Application and validation of an ion-exchange high-performance liquid chromatographic method for measuring adenine nucleotides, creatine and creatine phosphate in mouse brain

Abstract

We have modified and applied an ion-exchange high-performance liquid chromatographic method for measuring adenine nucleotides (adenosine monophosphate, adenosine diphosphate and adenosine triphosphate) as well as creatine and creatine phosphate in brain tissue. There was a linear relationship between the area of each peak and the amount of standard injected onto the column in the concentration range 0.5-25 nmol per 50 microliters. The concentrations of creatine phosphate and creatine were not stable in a standard mixture for 20 h at 4 degrees C unless the pH of the standard mixture was adjusted to neutral. We therefore strongly recommended the neutralization of all standard mixtures and samples before storage. The measurements of adenine nucleotides, creatine and phosphate in control mouse brain determined by this method agreed well with an enzymic method of nucleotide measurement. Furthermore, both methods detected similar decreases in the concentrations of adenosine triphosphate and creatine phosphate, together with concomitant increases in the concentrations of adenosine diphosphate, adenosine monophosphate and creatine when mice were placed under anoxic conditions (either 30 s or 2 min); these changes were greater after 2 min of anoxia than after 30 s of anoxia.