Mitochondrial permeability transition and oxidative stress

Mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT3) is a non-selective inner membrane permeabilization that may precede necrotic and apoptotic cell death, Although this process has a specific inhibitor, cyclosporin ri, little is known about the nature of the proteinaceous pore that results in MPT. Here, we review data indicating that MPT is not a consequence of the opening of a pre-formed pore, but the consequence of oxidative damage to pre-existing membrane proteins, (C) 2001 Published bg Elsevier Science B.V. on behalf of the Federation of European Biochemical Societies.