Moderate hyperglycemia affects ischemic brain ATP levels but not intracellular pH

We used 31P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to study the effect of moderate hyperglycemia on brain ATP and intracellular pH in a model of severe incomplete forebrain ischemia. Plasma glucose in the hyperglycemic rats was 277 +/- 9 mg/100 ml compared with 115 +/- 10 mg/100 ml in the normoglycemic rats at the onset of ischemia. After 15 min of ischemia, brain ATP levels decreased to 31 +/- 8% in normoglycemic rats vs. 63 +/- 11% in hyperglycemic rats (P < 0.05). Phosphocreatine levels were 31 +/- 9 and 55 +/- 8% for normoglycemic and hyperglycemic rats, respectively. Intracellular pH decreased to the same level (approximately 6.5) in both normoglycemic and hyperglycemic animals after 15 min of ischemia. In summary, we found that moderate hyperglycemia during severe incomplete forebrain ischemia significantly increases ischemic brain ATP levels but does not have a significant effect on intracellular pH. These results support the hypothesis that alterations in brain ATP and adenosine concentrations may be important in the pathogenesis of ischemic tissue injury under moderate hyperglycemic conditions, whereas alterations in tissue pH may be less important.