Adenosine enhances neuronal damage during deprivation of oxygen and glucose in guinea pig superior collicular slices.

The purpose of the present study was to clarify whether adenosine has a neuroprotective effect against neuronal damage during deprivation of oxygen and glucose in superior collicular slices. After deprivation of oxygen and glucose for 7 min, the concentration of ATP in slices incubated with adenosine (100 microM) for 60 min was significantly higher (6.43 +/- 0.16 nmol/mg protein, mean +/- S.E.M.) than that in slices incubated without adenosine (4.77 +/- 0.61). The postsynaptic field potential (PSP) recorded in the superficial gray layer of the SC slice completely disappeared within 7 min after deprivation of oxygen and glucose and it recovered to approximately 80% of the original amplitude in the medium without adenosine. But, in the presence of adenosine (100 microM) during and after oxygen and glucose removal, the PSP showed only approximately 40% recovery. These results indicate that in the superior colliculus adenosine has no protective effect on functional derangement caused by anoxia although it may facilitate the resynthesis of tissue ATP during recovery.