Effect of a Diet Supplemented with alpha-Tocopherol and beta-Carotene on ATP and Antioxidant Levels after Hepatic Ischemia-Reperfusion

Ischemia-reperfusion injury associated with liver transplantation remains a serious complication in clinical practice. In the present study the effect of intake of alpha-tocopherol or beta-carotene to limit liver injury by oxidative stress in ischemia and reperfusion was explored. Wistar rats were fed with diets enriched with alpha-tocopherol (20 mg/day) or beta-carotene (3 mg/day) for 21 days. After 21 days, their livers were subjected to 15 and 30 min of ischemia and afterwards were reperfused for 60 min. The recovery of levels of ATP during reperfusion was better in the group of rats whose diets were supplemented with alpha-tocopherol or beta-carotene than in the group control. The supplementation of the diet induced changes in the profile of enzymatic antioxidants. The supplementation with alpha-tocopherol and beta-carotene resulted in a decreased of superoxide dismutase during the ischemia and a recovery was observed after reperfusion. Not changes were observed for the enzymes catalase and glutathione peroxidase and glutathione but their values were higher to those of the group control. In conclusion, the supplementation with alpha-tocopherol and beta-carotene improve the antioxidant and energetic state of liver after ischemia and reperfusion injury.     

Effects of amino acids on substrate selection, anaplerosis, and left ventricular function in the ischemic reperfused rat heart.

The effect of aspartate and glutamate on myocardial function during reperfusion is controversial. A beneficial effect has been attributed to altered delivery of carbon into the citric acid cycle via substrate oxidation or by stimulation of anaplerosis, but these hypotheses have not been directly tested. 13C isotopomer analysis is well suited to the study of myocardial metabolism, particularly where isotopic and metabolic steady state cannot be established. This technique was used to evaluate the effects of aspartate and glutamate (amino acids, AA) on anaplerosis and substrate selection in the isolated rat heart after 25 min of ischemia followed by 30 or 45 min of reperfusion. Five groups of hearts (n = 8) provided with a mixture of [1,2-13C]acetate, [3-13C]lactate, and unlabeled glucose were studied: control, control plus AA, ischemia followed by 30 min of reperfusion, ischemia plus AA followed by 30 min of reperfusion, and ischemia followed by 45 min of reperfusion. The contribution of lactate to acetyl-CoA was decreased in postischemic myocardium (with a significant increase in acetate), and anaplerosis was stimulated. Metabolism of 13C-labeled aspartate or glutamate could not be detected, however, and there was no effect of AA on functional recovery, substrate selection, or anaplerosis. Thus, in contrast to earlier reports, aspartate and glutamate have no effect on either functional recovery from ischemia or on metabolic pathways feeding the citric acid cycle.     

Detection of progressive myocardial tissue injury by ultrasonic integrated backscatter immediately after coronary reperfusion

Myocardial reperfusion following ischemia may paradoxically cause additional injury, including microvascular damage and edema. These structural alterations augment tissue echogenicity, which is measurable by ultrasonic integrated backscatter (IB). We sought to characterize alterations in myocardial IB in an ischemic and reperfused region of the rat heart. Myocardial IB of the regions of interest in 12 adult male Sprague-Dawley rats was studied at baseline, during ischemia, and chronologically after coronary reopening, using an ultrasound frequency of 8 MHz. IB did not significantly change between baseline and ischemia. However, within 1 min of reperfusion, IB significantly increased and continued to increase until 10 min of reperfusion, when a plateau was reached. Areas of high echogenicity were comparable to infarcted areas on gross pathologic slices and had edema with extravasation of red blood cells. Myocardial reperfusion following ischemia significantly augments tissue echogenicity. A continuing increase of IB suggests a rapid progression of reperfusion injury.     

