Mitochondrial respiratory chain and creatine kinase activities in rat brain after sepsis induced by cecal ligation and perforation

The mechanisms responsible to the development of brain dysfunction during sepsis are not well understood. The objective of this study is to evaluate mitochondrial respiratory chain and creatine kinase activities in the brain after cecal ligation and perforation (CLP) in rats. We performed a prospective, controlled experiment in male Wistar rats. Rats were subjected to CLP (sepsis group) with saline resuscitation (at 50 mL/kg immediately and 12 h after cecal ligation and perforation) or sham operation (control group). Several times (0, 6, 12, 24, 48 and 96 h) after CLP six rats were killed by decapitation, and brain structures (cerebellum, hippocampus, striatum and cortex) were isolated. Mitochondrial respiratory chain and creatine kinase activity were then measured. It was observed that animals submitted to CLP presented decreased mitochondrial respiratory chain activity in complex I, but not in complex II, III and IV, 24, 48 and 96 h in all analyzed structures. Activity of succinate dehydrogenase was decreased in 48 and 96 h in all analyzed structures. Creatine kinase activity increased after CLP in cerebellum, hippocampus and cortex (after 0 h) and striatum (after 6 h). Sepsis associated brain injury may include dysfunction in the mitochondrial respiratory chain activity.