丙泊酚预处理对大鼠离体心肌浅低温缺血／再灌注损伤后线粒体细胞色素C释放的影响

目的：探讨丙泊酚预处理对大鼠离体心肌浅低温缺血／再灌注（I／R）损伤后心肌细胞凋亡及线粒体细胞色素C释放的影响。方法：应用Langendorff离体心脏灌注模型,取50只SD大鼠随机分为5组：对照组（C组）,二甲基亚砜（DMSO）预处理组（D组）,25、50、100μmol·L^-1丙泊酚预处理纽（P1、P2、P3组）。各组均浅低温缺血55min,再常温灌注60min。D组、P1、P2、P3组在缺血前分别以含DMSO、相应浓度丙泊酚的K-H液灌注10min,再冲洗5min,重复2次。记录平衡灌注末、缺血前即刻、再灌注30、60min时的心功能指标。再灌注60min时测定凋亡细胞,提取心肌线粒体,测定线粒体和胞浆的细胞色素C水平。结果：与C组相比,P3组再灌注30min、60min时左室舒张末压（LVEDP）降低、左室发展压（LVDP）升高（P〈0．05或P〈0．01）;P2、P3组再灌注末心肌细胞凋亡率降低（P〈0．05或P〈0．01）,线粒体细胞色素c释放减少,胞浆细胞色素C的量明显降低（P〈0．05或P〈0．01）。结论：丙泊酚预处理能够通过抑制心肌线粒体细胞色素C释放到胞浆,降低浅低温I／R损伤心肌细胞凋亡率,减轻心肌桶伤．     

异丙酚和氯胺酮对大鼠离体缺血再灌注损伤心肌脂质过氧化的影响

目的：比较异丙酚和氯胺酮对大鼠离体缺血再灌注损伤心肌脂质过氧化的影响。方法：成年Wistar大鼠18只,雌雄不拘。体重240-300g,随机分为3组（T1=6）：心肌缺血再灌注损伤组（I／R组）,异丙酚组（P组）,氯胺酮组（K组）。采用Langendorff灌装置建立离体心脏缺血再灌注模型,将心脏连接至Langendorff逆灌装置,3组均以K-H液平衡灌注10min后,再分别以K．H液、含30μmol/L。异丙酚的K-H液、含10μmol-L-1氯胺酮的K-H液灌注10min,然后全心停灌25min,再分别以停灌前相同的灌注液恢复灌注30min。留取冠脉流出液测定总LDH活性;灌注末取左室心肌组织置于2．5％的戊二醛固定,观察心肌的超微结构;心尖部心肌组织留待检测8-异前列腺素和SOD活性。结果：与I／R组比较,P组8-异前列腺素含量降低,SOD活性升高,LDH活性降低（P〈0．05）;K组8-异前列腺素含量,SOD及LDH活性均无统计学意义（P〉0．05）;与P组比较,K组8-异前列腺素含量升高,SOD及LDH活性降低（P〈0．05）;P组心肌超微结构损伤较m组和K组也明显改善。结论：异丙酚可显著减轻心肌缺血再灌注损伤大鼠的脂质过氧化和心肌缺血再灌注损伤,而氯胺酮没有抗心肌缺血再灌注损伤心肌脂质过氧化的作用。     

