The Maintenance of Adenine Nucleotide Levels During Kidney Storage in Intracellular Solutions

Abstract

Summary

The total adenine nucleotide content of mouse kidneys was higher when the organs were preserved by hypothermic storage in the intracellular solutions of Collins' and Sacks' than when the kidneys were stored in saline or Ringer's lactate. This increase was due to an increased level of AMP in the cell. It is thus suggested that intracellular solutions maintain adenine nucleotide concentrations by preventing catabolism of AMP, thus keeping more AMP available for rephosphorylation after restoration of the blood supply. Adding inosine or allopurinol to saline did not increase the level of adenine nucleotides in stored kidneys.

Note added in proof. While this manuscript was in preparation Skjoldal and Bakke published an article (26) suggesting that energy charge was of little significance in predicting survival of Cirolana borealis during anoxia, which supports our results in this paper that total adenine nucleotide levels are more important in cell survival of ischemia than ATP levels or energy charge.