Metabolic adaptation to hypoxia. Redox state of the cellular free NAD pools, phosphorylation state of the adenylate system and the (Na+-K+)-stimulated ATP-ase in rat liver.

The effect of hypoxia (30 min 10% or 8% O2) on the phosphorylation state and redox state of the cytosol and mitochondria of rat liver were studied. Measurements were made both from normal animals and animals which had been exposed to the reduced partial pressure of oxygen (50.5 kPa or 40.8 kPa of air) for one or seven days. Cytostolic free NAD was reduced in the liver both in acute hypoxia and in hypoxia after one or seven days, i.e. the lactate/pyruvate and sn-glycerol-3-phosphate/dioxyacetonephosphate ratios increased markedly. A marked reduction in the mitochondrial free NAD pool occurred only in acute hypoxia and only a slight reduction was observed in animals kept at 40.8 kPa for one or seven days, as evaluated from the hepatic hydroxybutyrate/acetoacetate ratio. Liver ATP concentration decreased rapidly in acute hypoxia without any significant recovery during one or seven days at 40.8 kPa. The hepatic ATP/ADP X Pi ratio decreased significantly, with a simultaneous decrease in the total adenine nucleotide concentration. A tendency was observed for the ATP/ADP X Pi ratio to return to normal after seven days, i.e. the values in acute hypoxia were significantly smaller than those noted in hypoxia after seven days, demonstrating an adaptation of the energy metabolism during prolonged hypoxia. Hepatic (Na+-K+)-stimulated ATP-ase activity was not affected by hypoxia.