一氧化氮和线粒体ATP敏感性钾通道介导血管紧张素转换酶抑制剂加强阈下预处理的作用

实验采用离体大鼠心脏Langendorff灌流模型,观察含巯基（卡托普利）和不含巯基（培哚普利拉）的两种血管紧张素转换酶抑制剂（angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors,ACEI）对抗心肌缺血的作用,并探讨一氧化氮（nitric oxide,NO）和线粒体ATP敏感性钾通道（mimchondrial ATP-sensitive potassium channel,mitoKATP channel）是否参与ACEI的心肌保护作用。结果表明：（1）给予大鼠心脏2min全心停灌和10min复灌作为闽下缺血预处理（subthreshold preconditioning,sPC）、卡托普利或培哚普利拉单独使用,均不能改善长时间缺血复灌（缺血30min＋复灌120min）引起的心肌损伤。（2）当两种ACEI分别和sPC联合使用时,与sPC组相比,缺血心脏在长时间缺血后的复灌期问左室舒张末压（left ventricular end-diastolic pressure,LVEDP）明显降低,左宦发展压（left ventricular developed pressure,LVDP）和冠脉流量明显增高,乳酸脱氢酶（lactate dehydrogenase,LDH）的释放量和心肌梗死面积明显低于sPC组。（3）利用NOS抑制剂L-NAME和mitoKATP通道的抑制剂5-HD灌流10min后,可明显抑制卡托普利／培哚普利拉和sPC联合使用引起的LVEDP降低,并使LVDP和冠脉流量降低,LDH的释放量和心肌梗死面积明显增高（P〈0．05）。（4）sPC、卡托普利或培哚普利拉单独使用,心脏NO的产生增加。ACEI和sPC联合使用,与三者单独使用相比NO的浓度亦明显增高（P〈0．05）。结果提示：含与不含巯基的ACEI与闽下缺血预处理联合使用均可使大鼠心脏功能明显改善,其心肌保护作用的机制可能通过NO途径,并和mitoKATP通道的激活有关。     

间歇性低压低氧与连续性低压低氧对大鼠血液动力学作用的比较(英文)

本研究旨在探讨并比较慢性间歇性低压低氧（intermitten thypobaric hypoxia,IHH）和慢性连续性低压低氧（continuous hypobaric hypoxia,CHH）对大鼠血液动力学作用的影响。40只成年Sprague—Dawley大鼠随机分为5组：对照组（CON）,28天IHH处理组（IHH28）,42天IHH处理组（IHH42）,28天CHH组（CHH28）和42天CHH组（CHH42）。IHH火鼠于低压氧舱分别接受28或42天模拟5000m海拔高度低氧（11．1％O2）处理、每天6h。CHH处理大鼠生活在低压氧舱环境中,除每天半小时常氧供食、供水和清洁外,其余时间均分别接受时程为28或42天的模拟5000m海拔高度低氧（11．1％O2）处理。每周定时测定大鼠体重。通过导管法测定基础常氧和急性低氧状态下的血液动力学,包括半均动脉压（meanartery blood pressure,MAP）、心率（heartrate,HR）、左审收缩峰压（1eft ventricular systolic pressure,LVSP）、正负左率最人压力变化速率（maximum change rate of left ventricular pressure,±LVdP／dtmax）。通过生物化学方法测定大鼠心肌超氧化物岐化酶活性和丙二醛含量。并分别测定全心、左心室和右心室重量。结果显示：（1）CHH42大鼠基础HR和MAP低于CON,IHH和CHH28大鼠（P〈0．05）。（2）IHH大鼠表现出明显的抗心肌缺氧／复氧损伤作用,表现为急性低氧状态下的HR、MAP、LVSP和＋LVdP/dtmax,改变明显低于CON大鼠（P〈0．05）;CHH大鼠表现出更为明显的抗急性低氧心脏保护作用,表现为急性低氧的HR、MAP、LVSP和±LVdP/dtmax;改变明显低于CON和IHH火鼠（P〈0．05）,但出现复氧损伤作用,表现为复氧过程中血液动力学的恢复明显低于CON和IHH大鼠（P〈0．05）。（3）与CON大鼠相比较,IHH和CHH大鼠心肌抗氧化能力明显增强（P〈0．05,P〈0．01）。（4）与IHH和CON大鼠相比较,CHH大鼠表现明显的右心室肥厚（P〈0．01）。结果表明,IHH可诱导有效的心脏保护作用,而无明显的不良反应,因而具有潜在的实际应用价值。     

