Brain energy metabolism in mice exposed to oxygen at 1 atmosphere absolute

Breathing of 100% oxygen at ambient pressure causes disorders in mouse brain organic phosphate phosphocreatine (PC), ATP, ADP, and AMP. The fast increase in PC level attains a maximum augmentation of about 50% after 16-18 h of exposure with subsequent slight alterations between 18 and 50 h. The initial losses (a) in ATP amount to approximately 20% after 4 h; (b) in ADP, 32% after 6-8 h; and (c) in AMP, about 40% after 30 min and 50% after 50 h. contrary to the continual decrease in AMP, the ATP and ADP values exhibit a later increase to a constant level during the full time of exposure up to 50 h. The initial loss in adenosine nucleotides points to an intense effect of hyperoxia in nerve cell metabolism with subsequent attainment of a new adenylate equilibrium at lower concentrations. The increased but constant level of PC may be due to an inhibition of the oxygen sensitive SH-groups, which are an essential center in the creatine kinase. Although the absolute concentration of AMP is by far the lowest of the three nucleotides, the continual decrease in AMP is of considerable importance because of its direct response to ATP via adenylate kinase reaction.