Purine nucleosides stimulate Na/K ATPase, and prolong survival in hemorrhagic shock

Hemorrhagic shock leads to the appearance of substances in plasma that depress Na/K ATPase activity leading to a rise in plasma potassium. Recently, we reported that adenosine can stimulate Na/K ATPase activity, lower the plasma potassium back to control and prolong survival in shocked rats. However, adenosine also caused bradycardia. We therefore searched for adenosine analogs that stimulate Na/K ATPase without the side effects of bradycardia.

Na/K ATPase activity was assessed using Rb uptake in erythrocytes. Pentobarbital anesthetized rats had their femoral artery and vein cannulated, bled to 35 mm Hg for 1 hour and resuscitated.

We found that the purine nucleosides, inosine, guanosine, adenosine, deoxyadenosine and deoxyguanosine, stimulated Na/K ATPase in a dose-dependent manner and overcame partial inhibition by ouabain. However, the de-ribosylated bases, the nucleotides and the pyrimidines had little or no effect on Na/K ATPase activity. Purine nucleosides did not stimulate Na/K ATPase activity through adenosine receptors, as caffeine (1 mmol/L) or aminophylline (1 mmol/L) did not block stimulation. However, stimulation was blocked by inhibitors of the equilibrative nucleoside transporter (dipyridamole, 1 mmol/L, or S-(4-nitrobenzyl)-6-thioinosine, 10 micromol/L), suggesting that the mechanism of action is intracellular. Inosine, guanosine and adenosine (2.5 mmol/L) significantly increased survival of rats in hemorrhagic shock as compared with saline and cytidine controls, and lowered the shock-elevated plasma K.

Purine nucleosides stimulate Na/K ATPase and prolong survival in hemorrhagic shock in rats, probably through an intracellular mechanism.