Hiroyasu Nishikawa

In vivo measurement of energy metabolism and the concomitant monitoring of electroencephalogram in experimental cerebral ischemia

The energy metabolites in rat brain in vivo were measured by using topical magnetic resonance (TMR) during the whole course of ischemia, in combination with the concomitant monitoring of electroencephalogram (EEG). Immediate loss of high energy phosphorus compounds, phosphocreatine (PCr) and ATP, resulted in the flattening of EEG after the induction of ischemia. PCr and ATP returned to almost normal level 30 min after recirculation of the ischemic brain, but EEG showed no recovery and the abnormality lasted for 12 h. The measurement of in vivo 31P-NMR is essential for the decision of the convalescence of cellular function in the brain.

Significance of proton relaxation time measurement in brain edema, cerebral infarction and brain tumors

We examined the proton relaxation times in vitro in various neurological diseases using experimental and clinical materials, and consequently obtained significant results for making a fundamental analysis of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as followings. 1) In the brain edema and cerebral infarction, T1 prolonged and T2 separated into two components, one fast and one slow. Prolongation of T1 referred to the volume of increased water in tissue. The slow component of T2 reflects both the volume and the content of increased edema fluid in tissue. 2) In the edematous brain tissue with the damaged Blood-Brain-Barrier (BBB), the slow component of T2 became shorter after the injection of Mn-EDTA. Paramagnetic ion could be used as an indicator to demonstrate the destruction of BBB in the brain. 3) After the i.v. injection of glycerol, the slow component of T2 became shorter in the edematous brain with the concomitant decrease of water content. The effects of therapeutic drug could be evaluated by the measurement of proton relaxation times. 4) Almost all tumor tissue showed a longer T1 and T2 values than the normal rat brain, and many of them showed two components in T2. It was difficult to determine the histology of tumor tissue by the relaxation time alone because of an overlap of T1 and T2 values occurred among various types of brain tumors. 5) In vivo T1 values of various brain tumor were calculated from the data of MRIs by zero-crossing method, and they were compared with the in vitro T1 values which were measured immediately after the surgical operation. Though the absolute value did not coincide with each other due to differences in magnetic field strength, the tendency of the changes was the same among all kinds of tumors. It is concluded that the fundamental analysis of proton relaxation times is essentially important not only for the study of pathophysiology in many diseases but also for the interpretation of clinical MRI.

In vivo studies of energy metabolism in experimental cerebral ischemia using topical magnetic resonance. Changes in 31P-nuclear magnetic resonance spectra compared with electroencephalograms and regional cerebral blood flow.

The energy state of the brain during and after transient cerebral ischemia was examined in rats by in vivo measurement of 31P-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra using a topical magnetic resonance spectrometer. EEGs and regional CBF (rCBF) were monitored on the same ischemic models. Immediately after the induction of ischemia, the height of the ATP and phosphocreatine peaks in the spectrum began to decrease with a concurrent increase of the inorganic phosphate (Pi) peak. The calculated pH from the chemical shift of Pi decreased during ischemia. The EEG pattern became flat immediately after ischemic induction. The rCBF decreased below the sensitivity level of the measuring instrument. With 30-min ischemia, the 31P-NMR spectrum returned to a normal pattern rapidly after recirculation. However, recovery of the EEG was delayed. The rCBF after recirculation showed postischemic hyperemia followed by hypoperfusion. In cases of 120-min ischemia, none of the spectra showed recovery. Thus, we could investigate the dynamic process of pathophysiological changes occurring in the ischemic brain in vivo.

High-resolution proton magnetic resonance spectra of muscle.

High-resolution proton magnetic resonance spectra of intact muscles of frog and rat were obtained with selective saturation of the water signal. The spectra consisted of the superposition of a broad component and a high-resolution portion. The line width of the former was about 5 ppm and is assumed to originate from the protons of the macromolecules in muscle. The high-resolution portion showed well-resolved signals arising from creatine phosphate, creatine, carnosine, lactate and lipids. It is suggested that this technique could be used to monitor the intracellular pH by measuring the chemical shift of carnosine and the lipid consumption due to muscular contraction. When the spectrum of 31P-NMR is prepared simultaneously, the ratio of creatine phosphate to total creatine can also be determined.

