Impaired mitochondrial function induced by serum from septic shock patients is attenuated by inhibition of nitric oxide synthase and poly(ADP-ribose) synthase*

In vitro mitochondrial respiration was significantly depressed by septic serum. The addition of N(G)-methyl-L-arginine, a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, and 3-aminobenzamide, a blocker of the poly(ADP-ribose) synthase pathway, significantly attenuated this suppression. These data suggest that nitric oxide and poly(ADP-ribose) synthase activation may play an important role in the inhibition of mitochondrial respiration in septic shock.