Effect of adenosine triphosphate depletion in vivo on renal function in the rat with and without ischemia.

To investigate the importance of renal tissue concentrations of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in maintaining normal renal functions as well in the recovery from ischemic injury in vivo, fructose was administered without ischemia as well as in the setting of an ischemic insult. In nonischemic as well as kidneys recovering from 30 min of clamp ischemia, fructose caused a 50% reduction in the tissue concentration of ATP which persisted for over 1 h. In nonischemic animals, fructose had no effect on renal function as assessed by inulin clearance and sodium reabsorption and showed no evidence of histologic injury 24 h after administration. In animals subjected to 30 min of ischemia, animals given fructose showed no worsening of functional or histologic injury as compared to controls. We conclude from these data that reductions in the tissue concentration of ATP in the range observed does not adversely affect normal renal functions or recovery from a reversible ischemic insult.