Anoxic ATP depletion in neonatal mice brainstem is prevented by creatine supplementation
- aKlinik für Pädiatrie und Neuropädiatrie, Universität Göttingen, 37075 Göttingen, Germany, bInstitut für Neurophysiologie und Sinnesphysiologie, Universität Göttingen, cInstitut für Biochemie I, Universität Göttingen, dDepartment of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA
- Professor F Hanefeld, University of Göttingen, Pediatric and Pediatric Neurology, Robert-Koch-Str. 40, 37075 Göttingen, Germany
- Accepted 22 October 1999
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sufficient ATP concentrations maintain physiological processes and protect tissue from hypoxic damage. With decreasing oxygen concentration, ATP synthesis relies increasingly on the presence of phosphocreatine.
AIM The effect of exogenously applied creatine on phosphocreatine and ATP concentrations was studied under control and anoxic conditions.
METHODS Pregnant mice were fed orally with creatine monohydrate (2 g/kg body weight/day). Brainstem slices from these mice pups were compared with those from pups of non-creatine supplemented pregnant mice. Measurements were performed under normoxic and anoxic conditions. In addition, brainstem slices from non-creatine treated mice pups were incubated for 3 hours in control artificial cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) (n = 10) or in artificial CSF containing 200 μM creatine (n = 10). ATP and phosphocreatine contents were determined enzymatically in single brainstem slices.
RESULTS ATP concentrations were in the same range in all preparations. However, there was a significant increase of phosphocreatine in the brainstems from pups of creatine fed mice when compared with the brainstems of pups from non-creatine treated mice or in non-incubated brainstems of control animals. After 30 minutes anoxia, ATP as well as phosphocreatine concentrations remained significantly higher in creatine pretreated slices compared with controls.
CONCLUSION The data indicate that exogenous application of creatine is effective in neuroprotection.