Direct measurement of free radicals in the neonatal mouse brain subjected to hypoxia: an electron spin resonance spectroscopic study

Free radical generation in the neonatal mouse brain subjected to acute hypoxia was measured directly by using electron spin resonance spectroscopy (ESR). Free radical density, an index of free radical content, was investigated during exposure to nitrogen gas (N2 group) or carbon dioxide gas (CO2 group) of high purity, and its subsequent recovery in air. Free radical density in the N2 group declined during hypoxia, increased over the control level at 10 min of recovery, and then returned to the prehypoxic level. In the CO2 group, it increased during hypoxia, reached the maximum level at 20 min of recovery, and then returned to the control level. The main origin of the spectrum in control brain was considered as being the coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) radical in the mitochondria. The change of free radical density during hypoxia and recovery in the N2 group and that during recovery in the CO2 group was thought to be correlated with changes in CoQ10 radicals indicating mitochondrial function. The increase of free radical density in the CO2 group during hypoxia suggested the generation of free radicals other than the CoQ10 radical. We conclude that the free radicals which appeared during CO2 hypoxia may play a role in producing the differences in brain injury between the two kinds of hypoxia.

Lipid peroxidation in neonatal mouse brain subjected to two different types of hypoxia

To elucidate the role of free radicals in the pathogenesis of neonatal hypoxic encephalopathy, we determined the content of thiobarbituric acid reactants (TBARs), as an index of lipid peroxidation related with a free radical reaction, in the brains of newborn mice during hypoxia and recovery from hypoxia. Hypoxic stress was induced by 100% nitrogen gas breathing (N2 group) or 100% carbon dioxide gas breathing (CO2 group). TBARs increased with 20 minutes of hypoxia and returned to the control level during the recovery period in both groups. The increase in TBARs in the CO2 group was greater than that in the N2 group. These results may suggest that free radical reaction occurs during the hypoxic period and that CO2 hypoxia is more effective on free radical production in the newborn brain than N2 hypoxia.

Observations of energy metabolism in neuroectodermal tumors using in vivo 31P-NMR

The energy metabolism of living tumors in rats and hamsters were investigated by obtaining in vivo 31P-NMR spectra, and the effects of chemotherapy on tumors were evaluated by observing the changes of these spectra. Tumor cells of rat glioma, human glioblastoma and human neuroblastoma were inoculated subcutaneously in the lumbar region of the animals. After the tumor grew to over 1.5 cm in diameter, in vivo 31P-NMR spectrum data was obtained selectively from the tumor with a TMR-32 spectrometer (Oxford Research Systems, U.K.). Several peaks (ATP, inorganic phosphate (Pi), phosphodiesters and phosphomonoesters (PME) were observed in the tumors. The heights of these peaks varied widely corresponding to the tumor growth. However, the spectrum pattern of each tumor in an active stage was found to be essentially the same regardless of histological type or tumor origin. The phosphocreatine (PCr) peak was small, ATP and PME peaks were large and tissue pH calculated from the chemical shift of Pi was low in each tumor group. After intravenous injection of a large dose of a chemotherapeutic agent, ATP peaks decreased and the Pi peak increased gradually, resulting in a dominant Pi peak pattern after several hours in all groups. With lower drug doses, spectrum changes were temporarily seen in the tumors. These findings indicated that drugs with a high dose have a selective and a direct action on the energy metabolism of tumor tissues. In vivo 31P-NMR spectra measurement is very valuable not only to investigate the energy metabolism in tumor tissue but also to evaluate the effects of chemotherapy on the tumor.

