The human brain utilizes lactate via the tricarboxylic acid cycle: a 13C-labelled microdialysis and high-resolution nuclear magnetic resonance study.
Energy metabolism in the human brain is not fully understood. Classically, glucose is regarded as the major energy substrate. However, lactate (conventionally a product of anaerobic metabolism) has been proposed to act as an energy source, yet whether this occurs in man is not known. Here we show that the human brain can indeed utilize lactate as an energy source via the tricarboxylic acid cycle. We used a novel combination of (13)C-labelled cerebral microdialysis both to deliver (13)C substrates into the brain and recover (13)C metabolites from the brain, and high-resolution (13)C nuclear magnetic resonance. Microdialysis catheters were placed in the vicinity of focal lesions and in relatively less injured regions of brain, in patients with traumatic brain injury. Infusion with 2-(13)C-acetate or 3-(13)C-lactate produced (13)C signals for glutamine C4, C3 and C2, indicating tricarboxylic acid cycle operation followed by conversion of glutamate to glutamine. This is the first direct demonstration of brain utilization of lactate as an energy source in humans.
Gallagher
Clare N
CN
Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge, UK.
Carpenter
Keri L H
KL
Grice
Peter
P
Howe
Duncan J
DJ
Mason
Andrew
A
Timofeev
Ivan
I
Menon
David K
DK
Kirkpatrick
Peter J
PJ
Pickard
John D
JD
Sutherland
Garnette R
GR
Hutchinson
Peter J
PJ
D000085:Acetates / Q000378:metabolism; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002952:Citric Acid Cycle / Q000502:physiology*; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D005973:Glutamine / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008297:Male; D017551:Microdialysis; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult
D000085:Acetates; D005973:Glutamine; D019344:Lactic Acid; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D005947:Glucose