心肌缺血／再灌注损伤后血清和心肌组织Leptin水平的变能

目的：观察大鼠心肌缺血／再灌注损伤对血清和心肌组织瘦素（Leptin）表达的影响,探讨Leptin在心肌缺血／再灌注损伤中的作用。方法：建立大鼠心肌缺血／再灌注模型,检测血清乳酸脱氢酶（LDH）和Leptin浓度,并用HE染色和免疫组织化学观察心肌组织病理学及Lepfin表达水平。结果：缺血组、再灌注组血清LDH水平显著升高（P〈0．05）,表明该模型制作成功,造成心肌局部一定程度的损伤。缺血组血清Leptin含量（6．34±2．49）ng／ml显著低于对照组（7．50±2．93ng／ml,P〈0．05）;再灌注后Leptin水平缓慢恢复,于再灌注2h时Leptin达到（8．32±1．74）ng／ml,恢复到损伤前水平（8．38±2．56）ng／ml,且随再灌注时间延长有升高趋势。免疫纽化显示与假手术纽心肌Leptin蛋白表达水平相比,其他四组均有显著降低（P〈0．01）,按缺血45min后再灌注1h组、缺血45min后再灌注3h组、单纯缺血45min组、缺血45min后再灌注2h组依次递减。结论：Leptin在心肌缺血／再灌注损伤后早期45min血中有明显减少,心肌组织中也明显表达下降。心肌组织病理损伤与Leptin的改变可能有一定的关系。     

异丙酚对离体大鼠心肌缺血、再灌注损伤后细胞凋亡及其机制研究

目的：观察异丙酚对离体大鼠心肌缺血/再灌注损伤的影响并从氧化应激和线粒体介导的凋亡方面探讨其作用机制。方法：应用Langendorff离体心脏灌注系统建立心肌缺血/再灌注损伤模型。40只SD大鼠随机分为正常对照组、缺血/再灌注模型（I/R）组、异丙酚15、30、60μmol.L-1组。除正常对照组外,各组分别平衡灌注20 min后,常温全心停灌25 min,再灌注30 min。Powerlab/8s仪记录各组平衡末、缺血前及再灌30 min时的各项心功能指标并测定冠脉流出液中乳酸脱氢酶（LDH）、肌酸激酶（CK）活性;检测心肌线粒体活力、膜肿胀度、锰超氧化物岐化酶（Mn-SOD）活性和丙二醛（MDA）含量;流式细胞仪检测心肌细胞凋亡;流式细胞术检测Bcl-2和Bax的表达,免疫组化法测定天冬氨酸特异的半胱氨酸蛋白酶（caspase）-3,9,8蛋白的表达。结果：与I/R组相比,异丙酚30、60μmol.L-1能明显改善缺血/再灌注后的心功能,减弱冠脉流出液中LDH、CK的活性（P〈0.05）;心肌线粒体活力有所恢复,膜肿胀度减轻,Mn-SOD活性升高,MDA生成明显减少（P〈0.05）,心肌细胞凋亡明显减少,Bcl-2表达上调,Bax表达下调,caspase-3,9阳性表达细胞数明显减少（P〈0.05）。结论：异丙酚明显减轻缺血/再灌注所致的心肌线粒体的过氧化损伤,抑制线粒体途径的凋亡,可能是其心肌保护作用机制之一。     

内源性CO在大鼠离体心脏缺血再灌注中的保护作用

本文旨在观察研究内源性CO在大鼠离体心脏缺血再灌注中的作用。大鼠经内源性CO激动剂原卟啉氯化钴(CoPP)和内源性CO抑制剂锌原卟啉(ZnPP)处理后,采用Langendorff离体心脏灌流系统完成心脏缺血再灌注模型,停灌(缺血)时间设定为30 min,分别采集离体心脏稳定期和再灌注后30 min心功能指标参数,ELISA方法检测心肌组织cGMP含量,比色法测定血浆中内源性CO的含量以及再灌注10 min时灌流液中肌酸激酶(creatine kinase,CK)、乳酸脱氢酶(lactic dehydrogenase,LDH)等心肌酶的指标。结果显示,停灌前离体心脏跳动平稳,CoPP组、ZnPP组和对照组心脏各项功能指标均保持稳定,三组间心功能指标无明显差异;再灌注后,三组间心功能指标出现显著性差异(P0.05),与停灌前相比,对照组和ZnPP组心功能均明显下降(P0.05),且ZnPP组下降较为显著,而CoPP组仍能保持停灌前水平。与此同时,三组大鼠体内CO含量、离体心肌酶学指标和再灌注后恢复稳定时间也有明显的差异(P0.05),和对照组相比,CoPP组复灌稳定恢复时间减少,灌流液中CK和LDH含量显著减少,血浆内源性CO含量和心肌cGMP含量显著增加,而ZnPP组则呈现截然相反的结果。以上结果提示,内源性CO可维持一定的心脏舒缩能力、缩短心脏复跳时间,在心脏缺血再灌注中起到了保护作用。     