Direct measurement of Na influx by23Na NMR during secretion with acetylcholine in perfused rat mandibular gland

Intracellular Na content (Nain) in the perfused rat mandibular gland was measured by using a23Na NMR spectroscopy at 24°C. An aqueous chemical shift reagent, dysprosium triethylenetetramine-N,N,N′,N″,N‴N‴-hexaacetic acid [Dy(TTHA)] was used in order to discriminate between the intracellular and the extracellular Na signal. The mandibular gland of rat was perfused arterially with a modified Krebs solution containing 10 mM Dy(TTHA). At rest, Nain was not changed by blocking the Na+/K+ ATPase with ouabain (1 mM) and atropine (3 μM), implying that, in the absence of stimulation, the spontaneous Na influx across the plasma membrane must have been negligibly small. Following onset of stimulation with acetylcholine (1 μM), Nain increased by 9.1±1.5 mmol/l intracellular fluid (mean±SEM,n=13), and remained at this level during stimulation. In the initial phase of secretion (0–5 min), about 50 mmol/min/l intracellular fluid of Na was secreted into the luminal space (estimated from the secretory rate by assuming an isotonic primary secretion) but, in spite of the higher secretion rate, Nain increased only at an initial rate of 4.1 mmol/min/l intracellular fluid. During the steady phase of secretion (15–30 min) evoked by acetylcholine (1 μM), ouabain (1 mM) caused an increment of Nain of 44±8 mmol/l intracellular fluid (mean±SEM,n=4). From the rate of Nain increment, the Na influx rate at the steady phase was estimated as 4.5 mmol/min/l intracellular fluid. These results suggest that the influx of Na is caused by stimulation with acetylcholine. The observed Na influx rate was about 50% of the Na secretory rate at the steady phase of secretion, estimated from the secretory rate by assuming an isotonic primary secretion. This is fully compatible with the operation of Na−K-2Cl contransport system for which one would expect a Na influx rate exactly half of the rate of Na and Cl secretion.

Proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of brain tumors

Proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra were successfully measured in human brain tumor tissues and experimental rat brain tumors. The investigation was performed on clinical materials which consisted of tissue from one normal brain and 36 brain tumors. Normal rat brain tissue and rat glioma implanted in the brain were also analysed. NMR measurements were carried out at the resonance frequency of 99.54 MHz. The proton NMR spectrum of the normal brain consisted of one broad component and eight superimposed sharp peaks. The sharp peaks obtained from the brain tumors varied from those of the normal brain. A decrease in the signal intensity from N-acetyl aspartate was the most common finding in all tumors. Spectral patterns were similar within the same histological types, but varied among the different types. Therefore, 1H-NMR spectra might indicate the metabolism characteristic of each tumor type which would be invaluable for clinical differential dagnosis of brain tumors.

Measurements of in vivo energy metabolism in experimental cerebral ischaemia using 31P-NMR for the evaluation of protective effects of perfluorochemicals and glycerol.

Effects of perfluorochemical (PFC) and glycerol on energy metabolism in cerebral ischaemia were examined by the sequential measurements of in vivo 31P-NMR spectrum using topical magnetic resonance (TMR). Experimental cerebral ischaemia was induced in forty-five Wistar rats by a four-vessel occlusion method. The 31P-NMR spectrum and the EEG were monitored during preischaemic and ischaemic periods and after circulation was restored for various periods up to 240 min. There were several peaks in the 31P-NMR spectrum of the preischaemic rat brain; beta-ATP, alpha-ATP, gamma-ATP, phosphocreatine (PCr), phosphodiesters, inorganic phosphate (Pi) and sugar phosphate. As soon as the ischaemia was induced, PCr and ATP decreased and Pi increased. The chemical shift of the increased Pi peak decreased, showing acidosis of the brain tissue. After circulation was restored following the 30 min ischaemia, recovery of the 31P-NMR spectrum occurred within 30 min in all sixteen untreated rats. Recovery of the 31P-NMR spectrum was induced by recirculation only in half of the six rats in the untreated 60 min ischaemia group. None of the six rats in the untreated group showed recovery of the spectrum after 120 min ischaemia. When 20% Fluosol-DA was administered at a dose of 20 ml/kg before the induction of ischaemia, all eight rats showed recovery of the spectrum after 120 min ischaemia. Moreover, four of six rats treated with both PFC and glycerol showed temporary recovery even after 240 min ischaemia.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)