Sustained hydrogen peroxide stress decreases lactate production by cultured astrocytes

Abstract

Oxidative stress and disrupted energy metabolism are common to many pathological conditions of the brain. Because astrocytes play an important role in the glucose metabolism of the brain, we have investigated whether sustained oxidative stress affects astroglial glucose metabolism with cultured primary rat astrocytes as a model system. Cultured astrocytes were exposed to a sustained concentration of approximately 50 μM H2O2 in the presence of [U-13C]glucose, and cellular and extracellular contents of lactate and glucose were analysed by enzymatic assays and NMR spectroscopy. Exposure of the cells to sustained H2O2 stress for up to 120 min significantly lowered the rate of lactate accumulatio..