Search

The present experiments were conducted to investigate the direct effects of ethanol on the energy metabolism of astrocytes and C6-glioma cells. Primary astrocytes were prepared from cerebral cortices of neonatal rats, and C6-glioma cells were purchased from American Type Culture Collection (ATCC). These cells were exposed to different concentrations of alcohol (100 mM, 200 mM, and 300 mM) for 15 minutes and 24 hours. The amount of ATP and PCr was measured by the method of Lowry and Passonneau (1972). Following 15 minutes treatment with different doses of ethanol the amount of ATP and PCr increased, in both cell types. Only the increase of ATP concentration with varying doses of ethanol (100 mM, 200 mM, and 300 mM) was statistically significant. Following 24 hours treatment of astrocytes with different doses of ethanol the concentration of ATP and PCr decreased. The decrease in concentration of ATP was significant with all three doses of ethanol, but the decrease of PCr concentration was only statistically significant with 300 mM ethanol. Following 24 hours treatment of C6-glioma cells to varying doses of ethanol, the concentration of PCr and ATP decreased. The decrease of PCr was statistically significant with all three doses of ethanol and the decrease of ATP concentration was only significant with 300 mM ethanol.

Brain tissue cells have been shown to use two predominant pathways for energy production. The first of these is the pentose phosphate shunt, and the second is glycolysis, followed by the TCA cycle. Inhibition of these pathways can result in a reduction of ATP, and changes in the concentration of various metabolites. In the present study, the acute and chronic effect of 6-aminonicotinamide (6-AN) (0.01, 0.02, and 0.03 mg/ml) was examined on astrocytes and C6-glioma cells. Following this treatment, glucose, lactate, glutamate, ATP, and PCr were assayed according to the procedures of Lowry and Passonneau. Our data indicated that following 15 minutes treatment of astrocytes and C6-glioma with 6AN there was no significant difference in the concentration of metabolites measured. However, following 24 hours treatment there was a significant increase in glucose concentration and significant reduction in the concentration of ATP, PCr, lactate and glutamate in both cell types. Morphological changes appeared later following 48 hours treatment with 6-AN in both cell types. Glucose accumulation can be explained by the fact that it is the precursor to both glycolysis and the pentose phosphate shunt. If these processes are inhibited, glucose will obviously accumulate and products like ATP, PCr, lactate and glutamate will decrease. Additionally, there was significant differences in concentration of glucose and lactate between astrocytes and C6-glioma cells. The significance of these differences has been discussed.

Bilateral ischemia has been shown to alter the net brain levels of energy metabolites such as ATP, phosphocreatine, glucose, and glycogen. The amino acid neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) exerts a tonic inhibitory influence on neural activity. The present studies were designed to evaluate the influence of elevated GABA levels on the metabolic sequelae of ischemia. The GABA transaminase inhibitor gamma-vinyl-GABA (GVG; vigabatrin) was administered to Mongolian gerbils before the production of a bilateral ischemic incident. GABA levels were elevated in all regions assayed. Levels of energy metabolites were also increased, an indication of reduced energy utilization. In control animals, in the absence of GVG, 1 min of bilateral ischemia produced decreases in the levels of all metabolites. In animals pretreated with GVG, the effects of 1 min of bilateral ischemia were attenuated. These data suggest that the level of ongoing activity may affect the response to an ischemic insult. Furthermore, GVG may have a clinical indication in reducing the effect of minor ischemic incidents.

