Gluconeogenic and oxidative capabilities with lactate as a substrate were studied in perfused livers isolated from rats in late sepsis. Glucose release in the presence of 5 mM lactate was significantly depressed in livers from septic rats. When gluconeogenesis was stimulated by phenylephrine, livers from septic rats exhibited both a decreased sensitivity and lower maximal rate of glucose release when compared with livers from sham-operated rats. Oxygen consumption (VO2) by perfused livers from septic rats was also depressed under the above conditions. The addition of lysine in concentrations greater than 0.5 mM restored glucose production in livers from septic rats to a rate not different from sham-operated controls but did not restore VO2. However, inclusion of lysine (5 mM) in the perfusate was not able to restore sensitivity to stimulation by phenylephrine in livers from septic rats. Although hepatic ATP levels were depressed in sepsis, the decrease was not sufficient to explain the decreased rates of glucose production. We conclude from these results that primary cellular defects in gluconeogenic and oxidative capabilities occur during sepsis that are independent of inadequate perfusion.
It has been shown that infusion of ATP-MgCl2 proved beneficial in the treatment of shock; however, it is not known whether this effect is due to improvement in the microcirculation or direct provision of energy or a combination of the above or other effects. To elucidate the mechanism of the salutary effect of ATP-MgCl2, we have now examined the in vitro uptake of ATP by liver and kidney of animals in shock. Rats were bled to a mean arterial pressure of 40 Torr and so maintained for 2 hrs. After the rats were killed, liver and kidney were removed and slices of tissue (0.3-0.5 mm thick) were incubated for 1 h in 1.0 ml of Krebs-HCO3 buffer containing 10 mM glucose, 5 mM MgCl2, and 5 mM [8-14C]ATP or 5 mM [8-14C]ADP, or 5 mM [8-14C]AMP, or 5 mM [8-14C]adenosine in 95% O2-5% CO2 and then homogenized. Tissue and medium samples were subjected to electrophoresis to separate and measure the various nucleotides. The uptake of [14C]ATP but not that of [14C]ADP or [14C]adenosine by liver and kidney slices from animals in shock was 2.5 times greater than the corresponding uptake by control slices. Thus, the beneficial effect of ATP-MgCl2 in shock could be due to provision of energy directly to tissue in which ATP levels were lowered.
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