腺苷预处理对大鼠心脏移植缺血再灌注损伤心肌的保护作用

目的探讨腺苷（adenosine,Ado）预处理在心脏移植缺血再灌注损伤的保护作用。方法健康雄性Sprague．Dawley（SD）大鼠40只,建立大鼠同系异位心脏移植模型。随机分为3组：假手术组、对照组、实验组（供体心在获取前15min给予Ado预处理后4℃改良St．Thoms液10mL。主动脉根部灌注停跳）。术后5h测定血清中丙二醛（MDA）、超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）、肌酸激酶同工酶（CK-MB）含量,电镜观测心肌细胞超微结构变化。结果实验组MDA、CK-MB明显减少（P〈0．01）,SOD明显增加（P〈0．01）,心肌超微结构改变明显减轻。实验组的移植心脏存活时间较对照组明显延长[（22．1±2．9）dw（12．0±1．8）d,P〈0．01）]。结论Ado预处理对心脏移植缺血再灌注损伤有保护作用,使受者的移植心脏存活期延长。     

Ucf-101对大鼠局灶性脑缺血再灌注后Caspase-3蛋白表达的影响

目的观察Ucf—101对大鼠脑缺血再灌注后神经元caspase-3蛋白表达及细胞凋亡的影响,研究其对缺血性脑损伤是否具有保护作用。方法将36只雄性WiStar大鼠随机分为3组：假手术组、缺血组及Ucf—101组,采用线栓法建立大鼠右侧大脑中动脉闭塞（middle cerebral artery occlusion,MCAO）2h再灌注模型,于再灌注后6h和24h断头取脑,采用TTC法测梗死体积,TUNEL法原位标记DNA片段,检测TUNEL阳性细胞的变化,免疫组化法观察脑皮质神经元caspase-3的表达。结果脑缺血再灌注后不同时间点（6h、24h）,Ucf-101组与缺血组相比梗死体积明显缩小,有显著性差异（P〈0．05）;假手术组未见梗死现象。缺血组TUNEL阳性细胞数较假手术组明显增多（P〈0．05）,脑皮质caspase-3的表达较假手术组亦显著增强（P〈0．05）,给予Ucf-101处理后,TUNEL阳性细胞数较缺血组明显减少（P〈0．05）,caspase-3的表达较缺血组亦明显减弱（P〈0．05）。结论Ucf-101能有效地抑制脑缺血再灌注损伤,下调脑皮质神经元Caspase-3蛋白的表达,抑制神经元的凋亡,发挥神经保护作用。     

大鼠缺血性脑损伤引起学习记忆障碍及心率变异性改变

本研究通过建立高脂缺血性脑损伤大鼠模型,进行水迷宫实验和心率变异性（heart rate variability,HRV）的功率谱分析,探讨脑损伤前后大鼠学习记忆的变化及缺血对自主神经的影响。23只成年雄性Wistar大鼠随机分为对照组（n=10）、高脂组（n=6）和高脂缺血组（n=7）。高脂组和高脂缺血组大鼠均饲以高脂饲料制成高血脂大鼠模型。各组大鼠进行水迷宫实验后,高脂缺血组用双侧颈总动脉结扎（2-VO）法制作缺血再灌注模型,同时记录心电图。7d后各组大鼠再次进行水迷宫实验和记录心电图,对HRV序列进行基于快速傅立叶转换（fast Fourier transformation,FFT）的功率谱分析。结果：（1）第一次水迷宫测试,3组大鼠空间探索实验和定位航行实验结果无统计学差异;第二次水迷宫实验,高脂缺血组与其它两组相比,空间探索实验中平台所在象限的记忆频度明显下降（P〈0．01）,定位航行实验中平台所在象限的记忆频度显著下降（P〈0．01）,10圆环记忆得分显著下降（P〈0．001）,但高脂组与对照组相比无明显差异。（2）高脂缺血组缺血后心率持续下降;缺血时HRV中频段功率（0．2加．6Hz）呈现明显下降的趋势,高频段功率（0．6-2．5Hz）缓慢下降,中频／高频功率比值明显下降（P〈0．05）。（3）缺血7d后高脂缺血组与高脂组相比,心率明显加快,HRV的中频段功率无显著变化,高频段功率明显下降,中频／高频功率比值显著增高（P〈0．05）。结果表明,缺血过程中高脂缺血组大鼠的自主神经活动降低,交感神经活动相对于迷走神经活动减弱。缺血7d后,由于海马区神经元对缺血敏感易受损,造成高脂缺血组大鼠学习记忆障碍,同时引发迷走神经活动下降,大鼠交感．迷走神经系统平衡失调。     

