Metabolic disturbances of synaptosomes isolated from ischemic gerbil brain

The effects of cerebral ischemia, induced for 10 min by bilateral common carotid ligation in the Mongolian gerbil, on the brain and synaptosomal content of phospholipids and free fatty acids were measured. Moreover, the incorporation of arachidonic acid and oleoyl-CoA into phospholipids, as well as the respiration and the accumulation of 45Ca, norepinephrine, dopamine, choline, glutamate, and gamma-aminobutyrate in the ischemic brain synaptosomal fraction were studied. Analyses of lipids showed a drop in phospholipids content with concomitant increase of lysocompounds and free fatty acids in ischemic cerebral cortex. Disturbances in lipid metabolism including rapid phospholipids hydrolysis and changes in the incorporation of arachidonic acid into inositol and choline phosphoglycerides were also shown in the synaptosomal fraction of ischemic brain. The uptake of neurotransmitter substances, expressed as a percent of control value, was reduced 21% for norepinephrine, 40% for dopamine, 20% for choline, 24% for glutamate and 13% for gamma-aminobutyrate in ischemic synaptosomes. There was no significant effect of ischemia on synaptosomal respiration and 45Ca uptake in both control and high potassium media. The inhibition of neurotransmitter uptake in ischemic brain synaptosomes may be caused by the disturbance of fatty acid metabolism.