The hippocampus exhibits a post-ictal phenomenon in which it is unresponsive to further stimulation. It has been suggested that this loss of excitability is the basis of post-seizure amnesia. The biochemical events associated with this phenomenon are unclear. In the present study, energy metabolites were measured in the stratum oriens, stratum pyramidale and stratum radiatum in rat hippocampus, and correlated with field potential recordings. Wistar rats were anesthetized and the calvarium removed. Following removal of the cortex by aspiration, the hippocampus was covered with oil, and stimulating and recording electrodes were placed. Stimulation consisted of a train of stimuli at 100 Hz (10-20 m Amps). This stimulation was found to be effective in evoking self-sustaining after-discharges and post-ictal depression. Tissues for metabolite analysis were taken from a series of controls, from animals during active self-sustaining seizures, and from animals which were totally unresponsive to further electrical stimulation. Hippocampal tissue for metabolite analysis was obtained by pouring liquid N2 on the exposed tissue, then removing the frozen tissue. Glucose, ATP, and phosphocreatine were measured in hippocampal layers of CA1 using fluorescence techniques and enzymatic cycling. Results showed that during seizure activity, glucose, ATP, and phosphocreatine were all decreased from 40-80% in the three layers of the hippocampus, whereas from 60 seconds after the onset of hippocampal shutdown, energy metabolites had returned toward normal. Thus, at a time when the hippocampus was unresponsive, energy metabolites were at control levels. These data suggest that the shutdown phenomenon occurs in the presence of adequate energy stores.

The medium chain fatty acid octanoic acid was injected i.p. into 20-22 g Swiss-Albino mice at a dose of 15 mumol/g. This dose produced a reproducible response consisting of a 3-4 min period of drowsiness, followed by coma. These mice as well as suitable controls were sacrificed by rapid submersion in liquid N2, or by microwave irradiation in a 7.3 kW microwave oven. Tissue from the reticular formation and the inferior colliculus was prepared for microanalysis of the energy metabolites glucose, glycogen, ATP and phosphocreatine. Results from this study showed a selective effect on energy metabolism in cells of the reticular formation. Both glucose and glycogen were elevated in the coma and precoma state. In addition, ATP and phosphocreatine were decreased in the reticular formation during coma. These results show a selective effect of octanoic acid on energy metabolism in the reticular formation both in the precoma stage, and during overt coma. The selective vulnerability of the reticular formation to metabolic insult may act in a beneficial manner to the animal by inducing coma. This lowers the overall demand for energy, thereby placing the animal in a milieu in which there is an increased chance for correction of the perturbation.

C-6 glioma and C-1300 neuroblastoma cells were cultured in thiamine deficient and control media. Thiamine levels, transketolase and pyruvate decarboxylase activities, and high energy phosphate metabolites were all measured in deficient and control cells. Thiamine levels in the deficient cells were found to be below the level of detectability. Pyruvate decarboxylase activity was more susceptible to thiamine deficiency in both cell lines than transketolase. In spite of the large decrease in pyruvate decarboxylase activity, high energy phosphate metabolites were not decreased in either cell line. These data indicate that C-6 glioma and C-1300 neuroblastoma cells have the capacity to maintain normal energy metabolites in the presence of large changes in thiamine levels and thiamine dependent enzyme activity.

Thiamine deficiency was produced in young rats by feeding a thiamine deficient diet. At a time when neurological symptoms were severe, and cardiac and renal transketolase activities were decreased, the animals were sacrificed. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase activities, and flux through the pentose phosphate pathway were similar in pair-fed control and thiamine deficient rats. These data suggest that altered pentose phosphate pathway activity is not a vital feature of murine thiamine deficiency.

The distribution of the cyclic nucleotides was examined in layers of the mouse cerebellum following decapitation. Cyclic AMP increased and cyclic GMP decreased in all three layers of the cerebellum examined. The increase in cyclic AMP in the granular layer was far greater than in either the molecular or white layers. In the cerebellum from control mice, the cyclic GMP concentration was highest in the molecular layer and lowest in the white layer. Even after decapitation, this cyclic GMP gradient in the cerebellum was maintained.

