Figure 3.

Persistent pyruvate depletion following ischemic reperfusion injury. Pyruvate and lactate concentrations after 30 minutes of ischemia and 18 hours of vascular reflow. After a less severe ischemic insult and a greater reperfusion time than used in the experiments depicted in Figure 2, marked pyruvate reductions were still observed. The values given reflect those values found in control (sham-operated) mice postunilateral I/R and those values in the CL kidneys (n=6 each). By 18 hours of reflow, lactate concentrations returned to control values. Although not depicted, tissue LDH levels were depressed by approximately 50%,¹⁰ likely contributing to the higher lactate/pyruvate ratios because of reduced lactate → pyruvate conversion under oxygenated conditions.