Red blood cell regulation of microvascular tone through adenosine triphosphate

The matching of blood flow with metabolic need requires a mechanism for sensing the needs of the tissue and communicating that need to the arterioles, the ultimate controllers of tissue perfusion. Despite significant strides in our understanding of blood flow regulation, the identity of the O(2) sensor has remained elusive. Recently, the red blood cell, the Hb-containing O(2) carrier, has been implicated as a potential O(2) sensor and contributor to this vascular control by virtue of its concomitant carriage of millimolar amounts of ATP, which it is able to release when exposed to a low-O(2) environment. To evaluate this possibility, we exposed perfused cerebral arterioles to low extraluminal O(2) in the absence and presence of red blood cells or 6% dextran and determined both vessel diameter and ATP in the vessel effluent. Only when the vessels were perfused with red blood cells did the vessels dilate in response to low extraluminal O(2). In addition, this response was accompanied by a significant increase in vessel effluent ATP. These findings support the hypothesis that the red blood cell itself serves a role in determining O(2) supply to tissue.     

Effect of oxygen tension on human peripheral blood leukocytes: lysosomal enzyme release and metabolic responses during phagocytosis

We found that nonlethal lysosomal enzyme release from human peripheral blood leukocytes during phagocytosis of opsonized zymosan in vitro was modified by the oxygen tension under which the cells were incubated; with decreasing Po(2), zymosan-induced release of lysosomal enzymes was potentiated. The effect on enzyme release could not be attributed secondarily to an effect on phagocytosis, because, as others have reported, Po(2) had little effect on that response. Metabolic responses that accompany phagocytosis were also modified by oxygen tension. Stimulation of oxidation by way of the pentose cycle was further enhanced by increasing Po(2). Conversely, anaerobic glycolysis was promoted by decreasing oxygen tension. ATP levels fell as a function of time and concentration of phagocytic stimulus, mirroring lysosomal enzyme release as modified by Po(2). Cyclic AMP levels fell during phagocytosis and lysosomal enzyme release, a change that could act to facilitate lysosomal enzyme release. However, the fall in nucleotide level was greatest with highest Po(2) (i.e., when lysosomal enzyme release was least). The inverse relationship between oxidative metabolism and enzyme release suggested that a product of oxidative metabolism might adversely influence enzyme release. Sulfhydryl antioxidants (Cysteine, glutathione) and scavengers of oxygen-derived reactants (superoxide dismutase, catalase, benzoate, hypoxanthine, xanthine, histidine, azide) all potentiated zymosan- stimulated enzyme release. These findings are consistent with the interpretation that one or more factors (e.g., superoxide anion, hydrogen peroxide, hydroxyl radical, singlet oxygen), generated in association with the burst of oxidative metabolism which accompanies phagocytosis, acts to inhibit lysosomal enzyme release.     

A selective phosphodiesterase 3 inhibitor rescues low PO2-induced ATP release from erythrocytes of humans with type 2 diabetes: implication for vascular control

Erythrocytes, via release of ATP in areas of low oxygen (O(2)) tension, are components of a regulatory system for the distribution of perfusion in skeletal muscle ensuring optimal O(2) delivery to meet tissue needs. In type 2 diabetes (DM2), there are defects in O(2) supply to muscle as well as a failure of erythrocytes to release ATP. The goal of this study was to ascertain if a phosphodiesterase 3 (PDE3) inhibitor, cilostazol, would rescue low O(2)-induced ATP release from DM2 erythrocytes and, thereby, enable these cells to dilate isolated erythrocyte-perfused skeletal muscle arterioles exposed to decreased extraluminal O(2). Erythrocytes were obtained from healthy humans (HH; n = 12) and humans with DM2 (n = 17). We determined that 1) PDE3B is similarly expressed in both groups, 2) mastoparan 7 (G(i) activation) stimulates increases in cAMP in HH but not in DM2 erythrocytes, and 3) pretreatment of DM2 erythrocytes with cilostazol resulted in mastoparan 7-induced increases in cAMP not different from those in HH cells. Most importantly, cilostazol restored the ability of DM2 erythrocytes to release ATP in response to low O(2). In contrast with perfusion with HH erythrocytes, isolated hamster retractor muscle arterioles perfused with DM2 erythrocytes constricted in response to low extraluminal PO(2). However, in the presence of cilostazol (100 μM), DM2 erythrocytes induced vessel dilation not different from that seen with HH erythrocytes. Thus rescue of low O(2)-induced ATP release from DM2 erythrocytes by cilostazol restored the ability of erythrocytes to participate in the regulation of perfusion distribution in skeletal muscle.     

