Interstitial fluid adenosine and sagittal sinus blood flow during bicuculline-seizures in newborn piglets

Changes of interstitial fluid adenosine concentrations and effects of O2 supply on interstitial fluid adenosine were studied by the brain dialysis technique in the frontal cortex of newborn piglets subjected to bicuculline-induced seizures. The O2 supply was changed globally by changing MABP and locally by varying PO2 in the artificial CSF perfusing the dialysis cannula. Sagittal sinus blood flow (SSBF), cerebrovascular resistance (CVR), and CMRO2 were also examined in the same animals. Seizures increased interstitial fluid adenosine 7.9-fold (p less than 0.05) when ictal MABP was maintained at preictal level and perfusate PO2 was 24 mm Hg (group 1, n = 6). Interstitial fluid adenosine increased 11.8-fold (p less than 0.05) during seizures associated with moderate systemic hypotension and the low perfusate PO2 (group 2, n = 6). By contrast, seizures increased interstitial fluid adenosine three-fold (p less than 0.05) when perfusate PO2 was increased to 182 mm Hg and ictal MABP was maintained at preictal level (group 3, n = 8). When ictal MABP was elevated from the preictal level and the perfusate was rich in oxygen, seizures failed to increase interstitial fluid adenosine (group 4, n = 7). In groups 1 and 3, the increase in interstitial fluid adenosine during seizures was associated with significant increases in SSBF and CMRO2, as well as significant decreases in CVR. These data suggest that the increase in O2 supply during seizures in piglets did not match completely the increase in O2 demand and resulted in enhanced release of adenosine into the interstitial space.