MITOCHONDRIAL DYSFUNCTION IN CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE
The aim is to study structural and functional condition of cell mitochondrial apparatus for evaluating the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMР) and the fatty acids (FA) composition of mitochondrial membranes of blood cells in patients with COPD; to establish the role of mitochondrial dysfunction in the mechanism of COPD. The study involved 27 patients with mild COPD, 21 with moderate COPD of a stable course, and 20 healthy people. MMР of leukocytes was assessed with cytofluorimetry. The composition of FA of mitochondrial membranes was studied with gas-liquid chromatography. As a result of the study it was found out that the worsening of the disease (moderate COPD) leads to the increase of the number of white blood cells with reduced MMP and appearance of deficit of the saturated monoenic and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in the membrane of mitochondria. The revealed changes in the structural and functional state of mitochondria show a violation in energetic activity, membrane permeability and transport of substances, which is a sign of the formation of mitochondrial dysfunction and cell hypoxia development at respiratory diseases.