Evaluation of brain long-chain acylcarnitines during cerebral ischemia

Concentration and distribution of long-chain acylcarnitines in control micr owaved and ischemic (decapitated) rat brain were measured by electrospray i onization tandem mass spectrometry. The total acylcarnitine concentration f rom control rat brains equaled 7-8 nmol/g wet weight brain, about one-fourt h the total concentration of long-chain acyl-CoA, indicating a small role i n buffering the total acyl-CoA pool concentration. Furthrmore, acylcarnitin e did not differ between ischemic and control rat brain with regard to tota l concentration or concentrations of molecular species of acylcarnitine. Th erefore, the size of the acylcarnitine pool in brain is not affected by the dramatic increase in unesterified fatty acids (similar to 4x) that occurs in ischemia.