The effect of ATP-MgCl2 infusion on hepatic cell permeability and metabolism after hemorrhagic shock.

The ability of exogenous ATP-MgCl2 to reverse the inhibition of ATP-dependent intracellular reactions by hemorrhagic shock was studied. Levels of ornithine in the postperfusion fluid were lower in animals receiving ATP-MgCl2 than in placebo-treated control animals (338.6 +/- 167.0 versus 692.1 +/- 67.2 mumol). Arginine levels were higher (399.1 +/- 130.1 versus 34.3 +/- 59.1 mumol) in ATP-MgCl2-treated animals. Ability of in vitro ATP to enter the cell and inhibit lactate formation (Crabtree effect) was significantly less in those animals receiving in vivo ATP-MgCl2 (81.4 +/- 11.1% versus 57.7 +/- 10.1%). Glutamate levels were not decreased by shock but were significantly increased by treatment with ATP-MgCl2 compared to placebo (190.5 +/- 48.8 versus 122.6 +/- 36.3 mumol). These data indicate that exogenously administered ATP-MgCl2 can reverse the inhibition of ornithine metabolism and the changes in lactate inhibition seen in hemorrhagic shock. These are both intracellular ATP-dependent reactions.