Change of xanthine dehydrogenase and xanthine oxidase activities in rat brain following complete ischaemia

Abstract

We studied the activities of xanthine dehydrogenase and xanthine oxidase in rat forebrain after complete ischaemia. Complete ischaemia was induced by decapitation after transcardiac infusion with saline. The activities of xanthine dehydrogenase and xanthine oxidase immediately after ischaemia were 93.3 ± 38.7 and 18.8 ± 7.7 ptU/mg proteini, respectively, and at 24 h after ischaemia were 183.5 ± 75.1 and 60.8 ± 15.2 fiU/mg protein, respectively. The ratios of xanthine dehydrogenase/xanthin oxidase immediately and 24 h after ischaemia were 5.04 ± 1.03 and 3.04 ± 0.99, respectively. These data indicate that xanthine dehydrogenase and xanthine oxidase activities were maintained even 24 h after complete ischaemia. Conversion of xanthine dehydrogenase to xanthine oxidase proceeds slowly during complete ischaemia. [Neurol Res 1992; 14: 321-324]