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Adenosine triphosphate and hemoglobin in vasospastic monkeys
R L Macdonald1, B Weir, J Zhang
1Section of Neurosurgery, University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA. lmacdona@surgery.bsd.uchicago.edu
Neurosurgical Focus
|April 24, 2004
Summary
Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) may contribute to vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). In a monkey model, ATP, hemoglobin, and hemolysate induced vasospasm, though further research is needed to confirm ATP
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Vascular Biology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is a vasoactive compound present in erythrocytes.
- Elevated ATP levels are implicated in vasospasm following subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH).
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the potential role of ATP in causing vasospasm after SAH.
- To evaluate ATP's vasoactive effects in a non-human primate model.
Main Methods:
- Thirty-two monkeys were allocated into four groups: agarose, ATP in agarose, hemolysate in agarose, or hemoglobin in agarose.
- Cerebral angiography was performed at baseline and Day 7 to assess vasospasm.
- Subarachnoid adenine nucleotide levels were quantified using high-pressure liquid chromatography.
Main Results:
- Significant vasospasm was observed in the middle cerebral artery for groups receiving ATP, hemolysate, or hemoglobin.
- No significant inter-group differences in cerebral artery diameters were found on Day 7.
- ATP largely diffused from the subarachnoid space by Day 7, with higher adenine nucleotide levels in hemoglobin/hemolysate groups.
Conclusions:
- ATP may contribute to vasospasm post-SAH, but its sufficiency at localized concentrations requires further study.
- The study did not replicate severe vasospasm seen with whole blood clots, suggesting complexity beyond single compounds.
- Investigating compound delivery methods and multifactorial influences is crucial for understanding SAH-induced vasospasm.