The effect of Plasmodium berghei malaria on mouse-liver mitochondria

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Abstract
Infection of mice with Plasmodium berghei malaria produces demonstrable disturbance in the behavior of liver mitochondria. Oxidation rates of succinate, glutamate and [beta]-hydroxybutyrate are depressed and addition of coenzyme to the diphosphopyridine nucleotide-linked oxidations effects only partial reactivation; P/O ratios are lowered with each substrate oxidized. Both latent and Mg2+ ion-stimulated adenosine-triphosphatase activities are increased, whereas dinitrophenol-stimulated activity is decreased. The relation of these changes to the duration of the infection and to the degree and duration of the accompanying anaemia is described, and the similarity of the findings to mitochondrial disturbance in toxic liver damage is discussed.