Intermittent hypoxia attenuates ischemia／reperfusion induced apoptosis in cardiac myocytes via regulating Bcl-2／Bax expression

Intermittent hypoxia has been shown to provide myocardial protection against ishemiaJreperfusion-induced injury.Cardiac myocyte loss through apoptosis has been reported in ischemia/reperfusion injury. Our aim was to investigate whether intermittent hypoxia could attenuate ischemia/reperfusion-induced apoptosis in cardiac myocytes and its potential mechanisms. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to hypoxia simulated 5000 m in a hypobaric chamber for 6 h/day, lasting 42 days. Normoxia group rats were kept under normoxic conditions. Isolated perfused hearts from both groups were subjected to 30 min of global ischemia followed by 60 min reperfusion.Incidence of apoptosis in cardiac myocytes was determined by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) and DNA agarose gel electrophoresis. Expressions of apoptosis related proteins,Bax and Bcl-2, in cytosolic and membrane fraction were detected by Western Blotting. After ischemia/reperfusion,enhanced recovery of cardiac function was observed in intermittent hypoxia hearts compared with normoxia group.Ischemia/reperfusion-induced apoptosis, as evidenced by TUNEL-positive nuclei and DNA fragmentation, was significantly reduced in intermittent hypoxia group compared with normoxia group. After ischemia/reperfusion,expression of Bax in both cytosolic and membrane fractions was decreased in intermittent hypoxia hearts comparedwith normoxia group. Although ischemia/reperfusion did not induce changes in the level of Bcl-2 expression in cytosolic fraction between intermittent hypoxia and normoxia groups, the expression of Bcl-2 in membrane fraction was upregulated in intermittent hypoxia group compared with normoxia group. These results indicated that the cardioprotection of intermittent hypoxia against ischemia/reperfusion injury appears to be in part due to reducemyocardial apoptosis. Intermittent hypoxia attenuated ischemia/reperfusion-induced apoptosis via increasing the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax, especially in membrane fraction.     

MCC-134, a blocker of mitochondrial and opener of sarcolemmal ATP-sensitive K+ channels, abrogates cardioprotective effects of chronic hypoxia

We examined the effect of MCC-134, a novel inhibitor of mitochondrial ATP-sensitive K(+) (mitoK(ATP)) channels and activator of sarcolemmal ATP-sensitive K(+) (sarcK(ATP)) channels, on cardioprotection conferred by adaptation to chronic hypoxia. Adult male Wistar rats were exposed to intermittent hypobaric hypoxia (7000 m, 8 h/day, 5-6 weeks) and susceptibility of their hearts to ventricular arrhythmias and myocardial infarction was evaluated in anesthetized open-chest animals subjected to 20-min coronary artery occlusion and 3-h reperfusion on the day after the last hypoxic exposure. MCC-134 was administered intravenously 10 min before ischemia and 5 min before reperfusion in a total dose of 0.3 mg/kg or 3 mg/kg divided into two equal boluses. The infarct size (tetrazolium staining) was reduced from 59.2+/-4.4 % of the area at risk in normoxic controls to 43.2+/-3.3 % in the chronically hypoxic group. Chronic hypoxia decreased the reperfusion arrhythmia score from 2.4+/-0.5 in normoxic animals to 0.7+/-0.5. Both doses of MCC-134 completely abolished the antiarrhythmic protection (score 2.4+/-0.7 and 2.5+/-0.5, respectively) but only the high dose blocked the infarct size-limiting effect of chronic hypoxia (54.2+/-3.7 %). MCC-134 had no effect in the normoxic group. These results support the view that the opening of mitoKATP channels but not sarcKATP channels plays a crucial role in the mechanism by which chronic hypoxia improves cardiac tolerance to ischemia/reperfusion injury.     

