Dinitrophenol

[cougem]

As probably a lot of you know, dinitrophenol is a mitochondrial uncoupler that works via dissipating the proton gradient over the mitochondrial membrane.

 

The thing is, wouldn't this also effect pH? I'm doing experiments with DNP that affect channel activation, and I assume it's via oxidative stress but actually, now I think about it, it could act via minor changes in pH (the channels are very pH sensitive).

 

Thing is, I'm not totally sure how DNP, if at all, would effect pH, when there's multiple layers of mitochondrial membrane etc., and how much it would effect it.

 

Does anyone have any ideas? Or know of anyone who's investigated this before?

[cougem]

Also, I believe DNP effects are very much voltage dependent, so I believe it's quite complex in that respect! pH doesn't necessarily equilibrate because its ability to shuttle protons varies with pH.

 

I haven't actually got any data to back this up though, it's just what I've been told! Any DNP experts out there?

[Bluenoise]

I was under the impression that these kind of charge gradients across membranes are for the most part a localized effect occuring on opposite surfaces of membranes and that the pH difference between the bulk of the material on either size was typically extreemly minute. But this is what I was told in class many years ago and time may have played on my memory.