Figure 1.

Progressive renal ischemia induces increasing pyruvate depletion. Changes in renal cortical pyruvate and lactate concentrations in response to progressive renal ischemia without reperfusion. Increasing ischemia times from baseline (0 minutes) to 60 minutes led to a progressive, steep decline in tissue pyruvate concentrations. Reciprocal increases in tissue lactate concentrations were observed, consistent with pyruvate → lactate conversion by LDH activity. This pyruvate → lactate shift was reflected by progressive stepwise increases in lactate/pyruvate ratios (n=2 mice at each time point; unilateral ischemia results compared with results obtained in the uninjured CL kidney). The r values reflect pyruvate, lactate, or lactate/pyruvate ratios versus ischemia times.