Gastric mucosal energy metabolism in stress ulcer.

In this work we have studied the gastric mucosal energy metabolism in the restraint-rat experimental model. Gastric mucosal concentrations of glucose, AMP, ADP and ATP were determined, as well as free fatty acids and cholesterol, in order to evaluate alterations in the phospholipid composition of the cell membrane. We have observed a progressive decrease of glucose levels and an increase of ATP and Atkinson's index following 24 h of restraint; this finding refers to ATP not being used in HCl synthesis, and to activation of protein-kinase in the parietal cells due to an increase of histamine in the gastric mucosa. The increase in free fatty acids and a marked decrease of cholesterol in glandular mucosa suggest an alteration in the membrane phospholipid composition as a result of local phospholipases activated by histamine.