Metabolic arrest and its regulation in anoxic eel hepatocytes

Some vertebrates depress overall metabolism in an abrupt and reversible fashion when challenged with anoxia, ensuring stabilization of cellular [ATP] and long-term survival, but little is known about the eliciting stimuli (e.g., change in O2, adenylates) and downstream effectors responsible for metabolic arrest. Accordingly, eel (Anguilla anguilla) hepatocytes were treated with inhibitors of putative components of the oxygen/metabolite-sensing pathway(s) and exposed to anoxia (Po2=0 mmHg). Anoxia in untreated cells caused a remarkable 85-fold decrease in ATP production rate, but cellular ATP levels stabilized following an initial steep drop. Reoxygenation of cells after 4 h of anoxia caused a fast metabolization of accumulated lactate and reestablishment of preanoxic ATP levels. Unlike physiological anoxia, pharmacological inhibition of the electron transport chain in the presence of oxygen caused extensive cellular ATP depletion, though no loss in viability. In contrast, cellular lactate (i.e., ATP) production rate was affected similarly by either treatment, suggesting that anaerobic glycolysis is regulated by a stimulus other than oxygen tension per se, whereas the continuous matching of ATP consumption and a rapidly ceasing mitochondrial ATP supply require a physiological relevant change in oxygen tension. Protein kinases, notably kinase C (PKC) and A (PKA), have been proposed as key downstream regulators of stress-induced defense mechanisms, but anoxic cell viability, metabolic rate, and [ATP] were not significantly affected by inhibitors of PKC and PKA. Likewise, inhibition of the upstream PKC-activating enzymes phospholipase C (PLC) and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-K) had no effect on recorded parameters. Anoxic cell survival in complex organisms may, in vivo, also depend on stress hormones released from distant oxygen-sensing cells. Accordingly, adrenaline elevated anaerobic energy production but, apparently, also elevated ATP consumption because cellular ATP levels during oxygen deprivation were slightly lowered by adrenergic stimulation.     

Oxygen requirement of photosynthetic CO2 assimilation

In the absence of electron acceptors and of oxygen a proton gradient was supported across thylakoid membranes of intact spinach chloroplasts by far-red illumination. It was decreased by red light. Inhibition by red light indicates effective control of cyclic electron flow by Photosystem II. Inhibition was released by oxygen which supported a large proton gradient. Oxygen appeared to act as electron acceptor simultaneously preventing over-reduction of electron carriers of the cyclic electron transport pathway. It thus has an important regulatory function in electron transport. Under anaerobic conditions, the inhibition of electron transport caused by red illumination could also be released and a large proton gradient could be established by oxaloacetate, nitrite and 3-phosphoglycerate, but not by bicarbonate. In the absence of oxygen, ATP levels remained low in chloroplasts illuminated with red light even when bicarbonate was present. They increased when electron acceptors were added which could release the over-reduction of the electron transport chain. Inhibition of electron transport in the presence of bicarbonate was relieved and CO2-fixation was initiated by oxygen concentrations as low as about 10 microM. Once CO2 fixation was initiated, very low oxygen levels were sufficient to sustain it. The results support the assumption that pseudocyclic electron transport is necessary to poise the electron transport chain so that a proper balance of linear and cyclic electron transport is established to supply ATP for CO2 reduction.     

