Glucose metabolism in bone marrow cells and granulocytes of adult mice after X-ray (5 Gy) irradiation: Relationship to cell functionality

Abstract

Our experiments focused on the metabolic implications of the residual haemopoietic damage in adult mice given 5 Gy X-rays. Bone marrow cells from irradiated mice exhibited an increase in protein synthesis and a decrease in ATP levels, which could be related to the enhancement of the proliferative activity of haemopoietic precursor cells. However, the kinetic parameters (V(max) and K(m)) of glucose uptake, the glycolytic flux and the hexose monophosphate (HMP) shunt activity were similar to those found in the control group. On the other hand, a reduction of glucose uptake (V(max)) was found in both resting and stimulated granulocytes from irradiated mice. This reduction was accompanied by a decrease in the glycolytic rate and ATP levels. However, HMP shunt activity was similar in resting granulocytes in both the control and the irradiated mice. The stimulation by PMA produced a significantly higher increase in the activity of the pathway in granulocytes from the irradiated mice and was in accordance with the enhancement of superoxide anion production that has been previously described in these cells.