhanced expression of Hsp25, Hsp70, and Hsp90 in hepatocytes during metabolic stress.

Topics: Animals; Apoptosis; Body Weight; Cell Cycle; Hepatocytes; HSP27 Heat-Shock Proteins; HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins; HSP90 Heat-Shock Proteins; Liver; Mitosis; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Retinoblastoma Protein; Starvation; Stress, Physiological; Ubiquinone

Topics: Animals; Liver; Male; Mevalonic Acid; Mitochondria, Liver; Rats; Starvation; Time Factors; Ubiquinone