Figure 4
From: Lung tissue bioenergetics and caspase activity in rodents
Lung tissue respiration, ATP content and caspase activity in Wistar rats anesthetized with sevoflurane (S) or urethane (U). Lung fragments were incubated at 37°C in 50 mL MEM (continuously gassed with 95% O2: 5% CO2) for up to ~7 h. At indicated time periods, samples were removed from the incubation medium and processed for measurements of O2 consumption, ATP content and caspase activity. Panel A: Runs of cellular mitochondrial O2 consumption are shown; t = 0 corresponds to animal sacrifice. The values of k c (μM O2 min-1 mg-1) are shown at the bottom of each run. Panel B: The values of k c and ATP are plotted as a function of incubation time. Panel C: HPLC runs of caspase activity at 0, 3 and 6 h of incubation. The Rt for Ac-DEVD-AMC was ~2.5 min and AMC ~4.8 min (insert). The substrate run (dashed line) was without lung specimen at 6 h. Panel D: AMC peak areas are shown as a function of incubation period.