Changes of blood sugar, mitochondrial ATP production rate and ATP synthase activity in dexamethasone and glucose treated neonatal rat after hypoxic-ischemic brain damage

Abstract

Objective To study the changes in blood sugar, mitochondrial ATP production rate and ATP synthase activity in dexamethasone treated and in glucose treated neonatal rats after hypoxic-ischemic brain damage. Methods 7 days old rats were randomly assigned to HIBD group, dexamethasone treated group and glucose treated group. Had been made cerebral hypoxic-ischemic, the HIBD animals were divided into 0 h, 24 h, 48 h and 72 h groups; the dexamethasone treated animals and glucose treated animals were divided into 24 h, 48 h and 72 h groups and treated with dexamethasone and glucose separately. Then we examined changes in blood sugar, mitochondrial ATP production rate and ATP synthase activity. Results ① After hypoxic-ischemic, the rats' blood sugar, mitochondrial ATP production rate and ATP synthase activity were decreased. ②In dexamethasone treated group the ATP production rate at 24 h and 48 h, ATP synthase activity at 24 h were higher than HIBD group.③ In glucose treated group, the ATP production rate at 48 h were higher than HIBD group.④ At 72 h, there were no differences in mitochondrial ATP production rate and ATP synthase activity between 3 groups.⑤ The blood sugar in dexamethasone treated group and in glucose treated group were higher than HIBD group at 24 h.⑥ At 48 h and 72 h, there were no differences in blood sugar between 3 groups. Conclusion Dexamethasone and glucose improved HIBD rats' cerebral energy metabolize in a short term and affected blood glucose. Key words: hypoxic ischemic brain damage (HIBD); ATP; ATP synthase; blood sugar