Xanthommatin formation in rat liver mitochondria and its inhibition by respiratory chain substrates

3-Hydroxykynurenine is condensed to xanthommatin by cytochrome c and cytochrome oxidase in rat liver mitochondria. In intact mitochondria the reaction is inhibited by respiratory chain substrates. However, this was not the case with preincubated mitochondria or with isolated cytochrome c and cytochrome oxidase. The inhibition of xanthommatin formation in native mitochondria by succinate was abolished by addition of antimycin A or malonate, whereas the inhibition by citrate, glutamate or fumarate was not impaired by antimycin A or amobarbital. However, after preincubation of mitochondria at 37 degrees C for 30 min the inhibition disappeared in these cases too. It is suggested that the inhibition by succinate is due to the supply of reduced cytochrome b which competes with 3-hydroxykynurenine for ferricytochrome c, while the other respiratory chain substrates inhibit xanthommatin formation only in the case of intact mitochondria by a yet unknown mechanism. These inhibition mechanisms prevent xanthommatin formation in rat liver mitochondria, even though 3-hydroxykynurenine is synthesized in the outer mitochondrial membrane.