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Effect of aging on phosphate metabolites of rat brain as revealed by the in vivo and in vitro sup 31 P NMR measurements

Journal Article · · Life Sciences; (USA)
; ; ;  [1]; ; ;  [2]
  1. Veterans General Hospital, Taipei (Taiwan)
  2. National Tsing Hua Univ., Hsinchu (Taiwan)

Changes of phosphate metabolism in brains of neonate, weaning and adult rats were compared using both in vivo and in vitro nuclear magnetic resonance spectra. Ratios of phosphocreatine/nucleoside triphosphate (PCr/NTP) were the same in neonatal brain in both in vivo and in vitro studies, but not in weaning and adult brains. This discrepancy may have resulted from extended cerebral hypoxia due to slowed freezing of the brain by the increased skull thickness and brain mass in the weaning and adult rats. Variations of in vitro extraction condition for this age-related study may lead to systematic errors in the adult rats. Nevertheless, the phosphomonoester/nucleoside triphosphate (PME/NTP) ratios in extracts of brain from neonatal rats were higher than those obtained in vivo. In addition, the glycerophosphorylethanolamine plus glycerophosphorylcholine/nucleoside triphosphate (GPE+GPC/NTP) ratios, which were not measurable in vivo, showed age-dependent increase in extracts of rat brain. Some of the phosphomonoester and phosphodiester molecules in rat brain may be undetectable in in vivo NMR analysis because of their interaction with cellular components. The total in vitro GPE and GPC concentration in brain from neonatal rat was estimated to be 0.34 mmole/g wet tissue.

OSTI ID:
5801757
Journal Information:
Life Sciences; (USA), Journal Name: Life Sciences; (USA) Vol. 48:21; ISSN 0024-3205; ISSN LIFSA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English