Many previous studies have examined the effects of unconjugated bilirubin on cerebral energy metabolism. The results have been equivocal largely because the samples for assay included contiguous less affected tissue. The present study was undertaken to obviate this problem. Kernicteric Gunn rat cerebella were sectioned, freeze dried, and Purkinje cell rich layers prepared, as well as adjacent molecular and granular layers. These layers were assayed, along with suitable controls, for glucose, glucogen, ATP, and phosphocreatine. ATP and phosphocreatine were decreased in the Purkinje cell rich layer only; molecular and granular layers were unaffected. Glucose and glycogen were increased in all three layers. These results support the concept that in vivo, bilirubin exerts its toxic effect by uncoupling oxidative phosphorylation.

Experimental seizures were induced in mice by application of 50 mA for 0.2 sec via corneal electrodes. The reproducible conclusive behavior was characterized by a sequence of 2 sec of tonic flexion, 13 sec of tonic extension, and 8 sec of clonus followed by a postictal depressive stage. The animals were frozen and tissues were prepared for analysis according to Lowry and Passonneau [Lowry, O. H. & Passonneau, J. V. (1972) A Flexible System of Enzymatic Analysis (Academic, New York)]. Freeze-dried samples (1-10 ng) of pyramidal cell bodies and adjacent neuropil from the parietal cortex and of Purkinje cell bodies and adjacent neuropil from the cerebellum were analyzed for glucose, ATP, and P-creatine (0.01-0.05 pmol). There were marked decreases in these energy stores after the maximal electroshock in three of the areas examined. In the Purkinje cell bodies, however, the metabolic stress was dampened; glucose concentrations decreased, but the levels of ATP were maintained and, to a lesser extent, those of P-creatine. The results indicate that the output from the Purkinje cells is less than in the other regions examined in the excitable stages of the convulsion. The lesser energy debt probably reflects lower energy demand as well as a lower discharge intensity. The fact that Purkinje cells are spared from the metabolic stress imposed on other regions may be a partial explanation of the seizure activity. A diminished output from the Purkinje cells could be a situation that permits cortical convulsive activity.

Swiss-Albino female mice weighing 20 g were rendered hypoglycemic by injecting insulin (2 units/kg). Animals were sacrificed at 40 min (pre-coma), 2 h (coma) and 4.5 h (recovery) after insulin injection by rapid submersion in liquid N2. Following sectioning at 20 micrometer, samples from the ascending reticular activating system and the inferior colliculus were freeze-dried and assayed for glucose, lactate, ATP and phosphocreatine (PCr). There was a preferential effect of hypoglycemia on ATP and PCr in cells of the ascending reticular activating system. ATP was depleted 30%, and PCr 55% in the pre-coma stage. ATP and PCr in cells from the inferior colliculus were not decreased. This selective effect on cells of the ascending reticular activating system followed by coma suggests that the coma per se may not represent total failure of the organism, but rather a compensatory mechanism designed to permit the animal to correct its compromised energy status.

In order to assess the early regional changes in energy metabolism in bicuculline induced seizures, mice were injected and sacrificed before the onset of overt seizure activity, and shortly after clonic-tonic seizures began. The energy metabolites glucose, ATP, and phosphocreatine were measured in layers of the motor cortex and the cerebellar vermis. Results showed minimal metabolite changes in the cerebellum, whereas changes in energy metabolism in the motor cortex were largely localized to the layers containing pyramidal cells. These results are in agreement with previous studies showing a relative sparing of the cerebellum, and suggest early cortical changes occur in pyramidal cells.

6-Aminonicotinamide (6-AN) is a potent metabolic inhibitor which produces central nervous system malformations when administered to pregnant rats. Since the antimetabolite interferes with energy yielding pathways, the present study was undertaken to determine the effect of maternally administered 6-AN on energy metabolism of the neural tube in developing embryos. On day 9 of gestation, pregnant rats were injected with 2 mg/kg 6-AN, and embryos removed 12 or 24 hours later. Glucose, glycogen, lactate, ATP, PCr, and GABA were measured in neural tube sections using fluorometric techniques. Only ATP and PCr showed changes as compared to appropriate controls. These two metabolites were increased 29% and 37%, respectively, by 6-AN administration. The mechanism of these alterations in metabolites is unclear, but may be related to decreased metabolic demand.