间歇性低压低氧对过氧化氢心肌细胞损伤的保护作用

目的:观察慢性间歇性低压低氧对过氧化氢所致心肌细胞损伤的保护作用及其机制。方法:雄性豚鼠20只,随机分为两组(n=10):对照组(non-IHH)、低氧组(IHH)。低氧组豚鼠于低压氧舱接受28 d(海拔5 000 m、每天6 h)的低压低氧处理。胶原酶方法急性分离心肌细胞。细胞动缘探测系统测定过氧化氢对各组细胞收缩力的变化。生化方法测定各组丙二醛(MDA)、乳酸脱氢酶(LDH)及超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)和过氧化氢酶(CAT)的变化。结果:①过氧化氢可使心肌细胞出现收缩、舒张紊乱,但IHH处理使其出现的潜伏期明显延长。②给予过氧化氢(300μmol/L,10 min)使来自于non-IHH或IHH的心肌细胞LDH、MDA含量均明显增加,但IHH心肌细胞LDH、MDA含量明显低于non-IHH心肌细胞的LDH、MDA含量。③经IHH处理组的心肌细胞SOD,CAT活性均明显高于non-IHH组。给予过氧化氢使来自于non-IHH或IHH的心肌细胞SOD,CAT活性均明显降低,但IHH心肌细胞SOD,CAT活性明显高于non-IHH心肌细胞的SOD,CAT活性。结论:IHH具有对抗过氧化氢心肌细胞损伤的作用,可能与其增强抗氧化酶活性有关。     

间歇性低氧防止缺血再灌注损伤引起的线粒体结构损伤和mtDNA片段缺失

本文用离体Ｌａｎｇｅｎｄｏｒｆｆ灌流大鼠心脏造成急性心肌缺血／再灌注损伤模型,观察间歇性低氧暴露保护心肌线粒体的作用。以聚合酶链式反应（ＰＣＲ）方法和电子显微镜技术,观察线粒体ＤＮＡ（ｍｔＤＮＡ＾４８３４）片段缺失和超微结构的变化。大鼠暴露于模拟海拔５０００米低氧环境（６ｈ／ｄ,２８ｄ）明显降低ｍｔＤＮＡ＾４８３４缺失的发生率（２８．５７％,ｖｓ常氧对照组８７．５％ Ｐ〈０．０５）;而且能够明显减     

间歇低压低氧预处理对心肌缺血／再灌注损伤及ZFP580表达的影响

目的：探讨间歇性低压低氧（IHH）预处理对大鼠心肌缺血／再灌注（I/R）损伤后血清中心肌酶、心肌梗死的影响及锌指核转录因子ZFP580发挥的作用。方法：32只雄性Wistar大鼠随机分为IHH预处理组和常氧对照组（n=16）。IHH组大鼠置于模拟海拔高度为5000m的低压氧舱中,每天6h,持续42d。两组大鼠经结扎冠状动脉左前降支建立心肌I/R损伤模型后,检测血清中乳酸脱氢酶（LDH）活性及肌酸磷酸肌酶同功酶（CK-MB）浓度,并利用Western blot方法观察各组大鼠心肌组织中ZFP580的表达情况。每组另外8只大鼠经心肌酞菁蓝-TIC染色后比较心肌梗死面积。培养大鼠H9c2心肌细胞,利用慢病毒介导的基因转染实验获得高表达ZFP580的心肌细胞,并进行心肌细胞模拟缺血／再灌注（SI/）损伤实验。利用Annexin V-PE／7-AAD柒色及流式细胞术检测H9c2心肌细胞的凋亡情况。结果：IHH预处理能明显减少心肌I／R损伤后IDH、CK-MB漏出至血清,并明显缩小心肌梗死面积。大鼠经IHH预处理后心肌组织中ZFP580的表达上调,IHH预处理明显上调心肌L／R损伤后心肌组织中ZFP580的表达。高表达ZFP580的H9c2心肌细胞在STIR损伤后细胞凋亡率明显下降。结论：IHH预处理对于心肌I／R损伤具有明显细胞保护作用,其上调的ZFPS80表达具有减少心肌细胞凋亡的作用,ZFP580可能作为心肌细胞内源性抗凋亡分子之一,参与IHH预处理抗心肌I／R损伤的过程。     