Finite Element Model of Oxygen Transport for the Design of Geometrically Complex Microfluidic Devices Used in Biological Studies

Red blood cells play a crucial role in the local regulation of oxygen supply in the microcirculation through the oxygen dependent release of ATP. Since red blood cells serve as an oxygen sensor for the circulatory system, the dynamics of ATP release determine the effectiveness of red blood cells to relate the oxygen levels to the vessels. Previous work has focused on the feasibility of developing a microfluidic system to measure the dynamics of ATP release. The objective was to determine if a steep oxygen gradient could be developed in the channel to cause a rapid decrease in hemoglobin oxygen saturation in order to measure the corresponding levels of ATP released from the red blood cells. In the present study, oxygen transport simulations were used to optimize the geometric design parameters for a similar system which is easier to fabricate. The system is composed of a microfluidic device stacked on top of a large, gas impermeable flow channel with a hole to allow gas exchange. The microfluidic device is fabricated using soft lithography in polydimethyl-siloxane, an oxygen permeable material. Our objective is twofold: (1) optimize the parameters of our system and (2) develop a method to assess the oxygen distribution in complex 3D microfluidic device geometries. 3D simulations of oxygen transport were performed to simulate oxygen distribution throughout the device. The simulations demonstrate that microfluidic device geometry plays a critical role in molecule exchange, for instance, changing the orientation of the short wide microfluidic channel results in a 97.17% increase in oxygen exchange. Since microfluidic devices have become a more prominent tool in biological studies, understanding the transport of oxygen and other biological molecules in microfluidic devices is critical for maintaining a physiologically relevant environment. We have also demonstrated a method to assess oxygen levels in geometrically complex microfluidic devices.     

Theoretical model of metabolic blood flow regulation: roles of ATP release by red blood cells and conducted responses

A proposed mechanism for metabolic flow regulation involves the saturation-dependent release of ATP by red blood cells, which triggers an upstream conducted response signal and arteriolar vasodilation. To analyze this mechanism, a theoretical model is used to simulate the variation of oxygen and ATP levels along a flow pathway of seven representative segments, including two vasoactive arteriolar segments. The conducted response signal is defined by integrating the ATP concentration along the vascular pathway, assuming exponential decay of the signal in the upstream direction with a length constant of approximately 1 cm. Arteriolar tone depends on the conducted metabolic signal and on local wall shear stress and wall tension. Arteriolar diameters are calculated based on vascular smooth muscle mechanics. The model predicts that conducted responses stimulated by ATP release in venules and propagated to arterioles can account for increases in perfusion in response to increased oxygen demand that are consistent with experimental findings at low to moderate oxygen consumption rates. Myogenic and shear-dependent responses are found to act in opposition to this mechanism of metabolic flow regulation.     

Modeling the effects of hypoxia on ATP turnover in exercising muscle.

Most models of metabolic control concentrate on the regulation of ATP production and largely ignore the regulation of ATP demand. We describe a model, based on the results of Hogan et al. (J. Appl. Physiol. 73: 728-736, 1992), that incorporates the effects of ATP demand. The model is developed from the premise that a unique set of intracellular conditions can be measured at each level of ATP turnover and that this relationship is best described by energetic state. Current concepts suggest that cells are capable of maintaining oxygen consumption in the face of declines in the concentration of oxygen through compensatory changes in cellular metabolites. We show that these compensatory changes can cause significant declines in ATP demand and result in a decline in oxygen consumption and ATP turnover. Furthermore we find that hypoxia does not directly affect the rate of anaerobic ATP synthesis and associated lactate production. Rather, lactate production appears to be related to energetic state, whatever the PO2. The model is used to describe the interaction between ATP demand and ATP supply in determining final ATP turnover.     

