Phosphocreatine protects transgenic mouse liver expressing creatine kinase from hypoxia and ischemia.

Creatine kinase (CK) is normally found at high levels in muscle and brain and catalyzes the reaction phosphocreatine (PCr) + MgADP + H+ creatine (Cr) + MgATP. CK is not normally found at high levels in liver. A line of transgenic mice that express high levels of the BB-dimer of CK (CKB) in liver has allowed us to assess the role of CKB during periods of low oxygen stress. During 40 min of ischemia of normal perfused livers at 25 degrees C, ATP levels are depleted, and pH decreases to 6.6. pH recovers to a preischemic level after 30 min of reperfusion of normal livers; however, P(i) levels are significantly higher and ATP levels significantly lower than preischemic values. In transgenic liver with an initial PCr-to-ATP ratio of 4.5, ATP levels are maintained until PCr is markedly depleted. pH remains at preischemic levels for 16 min of ischemia of transgenic livers. During this length of ischemia in normal livers, pH has dropped to 6.9. pH, P(i), and ATP levels return to preischemic values within 30 min...