急性缺血再灌注心肌细胞凋亡及凋亡基因与左室局部功能的实验研究

目的 应变率成像观察犬急性缺血再灌注后左心室局部功能，与细胞凋亡及心肌组织中caspase-3 mRNA和蛋白表达的变化。方法 健康杂种犬30只，分对照组（10只），缺血组（10只），再灌注组（10只）。缺血组于第一对角支1cm以下套扎左冠状动脉前降支30min，再灌注组套扎30min后再灌注120min，对照组游离左冠状动脉前降支不结扎。超声心动图左室收缩期应变率测量左室局部收缩功能，TUNEL法检测缺血区心肌细胞凋亡数，RT-PCR法检测caspase-3 mRNA的表达，免疫组化法测caspase-3蛋白的表达。结果 结扎30min后，左室前壁缺血节段收缩期应变率明显降低（P〈0.01）。并出现收缩后压缩（PSC），再灌注120min后缺血节段的应变率有所恢复，但仍低于对照组（P〈0.05）。缺血组缺血区心肌TUNEL阳性细胞数与对照组比较无显著性差异;再灌注组缺血区心肌TUNEL阳性数明显增加（P〈0.05）。缺血组缺血区caspase-3 mRNA与对照组比较表达增高（P〈0.05），再灌注组进一步增高（P〈0.01）。缺血组缺血区心肌细胞caspase-3表达升高，与对照组比差异有显著意义（P〈0.05），再灌注组caspase-3表达进一步增强（P〈0.01）。结论 急性心肌缺血再灌注促凋亡基因capase-3激活，缺血心肌细胞凋亡可能为其早期改变，应变率成像可以评价缺血早期心肌局部收缩功能。     

Cardiac fibrinolytic capacity is markedly increased after brief periods of local myocardial ischemia, but declines following successive periods in anesthetized pigs

BACKGROUND: Fibrinolysis in blood is mainly reflected by the activities of tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) and of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1). The effect of myocardial ischemia on their activities in the coronary circulation is, however, not established. OBJECTIVES: With an improved experimental model, we therefore examined the effect of a brief period of myocardial ischemia on their activities. Furthermore, the consequences of repeated periods of ischemia, mimicking the situations in patients with unstable angina, were investigated. METHODS: In six anesthetized pigs, we occluded the distal left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) four times for 10 min with 40 min intervals and determined the activities of tPA and PAI-1 in arterial and coronary venous blood. By simultaneously recording LAD flow, we could estimate cardiac release of these factors at baseline conditions and during reperfusion. RESULTS: Neither net cardiac release of PAI-1 nor alterations in plasma PAI-1 levels were demonstrated during the experiment. However, a significant net release of tPA activity of 10.4 +/- 3.2 IU mL(-1) (P < 0.005) was recorded during baseline conditions. During reperfusion following the first period of ischemia, the cardiac release of tPA activity increased to a peak of 103 +/- 30-fold baseline release, but declined progressively after repeated periods of ischemia. After the fourth period, tPA release did not exceed an estimated baseline accumulation during ischemia and early reperfusion. CONCLUSIONS: In this porcine model, a substantial local increase in fibrinolytic capacity was observed after brief periods of ischemia, but declined subsequently by repeated periods of ischemia.     

The effectiveness of postischemic oxypurinol administration upon myocardial function in the isolated rat heart

The Langendorff isolated rat heart preparation was used to determine the effect of oxypurinol, a xanthine oxidase inhibitor, on myocardial function when administered during reperfusion after 30 min of warm ischemia. Twenty rats were randomly sorted into 2 groups of 10, and an isolated heart preparation made from each rat. The isolated hearts were perfused for 15 min with a modified Krebs-Henseleit solution to permit stabilization of the preparation. Each heart was then subjected to 30 min of total ischemia at 37 degrees C followed by 40 min of reperfusion with either saline-treated perfusate or oxypurinol-treated perfusate (1.3 mM). The maximum power produced and the preload required to produce maximum power were both determined prior to ischemia and every 10 min after ischemia during 40 min of reperfusion. The saline-treated group, but not the oxypurinol-treated group, showed significantly less maximum power output at all testing times during reperfusion compared to the preischemic value (P less than 0.05). There was a significantly greater maximum power output (P less than 0.02) in the oxypurinol-treated group compared to the saline-treated group after 20, 30, and 40 min of reperfusion. There were no differences within either group, or between groups, for the preload required to produce maximum power at any of the testing times. Ultrastructural examination of myocardium after reperfusion showed severe mitochondrial and myofibrillar disruption in the saline-treated group but not in the oxypurinol-treated group. We conclude that oxypurinol administered following 30 min of total ischemia at the onset of reperfusion, can preserve myocardial function during the early reperfusion period in the isolated rat heart.     

