Reflections on the application of 13C-MRS to research on brain metabolism

The power of (13)C-MRS lies in its unique chemical specificity, enabling detection and quantification of metabolic intermediates which would not be so readily monitored using conventional radiochemical techniques. Examples from animal studies, by examination of tissue extracts from the whole brain, brain slices and cultured cells, include observation of intermediates such as citrate and triose phosphates which have yielded novel information on neuronal/glial relationships. The use of (13)C-labelled acetate as a specific precursor for glial metabolism provided evidence in support of the view that some of the GABA produced in the brain is derived from glial glutamine. Such studies have also provided direct evidence on the contribution of anaplerotic pathways to intermediary metabolism. Analogous studies are now being performed on the human brain, where (13)C-acetate is used to quantitate the overall contribution of glial cells to intermediary metabolism, and use of (13)C-glucose enables direct calculation of rates of flux through the TCA (F(TCA)) and of the glutamate-glutamine cycle (F(CYC)), leading to the conclusion that the rate of glial recycling of glutamate accounts for some 50% of F(TCA). The rate of 0.74 micromol min(-1) g(-1) for F(TCA) is compatible with PET rates of CMRglc of 0.3-0.4 micromol min(-1) g(-1) (since each glucose molecule yields two molecules of pyruvate entering the TCA). Our brain activation studies showed a 60% increase in F(TCA), which is very similar to the increases in CBF and in CMRglc observed in PET activation studies.