N.m.r. studies of metabolism in perfused organs

Several metabolites and intracellular pH in intact organs can be studied in a non-destructive manner by phorphorus nuclear magnetic resonance (31P n.m.r.). This possibility was demonstrated by us nearly five years ago. Since then we have developed the appropriate physiological techniques and improved the n.m.r. method for the study of animal hearts and kidneys. Here we described measurements aimed at clarifying three problesm. (1) Having measured the enzyme-catalysed fluxes between phosphocreatine and ATP by the method of saturation transfer n.m.r., we examine the relations between energy supply and heart rate in the isolated perfused rat heart. (2) We describe experiments to establish the validity of the perfusion model. For the first time, we report 31P n.m.r. measurements of an in vivo rat heart and compare the results with those obtained for the perfused rat heart. (3) Ischaemia and metabolism in rabbit kidneys is investigated to establish the relation between functional and metabolic recovery after a renal transplant operation.     

31P NMR magnetization-transfer measurements of ATP turnover during steady-state isometric muscle contraction in the rat hind limb in vivo

31P NMR magnetization-transfer measurements have been used to measure the flux between ATP and inorganic phosphate during steady-state isometric muscle contraction in the rat hind limb in vivo. Steady-state contraction was obtained by supramaximal sciatic nerve stimulation. Increasing the stimulation pulse width from 10 to 90 ms, at a pulse frequency of 1 Hz, or increasing the frequency of a 10-ms pulse from 0.5 to 2 Hz resulted in an increase in the flux which was an approximately linear function of the increase in the tension-time integral. The flux showed an approximately linear dependence on the calculated free cytosolic ADP concentration up to an ADP concentration of about 90 microM. The data are consistent with control of mitochondrial ATP synthesis by the cytosolic ADP concentration and indicate that the apparent Km of the mitochondria for ADP is at least 30 microM.     

31P-NMR saturation transfer studies of aerobic Escherichia coli cells

31P-NMR measurements of saturation transfer have been used to measure the flux between Pi and ATP in Escherichia coli cells respiring on an endogenous carbon source. Measurements were made in the wild type and in cells genetically modified to give a 5-fold higher concentration of the F1F0-ATP synthase. The flux in the two cell types was not significantly different. This, together with studies using inhibitors specific for the glycolytic enzyme, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase and the ATP synthase, suggests that the observed flux arises predominantly from glycolytic rather than ATP synthase activity. Although this conclusion is in disagreement with previous experiments on E. coli, it is in agreement with recent experiments on yeast.     

Effect of fasting and acute ethanol administration on the energy state of in vivo liver as measured by 31P-NMR spectroscopy

The effects of 48 h fasting, administration of ethanol or 2,4-dinitrophenol, on the phosphorus-containing metabolites in liver in vivo have been determined utilizing 31P nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. These measurements were combined with determinations of metabolite concentrations in livers which were freeze-clamped immediately after the NMR measurements were completed. Administration of sub-lethal amounts of dinitrophenol dramatically decreased ATP and increased Pi concentrations in liver in vivo as indicated by a 2.7-fold increase in the NMR-derived [Pi]/[ATP] ratio. Ethanol administration to fed animals increased the NMR-derived [Pi]/[ATP] ratio 27%; in contrast, the same amount of ethanol administered to fasted animals decreased the NMR-derived [Pi]/[ATP] ratio 30%. The NMR visible Pi and ADP represent about 50% and 15% of the total Pi and ADP, respectively. The phosphorylation potentials calculated from the NMR visible Pi and ADP were an order of magnitude higher than those obtained from metabolite concentrations in freeze-clamped tissue. There was no apparent correlation between the phosphorylation potentials derived from either the NMR spectral analyses or from metabolite concentrations and the hepatic [NAD+]/[NADH] ratio. The chemical shift of Pi indicated that ethanol administration elicited a decrease in pH of 0.1 unit in liver in vivo. Hepatic free [Mg2+] was increased 21% in fasted animals, but was unaffected by ethanol administration.     

A comparison of in vivo catalysis by creatine kinase in avian skeletal muscles with different fibre composition

The maximum activity of creatine kinase in vitro is similar in the pectoralis major muscle of the chicken and the duck. However, the flux (phosphocreatine to ATP) as measured by 31P saturation transfer NMR in vivo is almost 2-fold higher in the duck. This apparent discrepancy can be accounted for by the differences in the cytosolic free ADP concentrations in resting muscle.     

Biochemical adaptation in the skeletal muscle of rats depleted of creatine with the substrate analogue beta-guanidinopropionic acid.