Myocardial reperfusion: leukocyte accumulation in the ischemic and remote non-ischemic regions

Neutrophil accumulation in the first hour of myocardial reperfusion was assessed in dog hearts submitted to ischemia with and without necrosis. In anesthetized dogs, the left anterior descending coronary artery was occluded for 20 min (group IS-20 n = 7) and for 90 min (group IS-90 n = 6). Immediately after reperfusion, 99m Tc-Ceretec (Exametazime-Amersham) labeled neutrophils were injected into a central vein and 60 min later the dogs were killed. The left ventricle was isolated, weighed, and sliced. Six sections, 3 from normal and 3 from reperfused regions, were divided into endocardial and epicardial layers. Myocardial and blood radiometry were used to evaluate the neutrophil accumulation during reperfusion. The differences between leukocyte accumulation in both groups were assessed comparing the ischemic/normal relations in the endocardial and epicardial layers. A second comparison considered myocardium/blood relations to allow the evaluation of differences between remote normal myocardial areas of the two experimental groups. In dogs submitted to 20 min of ischemia, leukocytes accumulated significantly more (P < 0.01) in the reperfused myocardium as compared with the non-ischemic region. The increase occurred both in the endocardial (1.49+/-0.20) and epicardial (1.48+/-0.29) regions. After 90 min ischemia, leukocyte accumulation was more intense and predominant in endocardium where there was a 4-fold (3.97+/-1.28) increase over the non-ischemic region, while in the epicardium this relation was only 2.5-fold (2.56+/-0.98). In the remote non-ischemic myocardium, leukocyte accumulation was greater in dogs submitted to 90 min of ischemia compared to the 20 min group (P < 0.01), without distinction between endocardial and epicardial layers. This accumulation in territories of non-culprit coronary arteries may be related to the blood flow abnormalities and matrix structure changes that occur in these regions during the development of an acute myocardial infarction and its natural repair.     

Exacerbation of ischemic dysfunction by angiotensin II in red cell-perfused rabbit hearts. Effects on coronary flow, contractility, and high-energy phosphate metabolism.

We studied the effects of angiotensin II during low-flow ischemia and reperfusion using red cell-perfused isovolumic rabbit hearts. Under baseline conditions where coronary perfusion pressure (CPP) was 100 mm Hg and left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP) was set at 10 mm Hg, 10(-8) M angiotensin II caused a mild increase in LV developed pressure (+12%) and decrease in coronary flow (-8%). Low-flow ischemia was imposed by reducing CPP to 15 mm Hg for 30 min followed by 30 min of reperfusion. During ischemia, the angiotensin II group showed a gradual further reduction in coronary flow in association with a greater depression of LV developed pressure and increase in LVEDP relative to the no-drug group. To separate the effect of angiotensin II on coronary flow from a direct myocardial effect, the angiotensin II group was compared with an additional no-drug group with a matched progressive reduction in coronary flow during ischemia. In these groups, the ischemic depression of LV developed pressure, myocardial ATP levels, and lactate production were similar. However, the ischemic rise in LVEDP was greater (42.0 +/- 5.4 vs. 19.9 +/- 1.3 mm Hg, P less than 0.01) and recovery was incomplete in the angiotensin II group. These observations suggest that angiotensin II exerts a direct adverse effect on LV diastolic relaxation during low-flow ischemia and recovery.     