Hemolysis and ATP Release from Human and Rat Erythrocytes under Conditions of Hypoxia: A Comparative Study

Red blood cells are involved not only in transportation of oxygen and carbon dioxide but also in autoregulation of vascular tone by ATP release in hypoxic conditions. Molecular mechanisms of the ATP release from red blood cells in response to a decrease in partial oxygen pressure still remain to be elucidated. In this work we have studied effects of hypoxia on red blood cell hemolysis in humans and rats and compared the effects of inhibitors of ecto-ATPase and pannexin on the release of ATP and hemoglobin from rat erythrocytes. The 20-min hypoxia at 37°C increased hemolysis of red blood cells in humans and rats 1.5- and 2.5-fold, respectively. In rat erythrocytes a significant increase in hypoxia-induced extracellular ATP level was found only in the presence of ecto-ATPase inhibitor ARL 67156. In these conditions we observed a positive correlation (R² = 0.5003) between the increase in free hemoglobin concentration and the ATP release. Neither carbenoxolon nor probenecid, the inhibitors of low-selectivity pannexin channels, altered the hypoxia-induced ATP release from rat erythrocytes. The obtained results indicate a key role of hemolysis in the ATP release from red blood cells.     

Prolonged tissue PO2 reduction after contraction in spinotrapezius muscle of spontaneously hypertensive rats

We tested the hypothesis that a deficit in oxygen extraction or an increase in oxygen demand after skeletal muscle contraction leads to delayed recovery of tissue oxygen tension (Po(2)) in the skeletal muscle of hypertensive rats compared with normotensive rats. Blood flow and Po(2) recovery at various sites in the spinotrapezius muscle of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) were evaluated after a 3-min period of muscle contraction and were compared with corresponding values in Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKYs). The recovery of tissue Po(2) [75 +/- 7 (SHRs) vs. 99 +/- 12% (WKYs) of resting values] and venular Po(2) [72 +/- 13 (SHRs) vs. 104 +/- 10% (WKYs) of resting values] were significantly depressed in the SHRs 30 s postcontraction. The delayed recovery persisted for 120 s postcontraction for both tissue [86 +/- 11 (SHRs) vs. 119 +/- 13% (WKYs) of resting values] and venular [74 +/- 2 (SHRs) vs. 100 +/- 9% (WKYs) of resting values] Po(2) levels. There was no significant difference in the recovery of arteriolar Po(2) between the two groups 30 s postcontraction [95 +/- 7 (SHRs) vs. 84 +/- 8% (WKYs) of resting values]. Values for resting diameter of arcade arterioles in the two groups were not different [52 +/- 3 (SHRs) vs. 51 +/- 3 microm (WKYs)], but the arteriolar diameter after the 3-min contraction period was greater in the SHRs (71 +/- 4 microm) than the WKYs (66 +/- 4). Likewise, red blood cell (RBC) velocity [5.8 +/- 0.3 (SHRs) vs. 4.7 +/- 0.2 mm/s (WKYs)] and blood flow [23.0 +/- 0.8 (SHRs) vs. 16.0 +/- 1.0 nl/s (WKYs)] measurements were significantly greater in the SHRs at 30 s postcontraction. The delayed recovery of tissue Po(2) in the SHRs compared with the WKYs can be explained by a decrease in oxygen diffusion from the rarefied microvascular network due to the increased RBC velocity and the shorter residence time in the microcirculation and the consequent disequilibrium for oxygen between plasma and RBCs. The delayed recovery of venular Po(2) in the SHRs is consistent with this explanation, as venular Po(2) is slowly restored to baseline by release of oxygen from the RBCs. This leaves the arterioles in the primary role as oxygen suppliers to restore Po(2) in the tissue after muscle contraction.     

The Rho kinase inhibitor Y-27632 increases erythrocyte deformability and low oxygen tension-induced ATP release

Low oxygen (O(2)) tension and mechanical deformation are stimuli for ATP release from erythrocytes. It has been shown previously that rabbit erythrocytes made less deformable with diamide, a thiol cross-linking agent, release less ATP in response to low O(2) tension, suggesting a link between these two stimuli. In nonerythroid cells, activation of the Rho/Rho kinase signaling pathway has been reported to decrease cell deformability by altering Rho kinase-dependent cytoskeleton-protein interactions. We investigated the hypothesis that the Rho kinase inhibitor Y-27632 would increase erythrocyte deformability and thereby increase low O(2) tension-induced ATP release from erythrocytes. Here we show that Y-27632 (1 μM) increases erythrocyte deformability (5%) and increases low O(2) tension-induced ATP release (203%) from healthy human erythrocytes. In addition, we found that, when erythrocytes were made less deformable by incubation with diamide (100 μM), Y-27632 restored both deformability and low O(2) tension-induced ATP release to levels similar to those measured in the absence of diamide. These findings suggest that the Rho kinase inhibitor Y-27632 is able to reverse the diamide-induced decrease in erythrocyte deformability and rescue low O(2) tension-induced ATP release. These results further support a link between erythrocyte deformability and ATP release in response to low O(2) tension.     

