The impact of energy depletion on skeletal muscle

Changes in the skeletal muscle adenine nucleotide pool during prolonged periods of normothermic ischemia, followed by reperfusion are a result of an exaggerated breakdown to lipid soluble precursors, the degree of reactive hyperemia, and activities of the salvage and direct pathways for resynthesis. We show that the degree of breakdown of ATP, ADP and AMP, is time dependent, and with restoration of circulation there is washout of these lipid soluble precursors, and no resynthesis of ATP. We demonstrated a relationship between the loss of energy during ischemia, and the degree of resultant necrosis, suggesting that a limit on the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions during reperfusion in reducing the extent of necrosis may exist.