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Mitochondrial membrane potential is reduced in copper-deficient rat hearts, but it is uncertain if this will lead to the onset of apoptosis. To determine if copper deficiency per se leads to apoptosis, C2C12 cells were made copper deficient by treatment with the copper chelator tetraethylenepentamine (TEPA). In TEPA-treated cells, the activity of Cu, Zn-superoxide dismutase and cytochrome-c oxidase decreased dramatically. The protein levels of nuclear-encoded subunits of the cytochromie-c oxidase decreased, but the mitochondrial-encoded subunits remained unchanged. Decreased mitochondrial membrane potential was indicated in TEPA-treated cells, but further investigation of the potential induction of apoptosis by measuring caspase-3 activity, protein concentrations of Bcl-2 and Bax, and DNA fragmentation suggested that apoptosis is not induced in TEPA-treated C2C12 cells. Cells with decreased mitochondrial membrane potential were not destined to apoptosis as a result of copper deficiency.

Cardiac mitochondrial respiration, ATP synthase activity, and membrane potential and intactness were evaluated in copper-deficient rats. In the presence of NADH, both copper-deficient and copper-adequate mitochondria had very low oxygen consumption rates, indicating membrane intactness. However copper-deficient mitochondria had significantly lower oxygen consumption rates with NADH than did copper-adequate mitochondria. Copper-deficient mitochondria had significantly lower membrane potential than did copper-adequate mitochondria using fluorescent dyes. Copper-deficient mitochondria had significantly lower state 3 oxygen consumption rates and were less sensitive to inhibition by oligomycin, an ATP synthase inhibitor. Copper-deficient and copper-adequate mitochondria responded similiarly to CCCP. No difference was observed in mitochondrial ATPase activity between copper-deficient and copper-adequate rats using submitochondrial particles. We conclude that cardiac mitochondrial respiration is compromised in copper-deficient rats, and may be related to an altered ATP synthase complex and/or a decreased mitochondrial membrane potential.

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Background Syphilis infections among volunteer blood donors increased rapidly in recent years. It is important to analyze the demographics of seropositive donor groups and help to recruit donors from low-risk population. Objective The aim of this study was to analyze the syphilis prevalence among volunteer blood donors in Jinan Blood Center and give direction to blood recruitment. Methods and Materials A cross-sectional study was conducted among blood donors in Jinan, China. Socio-demographic data and blood donation testing data from January 2007 to December 2021 were extracted from the database of blood management software of Jinan Blood Center for analysis. All blood samples were screened by ELISA, and those anti-TP-positive samples were counted and analyzed by sex, age, educational background, occupation and blood donation times. Logistic regression was used to explore risk factors associated with syphilis infection. Results Totally 700,757 blood samples were collected in the study during 2007 to 2021, 2290 cases were detected anti-TP positive with a positive rate of 0.33%. Female, 35–44 years old, with a lower education degree, farmers and first-time donors were the high-risk subgroups. Conclusion Consultation and identification of high-risk population groups should be improved. Measures should be taken to make the donor recruitment more professional and detailed.