Utilization of D-β-hydroxybutyrate and oleate as alternate energy fuels in brain cell cultures of newborn mice after hypoxia at different glucose concentrations

Abstract

In dissociated whole brain cell cultures from newborn mice, we have previously shown that during glucose deprivation under normoxia, D-β-hydroxybutyrate and oleic acid are increasingly used for energy production. We now asked whether this glucose dependency of the utilization of D-β-hydroxybutyrate and oleic acid as alternate energy fuels is also present after a hypoxic phase. 3-Hydroxy[3-14C]butyrate or [U-14C]oleic acid were added to 7and 14-d-old cultures and14CO2-production compared after hypoxia in normal and glucose-deprived conditions. After hypoxia, the ability of the cells 7 d in culture to increase D-β-hydroxybutyrate consumption in response to glucose deprivation is diminished, 14-d-old cells lose this ability. In contrast, after hypoxia, both 7and 14-d-old cultures maintain or even improve the ability to increase oleate consumption, when glucose is lacking. © 1989 International Pediatric Research Foundation, Inc.