The effect of mild and severe hypoxia on rat cortical synaptosomes

Brain ischemia results in neuronal injury and neurological disability. The present study examined the effect of mild (6% O2) and severe (2% O2) hypoxia on mitochondria of rat cortical synaptosomes. During mild and severe hypoxia, JO2 and ATP production significantly decreased and mitochondrial membranes depolarized. Synaptosomal calcium concentration increased slightly, albeit not significantly. After a 1 h re-oxygenation period, JO2, ATP production and mitochondrial membrane potential returned to control levels in synaptosomes incubated in 6% O2. In synaptosomes incubated in 2% O2, however, the ATP production was not restored after re-oxygenation and intrasynaptosomal Ca2+ significantly increased. The results indicate that both mild and severe hypoxia influence the physiology of synaptosomal mitochondria; the modifications are reversible after mild hypoxia and but partly irreversible after severe hypoxia.