Direct effects of CO on cerebral energy metabolism in bloodless rats

Cerebrocortical b-cytochromes have been found to be sensitive to reduction in the presence of CO and O2 in vivo. CO-mediated cytochrome b reduction responses in "bloodless" rats were correlated in this study with changes in concentrations of high energy and glycolytic intermediates measured in cortex after rapid brain freezing. Cytochrome redox state and metabolite concentrations also were compared with cerebral blood flow (CBF) and cerebral metabolic rate for O2 (CMRo2) measured before and after CO administration. No definite biochemical evidence of energy limitation was found in parietal cortex after the fluorocarbon-for-blood exchange; however, CO had direct effects on brain metabolite concentrations. Fifteen-minute CO exposures at inspired CO/O2 of 0.003-0.06 increased cerebrocortical phosphocreatine and ADP and decreased creatine concentration. CO exposure produced no significant changes in either ATP concentration or CMRo2, although CBF increased slightly. These findings may be interpreted to indicate that CO binding to cytochrome aa3 at low CO/O2 in vivo increases extramitochondrial pH relative to that within the mitochondrial matrix. In the process, cytochrome b reduction levels increase, possibly signaling an increased efficiency of oxidative phosphorylation relative to O2 uptake by unblocked respiratory chains.