Protective effect of melanocortin peptides in rat myocardial ischemia

The influence of the melanocortin peptide ACTH-(1-24) (adrenocorticotropin) on the consequences of short-term coronary ischemia (5 min) followed by reperfusion, and the effect of the long-acting melanocortin [Nle(4),D-Phe(7)]alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (NDP-MSH) on the damage induced by a permanent coronary occlusion, were investigated in anesthetized rats. Ischemia was produced by ligature of the left anterior descending coronary artery. Reperfusion-induced arrhythmias [ventricular tachycardia (VT), ventricular fibrillation (VF)] and survival rate within the 5 min following reperfusion, blood levels of free radicals detected 2 min after reperfusion by electron spin resonance spectrometry, and amount of healthy myocardial tissue, measured 72 h after permanent coronary occlusion on immunohistologically stained serial sections, were evaluated. Postischemic reperfusion induced VT in all saline-treated rats, and VF and death in a high percentage of animals (87%). In rats treated i.v. (2.5 min after coronary occlusion) with ACTH-(1-24) (0.16-0.48 mg/kg) there was a significantly dose-dependent reduction in the incidence of arrhythmias and lethality. Ischemia/reperfusion caused a large increase in free radical blood levels; treatment with ACTH-(1-24) (0.48 mg/kg i.v.) almost completely prevented this increase. In rats subjected to permanent coronary occlusion, the amount of healthy myocardial tissue was much reduced in saline-treated rats, while in rats treated s.c. with NDP-MSH (0.27 mg/kg every 12 h) it was significantly higher. The present data demonstrate, for the first time, an unforeseen property of melanocortin peptides, i.e., their ability to significantly reduce both heart ischemia/reperfusion injury and size of the ischemic area induced by permanent coronary occlusion.     

Glucose,insulin and potassium (GIK) during reperfusion mediates improved myocardial bioenergetics

Previous studies suggest glucose, insulin and potassium (GIK) infusion during ischemia reduces infarct size and improves post-ischemic myocardial function in acute myocardial infarction and following surgical revascularization of the heart. The potential use of GIK when given only during reperfusion after a period of global ischemia, as might occur during cardiac arrest, is unclear. To test the hypothesis that GIK reperfusion improves post-ischemic myocardial bioenergetics and function, we utilized a perfused heart model. Hearts from Sprague-Dawley rats (350-450 g) were perfused at 85 mmHg with oxygenated Krebs-Henseleit bicarbonate containing 5.5 mM glucose and 0.2 mM octanoic acid. Following 20 min of global ischemia, hearts were reperfused for 30 min with original solution (control) or GIK in two different doses (10 or 20 mM glucose each with insulin 10 U/l and K(+) 7 meq/l). Hearts perfused with GIK solutions had significantly higher ATP, creatine phosphate, energy charge, and NADP(+) and lower AMP and inosine levels compared with control after 30 min of reperfusion. Hearts reperfused with GIK had significantly higher developed pressure and higher dP/dt than control reperfused hearts. Reperfusion with GIK improved post-ischemic recovery of both contractile function and the myocardial bioenergetic state. GIK may be a viable adjunctive reperfusion therapy following the global ischemia of cardiac arrest to improve post-resuscitation cardiac dysfunction.     

急性缺血再灌注左室局部功能与心肌细胞凋亡的相关性研究

目的探讨应变率成像评价急性缺血再灌注后左心室功能与肌细胞凋亡的相关性及其应用价值。 方法健康杂种犬30只，分对照组（10只），缺血组（10只），再灌注组（10只）。缺血组于第一对角支1cm以下套扎左冠状动脉前降支30min，再灌注组套扎30min后再灌注120min，对照组游离左冠状动脉前降支不结扎。超声心动图左室收缩期应变率测量左室局部收缩功能，Simpson’s法测左室射血分数，原位末端脱氧核苷酸转移酶标记技术（TUNEL）法检测缺血区心肌细胞凋亡数。 结果收缩期应变率与射血分数及心肌细胞凋亡数相关性良好。峰值收缩期应变率在三组之间均有显著性差异（P值均＜0.05），射血分数在三组之间无显著性差异（P＞0．05），心肌阳性凋亡细胞数仅在再灌注组与对照组之间有显著性差异（P＜0．05）。 结论应变率成像为临床提供了一个敏感、简便的评价早期心肌局部收缩功能的指标，局部心功能与心肌细胞凋亡相关。     

参附注射液对缺血再灌注心肌损伤的保护作用

目的：探讨参附注射液对缺血／再灌注（I／R）损伤心肌的保护作用及其机制。方法：32只雄性SD大鼠随机分为4组：正常对照组（n=8）、缺血／再灌注组（n=8）、参附注射液30mg／L组（n=8）和100mg／L组（n=8）。采用Langendorff离体心脏灌流模型，制备心肌缺血再灌注损伤模型，在心脏缺血前和再灌注后，给予参附注射液，观察离体大鼠心脏血流动力学指标和心肌组织中的高能磷酸化舍物ATP含量、MDA含量及SOD活性等的变化。结果：参附注射液100mg／L明显改善缺血／再灌注后心脏血流动力学指标。缺血／再灌注组大鼠心肌ATP含量和SOD活性明显降低，MDA含量明显升高。与缺血／再灌注组比较，参附注射液30mg／L组和100mg／L组心肌MDA值减少（P〈O．05），SOD值升高（P〈0．05）；参附注射液100mg／L组ATP含量增加（P〈0．05）。结论：参附注射液能通过提高心肌组织ATP含量和SOD活性，减少MDA含量，改善缺血／再灌注后心脏血流动力学紊乱，减轻大鼠心肌缺血再灌注损伤。     

电针对心肌缺血再灌注损伤家兔心肌细胞凋亡的影响

目的:研究电针对心肌缺血再灌注损伤家兔心肌细胞凋亡的影响.方法:将结扎左冠状动脉前降支30 min,再灌注60 min,成功制作为心肌缺血再灌注损伤模型的家兔24只,随机分为模型组、电针1及2组各8只.另仅开胸未结扎冠状动脉的8只为假手术组作为正常对照.电针1、2组术后30 min分别采用电针针刺内关穴与列缺穴60 min,仅1次,应用原位末端标记法观察4组家兔心肌细胞凋亡情况.结果:心肌凋亡细胞数量,模型组显著高于假手术组(P＜0.01),电针1组与电针2组、模型组比较显著降低(P＜0.05,P＜0.01),但仍高于假手术组(P＜0.01).结论:细胞凋亡参与心肌缺血再灌注损伤的病理过程,电针内关穴可以减少缺血再灌注损伤心肌细胞凋亡的数量,从而达到抗缺血再灌注损伤的作用.     

超速起搏预处理对急性心肌梗死的延迟保护

目的　探讨超速心室起搏 (ventricularoverdrivepacing,VOP)预处理对急性心肌梗死的延迟保护作用 (delayedprotection ,DP)及可能机制。方法　 2 0只兔随机分为 4组 :(1)对照组 ,将电极导管送至右心室旷置 70min ,2 4h后结扎、冠状动脉左前降支造成缺血再灌注模型。 (2 )起搏组 ,缺血再灌注前 2 4h予VOP。 (3)放线菌素组 ,缺血再灌注前 2 4h静注放线菌素D阻滞热休克蛋白 (HSP)转录。 (4 )起搏 放线菌素组 ,延迟缺血再灌注前 2 4h予VOP并静脉注射放线菌素D ,缺血再灌注前后测定血流动力学变化 ,以TTC染色测量各组心肌梗死面积百分比 ,免疫组化染色间检测HSP70抗原 ,并观察心肌缺血再灌注后的组织学改变。结果　与对照组比较 ,起搏组心肌梗死面积减少 34 35 % (P <0 0 0 1) ,左心收缩和舒张功能均改善 ;心肌超微结构损伤减轻。其余组与对照组比较 ,在各项指标上差别无显著意义。HSP70免疫组化染色仅在起搏组心肌标本呈阳性。结论　多次VOP预处理对急性梗死心肌有明显的延迟保护作用 ,此作用与HSP70的表达密切相关。     

葛根素对家兔心肌缺血-再灌注损伤的保护作用

目的:探讨葛根素抗心肌缺血-再灌注损伤的机制.方法:采用结扎冠状动脉左室支方法制备兔心肌缺血-再灌注损伤模型,用四道生理记录仪测定动物的血流动力学及左室功能变化.将40只家兔随机分组.10只作为空白对照组;10只作为假手术对照组;余20只制模,其中10只为模型组,另10只则在结扎左室支前20 min o40 min20 min(LPO)含量及超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶(GSHPx)活性;实验完毕后取缺血-再灌注损伤区心肌组织0.5 g,分别测定组织匀浆中LPO含量、SOD活性及GSH-Px/LPO.结果:与模型组比较,葛根素保护组动物左室内压峰值(LVSP)、左室内压上升最大速率(LV dp/dt max)和左室内压下降最大速率(LV-dp/at max)均显著升高(P<0.05或P<0.01);血清中LPO含量明显降低(P<0.05),而GSH-Px/LPO升高非常明显(P<0.01);缺血一再灌注损伤区心肌组织中LPO含量显著降低,SOD活性和GSH-Px/LPO<0.05).结论:葛根素可通过提高对自由基的清除及拮抗脂质过氧化反应而起到保护缺血-再灌注损伤心肌的作用.     

心肌声学造影评价实验性顿抑心肌的微血管功能改变

目的 探讨心肌顿抑时心肌微血管功能改变以及静脉心肌学造影方法的价值。方法 制备左前降支冠脉（ＬＡＤ）不同阻断时间后再 灌注犬心肌凶模型,在不同观察时间点静脉注射含全氟丙烷声振白蛋白微泡造影剂,采用二次谐波成像和间歇发剂技术行心肌声学造影（ＭＣＥ）。由主动脉根部分别注射乙酰胆碱（ＡＣＨ）和硝酸甘油（ＮＧ）后重复ＭＣＥ并计算用药后,前二维超声上所示心肌灰阶峰值（ＰＶＩ）和峰值比值（ＰＶＩＲ）。结果（地     

Hepatic injury and lipid peroxidation during ischemia and reperfusion

We determined the relationship between lipid peroxidation and alterations in hepatic secretory and microsomal function during various periods of hepatic ischemia/reperfusion. Rats were pretreated with alpha-tocopherol or vehicle and then subjected to 30, 60, and 90 min, no-flow hepatic ischemia in vivo with 1 or 5 h of reperfusion. Serum aminotransferase (ALT) level, wet-dry weight ratio, and lipid peroxidation were increased at 1 and 5 h of reperfusion, and these changes were significantly attenuated by alpha-tocopherol. Na+, K+-ATPase activity, and glucose-6-phosphatase activity were significantly decreased in 90-min ischemic rats, and these decreases were ameliorated by alpha-tocopherol. After 90 min of ischemia, bile flow, cholate output, and bilirubin output were markedly decreased by ischemia/reperfusion, and alpha-tocopherol restored the secretion. Cytochrome P450 content was decreased by ischemia/reperfusion and restored by alpha-tocopherol to the level of that found in the sham-operated group. Aminopyrine N-demethylase activity was decreased, and aniline p-hydroxylase was increased in 60-min ischemic rats. The changes in the activities of the two enzymes were prevented by alpha-tocopherol. Our findings suggest that ischemia/reperfusion diminishes hepatic secretory functions and microsomal drug metabolizing systems in proportion to the duration of ischemia and reperfusion in vivo, and this is associated with increased lipid peroxidation.     

应变率成像评价急性缺血再灌注左心室功能与心肌细胞凋亡的相关性

目的 探讨应变率成像评价急性缺血再灌注后左心室功能与心肌细胞凋亡的相关性及其应用价值。方法 健康杂种犬30只，分为对照组（10只），缺血组（10只）和再灌注组（10只）。缺血组于第一对角支1cm以下套扎左冠状动脉前降支30min，再灌注组套扎30min后再灌注120min，对照组游离左冠状动脉前降支不结扎。应变率成像测定左室局部收缩功能，Simpson’s法测量左室射血分数（LVEF）、舒张末容积（EDV）及收缩末容积（ESV），TUNEL法检测缺血区心肌细胞凋亡指数。结果 收缩期应变率（SRs）与LVEF及TUNEL阳性细胞指数（AI）呈良好的相关性。SRs在三组间差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05），LVEF、EDV及ESV在三组间差异无统计学意义（P〉0．05），再灌注组AI与对照组间差异有统计学意义（P〈0．01）。结论 应变率成像为临床提供了一个敏感、简便的评价早期心肌局部收缩功能的指标，局部心功能与心肌细胞凋亡相关。     

Alpha adrenergic contributions to dysrhythmia during myocardial ischemia and reperfusion in cats.

Alpha compared to beta adrenergic contributions to dysrhythmias induced by left anterior descending coronary occlusion and by reperfusion were assessed in chloralose-anesthetized cats (n = 96). Alpha receptor blockade with either phentolamine or prazosin significantly reduced the number of premature ventricular complexes during coronary reperfusion (321 +/- 62-14 +/- 10 premature ventricular complexes, P less than 0.001), abolished early ventricular fibrillation (from 25% in controls to 0%), and prevented the increase in idioventricular rate seen with coronary reperfusion. However, beta-receptor blockade was without effect. Ventricular dysrhythmias induced by coronary occlusion alone (without reperfusion) were attenuated markedly by alpha-receptor blockade under conditions in which perfusion (measured with radiolabeled microspheres) within ischemic zones was not affected. Alternative sympatholytic interventions including pretreatment with 6-hydroxydopamine to deplete myocardial norepinephrine from 8.8 +/- 1.4 to 0.83 +/- 0.2 ng/mg protein and render the heart unresponsive to tyramine (120 microgram/kg) attenuated dysrhythmias induced by both coronary occlusion and reperfusion in a fashion identical to that seen with alpha-receptor blockade. Although efferent sympathetic activation induced by left stellate nerve stimulation increased idioventricular rate from 66 +/- 6 to 144+/- 7 beats/min (P less than 0.01) before coronary occlusion, this response was blocked by propranolol but not by phentolamine. In contrast, during reperfusion the increase in idioventricular rate induced by left stellate nerve stimulation (to 203 +/- 14) was not inhibited by propranolol but was abolished by phentolamine (79 +/- 10). Intracoronary methoxamine (0.1 microM) in animals depleted of myocardial catecholamines by 6-hydroxydopamine pretreatment did not affect idioventricular rate before coronary occlusion. However, early after coronary reperfusion, methoxamine increased idioventricular rate from 33 +/- 7 to 123 +/- 21 beats/min (P less than 0.01). Thus, enhanced alpha-adrenergic responsiveness occurs during myocardial ischemia and appears to be primary mediator of the electrophysiological derangements and resulting malignant dysrhythmias induced by catecholamines during myocardial ischemia and reperfusion.     

Inhalation of NO during myocardial ischemia reduces infarct size and improves cardiac function

Purpose

Bioactive NO carriers in circulating blood formed during NO inhalation selectively distribute blood flow to areas in need, and may thus improve collateral perfusion to the area-at-risk in acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Here, we tested the hypothesis that NO inhalation during the ischemic phase of AMI may improve left ventricular function and reduce infarct size in rats.

Methods

Following left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) occlusion, rats received 50?ppm NO for 2?h of ischemia, during subsequent 3?h of reperfusion, or for 5?h of ischemia and reperfusion. Effects of inhaled NO were compared to those of intravenous nitrite as a putative carrier formed during NO inhalation. Downstream signaling via soluble guanylate cyclase was tested by inhibition with 1H-[1,2,4]oxadiazolo[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ).

Results

NO inhalation during myocardial ischemia increased left ventricular systolic pressure, contractility, relaxation, and cardiac output, and reduced myocardial infarction size and area-at-risk as compared to untreated controls. NO inhalation during the reperfusion phase caused a comparable protective effect. Combined inhalation during ischemia and reperfusion did not further improve left ventricular hemodynamics, but had an additive protective effect on the myocardial area-at-risk. NO inhalation increased circulating nitrite levels, and mimicking of this effect by intravenous nitrite infusion achieved similar protection as NO inhalation during myocardial ischemia, while ODQ blocked the protective NO effect.

Conclusions

Inhalation of NO during myocardial ischemia improves left ventricular function and reduces infarct size by mechanisms that increase levels of circulating nitrite and involve soluble guanylate cyclase. NO inhalation may represent a promising early intervention in AMI.