OBJECTIVE: To elucidate the effects of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), phospholipase A(2) (PLA(2)) and oxygen free radical (OFR) on proton transmembrane translocation and H(+)-ATPase. METHODS: The normal rats were sacrificed for preparetion liver mitochondria and submitochondrial particles for experiments in vitro. Submitochondrial particles were incubated with LPS (100 &mgr;g/mL), PLA(2) (10 u/mL) and FeSO(4)/Vit C (30/90 &mgr;mol/L) at 30 degrees C for 30 min. The proton translocation of submitochondrial particles (SMPs) were assayed with the fluorescent probe ACMA (9-amino-6-chloro-2 methoxya cridine). The mitochondria were incubated with different concentration of LPS, PLA(2) and FeSO(4)/Vit C. The H(+)-ATPase, PLA(2) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were assayed. RESULTS: The fluorescent quenching of ACMA and H(+)-ATPase activity in high dose was significantly decreased after treatment with LPS, PLA(2), FeSO(4)/Vit C (P<0.05). The mitochondrial PLA(2) activity and MDA content were significantly increased after treatment with LPS (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: FeSO(4)/Vit C in low dose causes increases H(+)-ATPase activity. LPS, PLA(2), FeSO(4)/Vit C might be the important factors changing H(+)-ATPase and proton translocation across the membrane.