Vesicular exocytosis contributes to volume-sensitive ATP release in biliary cells

Extracellular ATP is a potent autocrine/paracrine signal that regulates a broad range of liver functions through activation of purinergic receptors. In biliary epithelium, increases in cell volume stimulate ATP release through a phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3-kinase)-dependent mechanism. Because PI3-kinase also regulates vesicular exocytosis, the purpose of these studies was to determine whether volume-stimulated vesicular exocytosis contributes to cellular ATP release. In a human cholangiocarcinoma cell line, exocytosis was measured by using the plasma membrane marker FM1-43, whereas ATP release was assessed by using a luciferase-luciferin assay. Under basal conditions, cholangiocytes exhibited constitutive exocytosis at a rate of 1.6%/min, and low levels of extracellular ATP were detected at 48.2 arbitrary light units. Increases in cholangiocyte cell volume induced by hypotonic exposure resulted in a 10-fold increase in the rate of exocytosis and a robust 35-fold increase in ATP release. Both vesicular exocytosis and ATP release were proportional to cell volume, and both exhibited similar regulatory properties including: 1) dependence on intact PI3-kinase, 2) attenuation by inhibition of PKC, and 3) potentiation by activation of PKC before hypotonic exposure. These findings demonstrate that increases in cholangiocyte cell volume stimulate ATP release and vesicular exocytosis through similar regulatory paradigms. Functional interactions among cell volume, PKC, and PI3-kinase modulate exocytosis, thereby regulating ATP release and purinergic signaling in cholangiocytes. It is hypothesized that PKC is involved in the recruitment of a volume-sensitive vesicular pool to a readily releasable state.     

Fueling and imaging brain activation

Metabolic signals are used for imaging and spectroscopic studies of brain function and disease and to elucidate the cellular basis of neuroenergetics. The major fuel for activated neurons and the models for neuron–astrocyte interactions have been controversial because discordant results are obtained in different experimental systems, some of which do not correspond to adult brain. In rats, the infrastructure to support the high energetic demands of adult brain is acquired during postnatal development and matures after weaning. The brain''s capacity to supply and metabolize glucose and oxygen exceeds demand over a wide range of rates, and the hyperaemic response to functional activation is rapid. Oxidative metabolism provides most ATP, but glycolysis is frequently preferentially up-regulated during activation. Underestimation of glucose utilization rates with labelled glucose arises from increased lactate production, lactate diffusion via transporters and astrocytic gap junctions, and lactate release to blood and perivascular drainage. Increased pentose shunt pathway flux also causes label loss from C1 of glucose. Glucose analogues are used to assay cellular activities, but interpretation of results is uncertain due to insufficient characterization of transport and phosphorylation kinetics. Brain activation in subjects with low blood-lactate levels causes a brain-to-blood lactate gradient, with rapid lactate release. In contrast, lactate flooding of brain during physical activity or infusion provides an opportunistic, supplemental fuel. Available evidence indicates that lactate shuttling coupled to its local oxidation during activation is a small fraction of glucose oxidation. Developmental, experimental, and physiological context is critical for interpretation of metabolic studies in terms of theoretical models.     

