Veterinary Science & Technology

The Effect of Chromium and Selenium Ions on Mitochondrial Trans membrane Transport of Fatty Acids in Healthy and Diabetic Rats

Abstract

Tomasz Kury, Maria Milczarek, Bogdan Debski

Essential trace elements, chromium (Cr+3) as well as selenium (Se+4) and (Se-2) exhibits stimulatory effect on β-oxidation of fatty acids, especially after supplementation with carnitine. Presented results allowed to conclude, that the trace elements ions modify the activity of the transport of fatty acids across the mitochondrial membranes. It seems that the limiting step of this process is the activity of carnitine-palmitoyl transferase-1 (CPT-1), which is responsible for transport of substrate across the external membrane. In this process selenium ions (Se+4) and (Se-2) are more active than chromium (Cr+4). In all studied combinations of ions the activity of carnitine-palmitoyl transferase -2 (CPT-2) remains almost unchanged. Only small stimulatory effect was observed in combination of Cr and Se ions, but in these variants inhibitory effect on CPT-1 occur.