The [14C]deoxyglucose [Sokoloff et al., J. Neurochem. 28, 897-916 (1977)] and [6-14C]glucose [Hawkins et al., Am. J. Physiol. 248, C170-C176 (1985)] quantitative autoradiographic methods were used to measure regional brain glucose utilization in awake rats. The spatial resolution and qualitative appearance of the autoradiograms were similar. In resting animals, there was no significant difference between the two methods among 18 gray and three white matter structures over a fourfold range in glucose utilization rates (coefficient of correlation = 0.97). In rats given increasing frequencies of photoflash visual stimulation, the two methods gave different results for glucose utilization within visual pathways. The linearity of the metabolic response was studied in the superior colliculus using an on-off checkerboard stimulus between 0 and 33 Hz. The greatest increment in activity occurred between 0 and 4 Hz stimulation with both methods, probably representing recruitment of neuronal elements into activity. Above 4 Hz, there was a progressive increase in labeling with [14C]deoxyglucose up to 1.7 times control at 33 Hz. With [6-14C]-glucose, there was no further increment in change above a 30% increase seen at 4 Hz. Measurement of tissue glucose revealed no drop in the visually stimulated structures compared to control. We interpret these results to indicate that, with increasing rates of physiological activity, the products of deoxyglucose metabolism accumulate progressively, but the products of glucose metabolism are removed from brain in 10 min.

Halothane (1%) was administered to twenty-two gram female Swiss-Albino mice which were sacrificed at times of 15 seconds, 45 seconds, 79 seconds and 5 minutes. Additional animals were exposed for 5 minutes and sacrificed 10 minutes after removal from halothane (recovery). Selected energy metabolites were measured in 100-500 nanogram samples from the inferior colliculus and the ascending reticular activating system. Results from this study showed an increase in glucose levels at 79 seconds, when the animals first lost their righting response. The glucose increase was similar in the inferior colliculus and reticular formation. ATP and phosphocreatine were increased at 45 seconds, and during the sleep period in the ascending reticular activating system, and returned to normal during the recovery period. In the inferior colliculus. ATP was similarly increased from 45 seconds throughout the time course, whereas phosphocreatine was elevated at 79 seconds, and during recovery only. These data suggest a decrease in utilization of energy metabolites during halothane anesthesia, both in cells of the inferior colliculus and ascending reticular activating system.

A method is described in which brain tissue from microwave heat inactivated mouse brain is prepared for microregional energy metabolite analysis. This method permits the sectioning of the tissue into sections 40 microns thick in which layers can be visualized and dissected. Results show no movement or leaching of metabolites from one microregion to another. This method therefore, permits the combined use of the two powerful neurochemical techniques of microwave irradiation for sacrifice and microregional analysis for energy metabolite determination.

Previous studies have implicated the ascending reticular activating system (RAS) as playing a vital role in ammonia induced coma. It has been shown, for example, that cells of the RAS have selective decreases in the level of energy metabolites such as ATP and phosphocreatine as compared to adjacent tissue during ammonia induced encephalopathy. To determine the utilization rate of metabolites during ammonia induced coma, we have examined the turnover rate of four key energy metabolites in 20-22 gram mice. Results from this study show decreases in the turnover of glucose, glycogen, and phosphocreatine. The derived value for the turnover of energy metabolites was decreased by 49% as compared to that of control mice. These data suggest that energy utilization is decreased at a time when the physiological output of the RAS is also diminished and the animal is comatose.

