Glucose uptake increases relative to oxygen consumption during short-term hibernation

Background: Although glucose uptake is increased in chronically hypoperfused, viable myocardium, the dynamic changes in glucose uptake relative to oxygen consumption in 'short-term' models of hibernation have not been fully explored. Methods: 14 anesthetized swine were instrumented with an hydraulic occluder and flow probe on the proximal LAD artery. Blood flow was reduced 30 % for 1 hour. Myocardial blood flow and uptake of oxygen, free fatty acids, glucose and lactate were determined in the LAD region at baseline and at 10, 30, and 60 minutes of ischemia. Transmural biopsies for ATP and creatine phosphate (CP) were obtained in the LAD region prior to and at 15 and 45 minutes of ischemia. In 5 animals, glycogen was assayed at baseline and at the end of 60 minutes of ischemia. Results: In the LAD region, myocardial oxygen consumption was reduced from 2.06 ± 0.16 μmol/min/gram to 1.46 ± 0.13 μmol/min/gram (P < 0.05). By 15 minutes of ischemia, transmural creatine phosphate fell from 7.48 ± 0.76 μmol/g-wet weight at baseline to 6.19 ± 0.32 μmol/g-wet weight (P < 0.05) but normalized by 45 minutes of ischemia (7.39 ± 0.56 μmol/g-wet weight; NS). Between 10 and 60 minutes of constant flow reduction, glucose uptake as a percentage of MVO₂ increased from 3 ± 2 % to 10 ± 2 % (P < 0.05) while lactate uptake increased from -9 ± 9 % to -1 ± 2 % (P < 0.05). Glycogen decreased from 27.8 ± 3.7 at baseline to 16.9 ± 1.2 μmol/g-wet weight at end-ischemia. Conclusions: In this model of short-term hibernation, glucose and lactate uptake increase relative to oxygen consumption during sustained ischemia, and temporally coincide with the recovery of bioenergetics. The findings are consistent with the notion that glycolytically derived ATP is important for the maintainance of energy supply during sustained ischemia.