Liver adenosine triphosphate and pH in fasted and well-fed mice after infusion of adenine nucleotide precursors.

Nutrition is a factor which may affect the liver energy charge. Experiments were performed to determine the effect of starvation and of ATP precursors, adenine and ribose on liver energy stores. The 31P NMR spectra of well-fed and starved mice livers were studied in a perfusion system using Krebs-Henseleit buffer (KHB). The ATP precursors, adenine (20 mmol/l) and ribose (80 mmol/l), were then added to determine their effect. Their effect on the ATP dynamics during ischemia and reperfusion were then evaluated. The effects of adenine alone and ribose alone were then determined. The 31P spectra of well-fed mice demonstrated high ATP content relative to Pi, phosphoesters and phospholipids. Animals starved for 24 h showed very low ATP, high Pi and little or no detectable phospholipids. In starved animals, ATP rose steadily to approximately 50% above the baseline level when precursors were added. Pi decreased to 30% of the baseline after 40 min. Little change was noted in well-fed animals. The rate of ATP decay did not change with the onset of ischemia, whether the livers were perfused with KHB alone or KHB with precursors. Upon reperfusion, precursors improved the recovery of ATP (81% vs 49% after 20 min ischemia, 44% vs 34% after 30 min ischemia). Addition of adenine alone produced similar results, but addition of ribose alone did not significantly alter ATP recovery. In conclusion, supplying starved or post-ischemic livers with adenine or ribose and adenine does improve ATP levels.