title: NADH augments blood flow in physiologically activated retina and visual cortex.
abstract: The mechanism(s) that increase retinal and visual cortex blood flows in response to visual stimulation are poorly understood. We tested the hypothesis that increased transfer of electrons and protons from glucose to cytosolic free NAD(+), reducing it to NADH, evoked by increased energy metabolism, fuels redox-signaling pathways that augment flow. The near-equilibrium between free cytosolic NADH/NAD(+) and lactate/pyruvate ratios established by lactate dehydrogenase predicts that transfer of additional electrons and protons from injected lactate to NAD(+) will augment the elevated blood flows in stimulated retina and cortex, whereas transfer of electrons and protons from NADH to injected pyruvate will attenuate the elevated flows. These predictions were tested and confirmed in rats. Increased flows evoked by stimulation also were prevented by inhibition of nitric oxide synthase. These findings support an important role for cytosolic free NADH in fueling a signaling cascade that increases *NO production, which augments blood flow in photostimulated retina and visual cortex.
authors.affiliation: Diabetes and Metabolism Unit, Boston Medical Center, EBRC 820, and Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, 650 Albany Street, Boston, MA 02118, USA.
authors.forename: Yasuo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ido
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Joseph R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Williamson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008297:Male; D009243:NAD / Q000502:physiology*; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester / Q000008:administration & dosage; D019289:Pyruvic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012171:Retinal Vessels / Q000502:physiology*; D014793:Visual Cortex / Q000098:blood supply*
chemical_list: D009243:NAD; D019344:Lactic Acid; D019289:Pyruvic Acid; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester