Ultrastructural and biochemical studies of ischemic preconditioning using an adenosine receptor blocker and an ATP-sensitive K channel opener

The effect of preconditioning (PC) on acute ischemic myocardial injury was investigated in an openchest dog model. Preconditioned dogs received four 5-min occlusions of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD), each separated by 10 min of reperfusion. Four groups were used to assess the effect: non-PC group (G-1), PC group (G-2), 8-phenyltheophylline-(adenosine receptor blocker) infused PC group (G-3), and nicorandil- (ATP-sensitive K-channel opener) infused PC group (G-4). The LAD was occluded for 60 min, followed by 60 min of reperfusion in all dogs. The rate of ultrastructural myocardial severe injury was 26% in G-1, 0% in G-2, 5% in G-3, and 0% in G-4. Biochemical analayses also indicated higher values of myocardial contractile function in G-2 and G-4 than G-1 and G-3. These data suggest that the adenosine receptor and K channel may play a key role in PC.