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Increases Free Radical Levels in the Blood of Humans

It has been postulated that exposure to high concentrations of oxygen results in increased oxygen radical production which may account for the toxic effects of excessive exposure to oxygen. Examination of blood from persons undergoing hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) exposure, by low temperature electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy, demonstrated a marked increase in the magnitude of a signal with properties consistent with a free radical (g = 2.006). The signal diminished to baseline levels within 10 minutes of cessation of HBO exposure. Further in vitro studies of blood revealed an ESR signal generated in red blood cells by oxygen, and dependent on oxyhaemoglobin, which had characteristics indistinguishable from those of the ESR signal of ascorbate radical and the signal in blood from persons undergoing HBO exposure. It is postulated that HBO exposure increases ascorbate radical levels in blood, which is likely to reflect increased ascorbate turnover in human red blood cells.     

Plasma ATP during exercise: possible role in regulation of coronary blood flow

It was previously shown that red blood cells release ATP when blood oxygen tension decreases. ATP acts on microvascular endothelial cells to produce a retrograde conducted vasodilation (presumably via gap junctions) to the upstream arteriole. These observations form the basis for an ATP hypothesis of local metabolic control of coronary blood flow due to vasodilation in microvascular units where myocardial oxygen extraction is high. Dogs (n = 10) were instrumented with catheters in the aorta and coronary sinus, and a flow transducer was placed around the circumflex coronary artery. Arterial and coronary venous plasma ATP concentrations were measured at rest and during three levels of treadmill exercise by using a luciferin-luciferase assay. During exercise, myocardial oxygen consumption increased approximately 3.2-fold, coronary blood flow increased approximately 2.7-fold, and coronary venous oxygen tension decreased from 19 to 12.9 mmHg. Coronary venous plasma ATP concentration increased significantly from 31.1 to 51.2 nM (P < 0.01) during exercise. Coronary blood flow increased linearly with coronary venous ATP concentration (P < 0.01). Coronary venous-arterial plasma ATP concentration difference increased significantly during exercise (P < 0.05). The data support the hypothesis that ATP is one of the factors controlling coronary blood flow during exercise.     

Threshold Requirements for Oxygen in the Release of Acetylcholine from, and in the Maintenance of the Energy State in, Rat Brain Synaptosomes Ian R. Park.

An oxystat was designed to enable maintenance of very low, predetermined oxygen tensions (below 1 microM) in incubated suspensions of synaptosomes. The oxygen thresholds for the energy state (ATP and creatine phosphate levels), for lactate production, and for acetylcholine release were compared. The approximate thresholds (microM O2) in veratridine-stimulated preparations were: oxygen consumption, 10; ATP, 10; creatine phosphate, 15; lactate release, 20; and acetylcholine release, 25. The results for release of total acetylcholine and of the acetylcholine newly synthesized from [14C]glucose were indistinguishable. The results from this study are discussed in relation to hypoxia and to reported in vivo observations.     

Oxygen requirement of photosynthetic CO2 assimilation

In the absence of electron acceptors and of oxygen a proton gradient was supported across thylakoid membranes of intact spinach chloroplasts by far-red illumination. It was decreased by red light. Inhibition by red light indicates effective control of cyclic electron flow by Photosystem II. Inhibition was released by oxygen which supported a large proton gradient. Oxygen appeared to act as electron acceptor simultaneously preventing over-reduction of electron carriers of the cyclic electron transport pathway. It thus has an important regulatory function in electron transport. Under anaerobic conditions, the inhibition of electron transport caused by red illumination could also be released and a large proton gradient could be established by oxaloacetate, nitrite and 3-phosphoglycerate, but not by bicarbonate. In the absence of oxygen, ATP levels remained low in chloroplasts illuminated with red light even when bicarbonate was present. They increased when electron acceptors were added which could release the over-reduction of the electron transport chain. Inhibition of electron transport in the presence of bicarbonate was relieved and CO₂-fixation was initiated by oxygen concentrations as low as about 10 μM. Once CO₂ fixation was initiated, very low oxygen levels were sufficient to sustain it. The results support the assumption that pseudocyclic electron transport is necessary to poise the electron transport chain so that a proper balance of linear and cyclic electron transport is established to supply ATP for CO₂ reduction.     