Hypothermia preserves myocardial function and mitochondrial protein gene expression during hypoxia

Hypothermia before and/or during no-flow ischemia promotes cardiac functional recovery and maintains mRNA expression for stress proteins and mitochondrial membrane proteins (MMP) during reperfusion. Adaptation and protection may occur through cold-induced change in anaerobic metabolism. Accordingly, the principal objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that hypothermia preserves myocardial function during hypoxia and reoxygenation. Hypoxic conditions in these experiments were created by reducing O2 concentration in perfusate, thereby maintaining or elevating coronary flow (CF). Isolated Langendorff-perfused rabbit hearts were subjected to perfusate (Po2 = 38 mmHg) with glucose (11.5 mM) and perfusion pressure (90 mmHg). The control (C) group was at 37 degrees C for 30 min before and 45 min during hypoxia, whereas the hypothermia (H) group was at 29.5 degrees C for 30 min before and 45 min during hypoxia. Reoxygenation occurred at 37 degrees C for 45 min for both groups. CF increased during hypoxia. The H group markedly improved functional recovery during reoxygenation, including left ventricular developed pressure (DP), the product of DP and heart rate, dP/dtmax, and O2 consumption (MVo2) (P < 0.05 vs. control). MVo2 decreased during hypothermia. Lactate and CO2 gradients across the coronary bed were the same in C and H groups during hypoxia, implying similar anaerobic metabolic rates. Hypothermia preserved MMP betaF1-ATPase mRNA levels but did not alter adenine nucleotide translocator-1 or heat shock protein-70 mRNA levels. In conclusion, hypothermia preserves cardiac function after hypoxia in the hypoxic high-CF model. Thus hypothermic protection does not occur exclusively through cold-induced alterations in anaerobic metabolism.     

Low body weight and cardiac tolerance to ischemia in neonatal rats

Adaptation to intermittent high altitude hypoxia (IHAH) increases tolerance of the isolated neonatal rat heart to ischemia and potentiates protection induced by ischemic preconditioning. In addition to the protective effect, IHAH significantly reduces growth of the animals. The aim of the present study was, therefore, to find out whether low body weight per se might influence cardiac sensitivity to oxygen deprivation. Low body weight was induced either by IHAH (barochamber, 8 h/day, 5000 m) from postnatal day 1 to 10 (HLBW), or by a higher number of sucklings per mother (14 instead of 8), again from postnatal day 1 to 10 (NLBW). Control animals (8 littermates per mother) were kept under normoxic conditions (Controls). The recovery of developed force following 40 min of global ischemia was measured in isolated hearts from 10-day-old rats by perfusing them in the Langendorff mode with Krebs-Henseleit solution at constant pressure, temperature and rate. Ischemic preconditioning was induced by three 3-min periods of global ischemia, each separated by 5-min periods of reperfusion. Low body weight in HLBW and NLBW groups was accompanied by increased hematocrit, and decrease in absolute heart weight (both wet and dry) and developed force. On the other hand, higher hydration, increased cardiac tolerance to ischemia and potentiation of protection by ischemic preconditioning were observed in HLBW rats only. This experimental group also exhibited the highest relative heart weight. It may be concluded that low body weight alone does not influence cardiac tolerance to ischemia in neonatal rats.     

