DIFFERENCES IN ENERGY-METABOLISM IN CELLS OF NEURONAL AND GLIAL ORIGIN - P-31 NMR SPECTROSCOPIC STUDY

P-31 NMR spectroscopy has been used to study the energy metabolism in PC12 and U-87MG cells of neuronal and glial origin respectively. Both types of cells exhibited the resonances arising from adenosine triphos phate, inorganic phosphate and phosphomonoester. In addition, phosphoc reatine was found to be present in PC12 cells whereas in U-87MG cells a prominent resonance due to diphosphodiester was observed. The pathwa ys of ATP production were investigated using specific inhibitors of gl ycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation. Both glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation pathways contribute to ATP production in PC12 cells, w hereas oxidative phosphorylation was found to be the major ATP produci ng pathway in U-87MG cells, These results indicate that the energy-pro ducing pathways in the cells of neuronal and glial origin could be dif ferent.