Dynamic Simulation and Metabolome Analysis of Long-Term Erythrocyte Storage in Adenine–Guanosine Solution

Although intraerythrocytic ATP and 2,3-bisphophoglycerate (2,3-BPG) are known as direct indicators of the viability of preserved red blood cells and the efficiency of post-transfusion oxygen delivery, no current blood storage method in practical use has succeeded in maintaining both these metabolites at high levels for long periods. In this study, we constructed a mathematical kinetic model of comprehensive metabolism in red blood cells stored in a recently developed blood storage solution containing adenine and guanosine, which can maintain both ATP and 2,3-BPG. The predicted dynamics of metabolic intermediates in glycolysis, the pentose phosphate pathway, and purine salvage pathway were consistent with time-series metabolome data measured with capillary electrophoresis time-of-flight mass spectrometry over 5 weeks of storage. From the analysis of the simulation model, the metabolic roles and fates of the 2 major additives were illustrated: (1) adenine could enlarge the adenylate pool, which maintains constant ATP levels throughout the storage period and leads to production of metabolic waste, including hypoxanthine; (2) adenine also induces the consumption of ribose phosphates, which results in 2,3-BPG reduction, while (3) guanosine is converted to ribose phosphates, which can boost the activity of upper glycolysis and result in the efficient production of ATP and 2,3-BPG. This is the first attempt to clarify the underlying metabolic mechanism for maintaining levels of both ATP and 2,3-BPG in stored red blood cells with in silico analysis, as well as to analyze the trade-off and the interlock phenomena between the benefits and possible side effects of the storage-solution additives.     

Relation between energy production and adenine nucleotide metabolism in human blood platelets

The relation between ATP production and adenine nucleotide metabolism was investigated in human platelets which were starved by incubation in glucose-free, CN^?-containing medium and subsequently incubated with different amounts of glucose. In the absence of mitochondrial energy production (blocked by CN^?) and glycogen catabolism (glycogen almost completely consumed during starvation), lactate production increased proportionally with increasing amounts of glucose. The generated ATP was almost completely consumed in the various ATP-consuming processes in the cell except for a fixed portion (about 7%) that was reserved for restoration of the adenylate energy charge. During the first 10 min after glucose addition, the adenine nucleotide pool remained constant. Thereafter, when the glycolytic flux, measured as lactate formation, was more than 3.5 μmol · min^?1 · 10^?11 cells, the pool increased slightly by resynthesis from hypoxanthine-inosine and then stabilized; at a lower flux the pool decreased and metabolic ATP and energy charge declined to values found during starvation. Between moments of rising and falling adenylate energy charges, periods of about 10 min remained in which the charge was constant and ATP supply and demand had reached equilibrium. This enabled comparison between the adenylate energy charge and ATP regeneration velocity. A linear relation was obtained for charge values between 0.4 and 0.85 and ATP regeneration rates between 0.6 and 3.5 ATP equiv. · min^?1 · 10^?11 cells. These data indicate that in starved platelets ATP regeneration velocity and energy charge are independent and that each appears to be subject to the availability of extracellular substrate.     

Role of oxidative phosphorylation and ATP release in mediating birth-related pulmonary vasodilation in fetal lambs

We investigated the hypothesis that birth-related pulmonary vasodilation is mediated in part by an increase in oxidative phosphorylation and ATP release in response to oxygen exposure at birth. Studies were done in fetal lambs to evaluate the independent effects of oxygen, lung distension alone, or lung distension accompanied by oxygenation and shear stress on fetal pulmonary blood flow and resistance and plasma ATP levels in the pulmonary artery. The effect of each intervention was evaluated in lambs assigned to one of three groups: control or pretreatment with 2,4-dinitrophenol or antimycin-A, inhibitors of oxidative phosphorylation. Exposure to oxygen alone or with lung distension was associated with increases in plasma ATP levels and pulmonary blood flow and a decrease in pulmonary vascular resistance. Plasma ATP levels did not change during lung distension alone. 2,4-Dinitrophenol and antimycin-A attenuated the pulmonary vasodilator response to oxygen but did not attenuate the response to lung distension alone. An increase in oxidative phosphorylation and ATP release during oxygen exposure may contribute to birth-related pulmonary vasodilation in fetal lambs.