Inosine, not adenosine, initiates endothelial glycocalyx degradation in cardiac ischemia and hypoxia

Ischemia/reperfusion and hypoxia/reoxygenation of the heart both induce shedding of the coronary endothelial glycocalyx. The processes leading from an oxygen deficit to shedding are unknown. An involvement of resident perivascular cardiac mast cells has been proposed. We hypothesized that either adenosine or inosine or both, generated by nucleotide catabolism, attain the concentrations in the interstitial space sufficient to stimulate A3 receptors of mast cells during both myocardial ischemia/reperfusion and hypoxia/reoxygenation. Isolated hearts of guinea pigs were subjected to either normoxic perfusion (hemoglobin-free Krebs-Henseleit buffer equilibrated with 95% oxygen), 20 minutes hypoxic perfusion (buffer equilibrated with 21% oxygen) followed by 20 minutes reoxygenation, or 20 minutes stopped-flow ischemia followed by 20 minutes normoxic reperfusion (n = 7 each). Coronary venous effluent was collected separately from so-called transudate, a mixture of interstitial fluid and lymphatic fluid appearing on the epicardial surface. Adenosine and inosine were determined in both fluid compartments using high-performance liquid chromatography. Damage to the glycocalyx was evident after ischemia/reperfusion and hypoxia/reoxygenation. Adenosine concentrations rose to a level of 1 μM in coronary effluent during hypoxic perfusion, but remained one order of magnitude lower in the interstitial fluid. There was only a small rise in the level during postischemic perfusion. In contrast, inosine peaked at over 10 μM in interstitial fluid during hypoxia and also during reperfusion, while effluent levels remained relatively unchanged at lower levels. We conclude that only inosine attains levels in the interstitial fluid of hypoxic and postischemic hearts that are sufficient to explain the activation of mast cells via stimulation of A3-type receptors.     

ATP-dependent potassium channels involved in the cardiac protection induced by intermittent hypoxia against ischemia/reperfusion injury

The aim of this study was to investigate the protection afforded by intermittent hypoxia (IH) against ischemia/reperfusion injury and its effects on calcium homeostasis during ischemia/reperfusion. The roles of KATP channels in these two actions were to be explored. Isolated hearts from IH and normoxic rats were subjected to 30 min global ischemia followed by 30 min reperfusion. Cardiac function was less deteriorated during ischemia and reperfusion in the IH rat hearts compared to normoxia rat hearts. Amplitude of the maximal contracture during ischemia was lower, while time to maximal contracture was extended in IH hearts. Post-ischemic recovery of left ventricular developed pressure and +/-dP/dtmax were higher in IH hearts than in normoxic hearts. KATP antagonist glibenclamide (10 microM) completely abolished these protective effects of IH, but had no appreciable influence on normoxic hearts. In cardiomyocytes isolated from normoxic hearts, [Ca2+]i, measured as arbitrary units of fluorescence ratio (340 nm/380 nm) of fura-2, gradually increased during 20 min simulated ischemia and kept at high level during 30 min reperfusion (1.081 +/- 0.004 and 1.088 +/- 0.006 respectively, p<0.01 vs pre-ischemia perfusion). However, in cardiomyocytes isolated from IH hearts, [Ca2+]i kept at normal level during ischemia and reperfusion (1.012 +/- 0.006 and 1.021 +/- 0.002 respectively, P>0.05 vs pre-ischemia perfusion). 10 microM glibenclamide and 100 microM 5-hydroxydecanoate (a selective mitochondria KATP antagonist) respectively abolished this effect of IH; calcium overloading reappeared during ischemia (1.133 +/- 0.007 and 1.118 +/- 0.007 respectively, P<0.01) and reperfusion (1.091 +/- 0.004 and 1.095 +/- 0.012 respectivly, P<0.01). However they had no effects on simulated ischemia and reperfusion-induced calcium overloading in normoxic myocytes. 50 microM pinacidil, a KATP opener, attenuated calcium overloading during ischemia and reperfusion in normoxic myocytes, but had no effect on [Ca2+]i change in IH myocytes. These results suggested that KATP channels contributed to the cardiac protection induced by IH against ischemia/reperfusion injury; the elimination of calcium overloading during ischemia/reperfusion by IH might underlie the mechanism of protection.