Glutathione reductase during and after brain ischemia in gerbils

The activity of glutathione reductase (GR) was measured in crude mitochondrial fraction isolated from cerebral cortex and basal ganglia of Mongolian gerbils subjected to bilateral carotid occlusion of various duration (1, 2, 3, 5, 10, and 15 min), or reflow (1, 24, and 96 hr) following ischemia (5 or 15 min). Ischemia up to 5 min does not induce changes in GR activity in either structure. Basal ganglia activity is halved at 10 min and cortical at 15 min of ischemia. In reflow, basal ganglia GR activity is diminished, while cortical GR is transiently reduced at day 1 of reflow. The persistent and profound decrease in GR activity in basal ganglia following ischemia is indicative of the lowered antioxidative capacity of these cells, being possibly related to their greater vulnerability toward ischemia.