Rats were fed on a diet containing 1% beta-guanidinopropionic acid (GPA), a creatine substrate analogue, for 6-10 weeks to deplete their muscle of creatine. This manipulation was previously shown to give a 90% decrease in [phosphocreatine] in skeletal and cardiac muscle and a 50% decrease in [ATP] in skeletal muscle only. Maximal activities of creatine kinase and of representative enzymes of aerobic and anaerobic energy metabolism were measured in the superficial white, medial and deep red portions of the gastrocnemius muscle, in the soleus and plantaris muscle and in the heart. Fast-twitch muscles were smaller in GPA-fed animals than in controls, but the size of the soleus muscle was unchanged. The activities of aerobic enzymes increased by 30-40% in all fast-twitch muscle regions except the superficial gastrocnemius, but were unchanged in the soleus muscle. The activities of creatine kinase and phosphofructokinase decreased by 20-50% in all skeletal-muscle regions except the deep gastrocnemius, and the activity of glycogen phosphorylase generally paralleled these changes. There were no significant changes in the activities of any of the enzymes measured in the heart. The glycogen content of the gastrocnemius-plantaris complex was increased by 185% in GPA-fed rats. The proportion of Type I fibres in the soleus muscle increased from 81% in control rats to 100% in GPA-fed rats, consistent with a previous report of altered isometric twitch characteristics and a decrease in the maximum velocity of shortening in this muscle [Petrofsky & Fitch (1980) Pflugers Arch. 384, 123-129]. We conclude that fast-twitch muscles adapt by a combination of decreasing diffusion distances, increasing aerobic capacity and decreasing glycolytic potential. Slow-twitch muscles decrease glycolytic potential and become slower, thus decreasing energy demand. These results suggest that persistent changes in the [phosphocreatine] and [ATP] are alone sufficient to alter the expression of enzyme proteins and proteins of the contractile apparatus, and that fibre-type-specific thresholds exist for the transformation response.     

An investigation of arterial insufficiency in rat hindlimb. A combined 31P-n.m.r. and bloodflow study.

A small animal model of arterial insufficiency is presented which involves unilateral femoral artery ligation and section. Invoked alterations in metabolism and perfusion of the affected muscle mass have been investigated 12 h, 4, 7 and 14 days post-ligation by 31P-n.m.r. and microsphere infusion, both at rest and during isometric muscle contraction at 1 Hz. At rest, the concentration of phosphocreatine was similar to the mean control value (36.0 +/- 1.0 mM) from 4 days post-ligation, but was significantly lower at 12 h (28.5 +/- 3.6 mM). Inorganic phosphate concentrations were significantly elevated for 7 days post-ligation. No significant differences were noted in intramuscular pH. Upon stimulation of the affected muscle mass, a time-dependent improvement in phosphocreatine utilization was observed such that 14 days post-ligation phosphocreatine utilization was not significantly different from mean control values. A similar amelioration was noted for the contraction-induced fall in intramuscular pH. At rest, no significant differences in bloodflow to the muscles of the ligated limb compared with the unaffected contralateral limb were observed. However, isometric contraction of the affected muscle mass resulted in a markedly reduced hyperaemic response 12 h post-ligation. Thereafter, a time-dependent improvement in tissue perfusion during stimulation was observed which paralleled the improvements in phosphocreatine utilization and intramuscular pH changes. The results presented are discussed with respect to the interrelationship between oxygen delivery, high energy phosphate utilization and force maintenance.     

87Rb, 23Na and 31P nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy of the perfused rat kidney

87Rb, 23Na and 31P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) were used to monitor changes in renal cations and energetics during the induction of hypoxia in the isolated perfused rat kidney. The NMR-determined unidirectional Rb+ flux in normoxic kidneys was shown to be a good measure of net intracellular K+ influx in the perfused rat kidney model. The changes in 87Rb, 23Na and 31P spectra following the induction of hypoxia are consistent with hypoxic depletion of intracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and a subsequent decrease in Na-K-ATPase transport activity. The exponential rate constant for 87Rb+ efflux measured during Rb+ uptake in normoxic kidneys (0.12 +/- 0.01 min-1) was not significantly different to the rate constant for 87Rb+ efflux during the induction of hypoxia (0.16 +/- 0.07 min-1). We conclude that there is no direct effect of hypoxia on renal cellular membrane integrity and that renal cell sensitivity to hypoxia is due to an inability to sustain cellular ion gradients following depletion of intracellular ATP.     

Active proton uptake by chromaffin granules: observation by amine distribution and phosphorus-31 nuclear magnetic resonance techniques.

The hydrogen ion activity within isolated chromaffin granules can be estimated from the distribution of the weak base methylamine and from phosphorus-31 nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of ATP contained in the granules. Following the addition of ATP to the external medium, the internal pH drops by 0.2 to 0.5 unit. This change occurs only in medium containing a permeant anion such as chloride and is abolished by an uncoupler of oxidative phosphorylation. These results indicate that the chromaffin granule membrane possess an electrogenic proton pump directed inward.