The convulsant pentylenetetrazole was administered to the lower primate, the tree shrew. Shortly after the onset of seizures, the animals were killed using a microwave device at 25 Kw and 915 MHz. The energy metabolites glycogen, glucose, ATP, and phosphocreatine were measured in five layers of the cerebral cortex and three layers of the cerebellum. Results showed that, as compared with controls, seizing animals had decreased energy metabolites selective to certain layers. Glucose was decreased in all cortical layers, but only in the granular layer of the cerebellum. Phosphocreatine was decreased in the outer small pyramidal layer and the polymorphous layer of the cortex but was unchanged in the cerebellum. ATP was decreased only in the outer small polymorphous layer of the cortex. These changes are consistent with the concept that selective changes may occur during seizures and that these changes are localized to layers that contain pyramidal cells. Examination of whole cortex may mask more subtle regional changes.

Ammonia intoxication causes loss of consciousness. One postulated mechanism for this stipulates impaired energy metabolism in critical brain sites. The ascending reticular activating system in the brainstem may modulate consciousness. Accordingly, the present study, using micromethods, assessed energy stores in cells from the reticular activating system of mice acutely intoxicated with ammonia. In the early coma period (3.5 min after ammonia) phosphocreatine, adenosine triphosphate and glucose fell significantly while glycogen decreased later. Subsequently during coma, the high energy phosphates returned to normal and supranormal. The maximal fall in these metabolites was not accompanied by a rise in lactate, implying lack of local hypoxia or acidosis. The cells of the posterior coliculus in the same animals failed to show a significant fall in energy stores. These data suggest a selective effect of ammonia on energy metabolism in the cells of the reticular activating system of the brainstem.

Microanalysis methods were used to determine the effect of bilateral carotid occlusion on net levels of energy metabolites in discrete cellular regions of the hippocampus and dentate gyrus of the Mongolian gerbil. Glucose, glycogen, ATP and phosphocreatine levels were not decreased after one minute of bilateral occlusion. Three minutes of ischemia, however, produced a dramatic fall in net levels with no further decrease observed at fifteen minutes. Re-establishment of blood flow for five minutes after a fifteen minute ischemic episode resulted in replenishment of metabolites to pre-ischemic levels. Glucose was increased two to three times in sham-operated animals as compared to control (non-operated) animals. The increase was the result of the Na-pentobarbital anesthetic employed. The present data indicate that regions of the hippocampus and dentate gyrus respond in a uniform manner to bilateral occlusion of the carotid arteries. Further, most cells maintained enough viability to resume production of high-energy phosphate and carbohydrate metabolites.

Ammonia levels are elevated in many patients with hepatic encephalopathy. This observation, coupled with animal studies showing an encephalogenic role for ammonia, has led to the concept that ammonia is an important toxin in the production of neurologic symptoms. Studies in rodents have shown that ammonia alters cerebral energy metabolism in the reticular formation, an area important in the modulation of consciousness. Our study was undertaken to extend these observations to the lower primate Tupaia glis, the tree shrew. The energy metabolites glucose, glycogen, lactate, adenosine triphosphate, and phosphocreatine were measured in the reticular formation by microanalytic techniques and enzymatic cycling. Acetylcholine was measured in brain regions by gas chromatography. Acetylcholine levels were increased significantly only in the medulla-pons and diencephalon in the coma stage. The energy metabolites glucose, glycogen, and phosphocreatine were decreased in reticular formation cells during the coma, whereas lactate was increased. During the precoma, glycogen and phosphocreatine were decreased. It appears, therefore, that the tree shrew has a metabolic response to ammonia similar to that of mice. A lowering of energy metabolism in the area of brain-regulating consciousness may act to place the animal in a coma. This coma in turn acts to decrease overall metabolic demand, which allows the animal an opportunity to conserve its threatened energy reserves.

The net levels and turnover of ATP, ADP, and AMP were measured in the cortex and brainstem of thiamine deficient and control rats. In spite of a 63% decrease in pyruvate decarboxylase activity in the brainstem of severely deficient rats, metabolism of the adenine nucleotides was unaffected. These data indicate a major reserve capacity for pyruvate decarboxylase and show that the adenylate pool is not significantly altered in thiamine deficient rat brain.