Relationship between oxidative stress and mitochondrial function in the post-conditioned heart

The pathways activated by post-conditioning may converge on the mitochondria, in particular on the mitochondrial permeability transition pore. We sought to characterize the inhibition status of the mitochondrial permeability transition early after the post-conditioning maneuver and before long reperfusion was established. We observed that post-conditioning maneuvers applied to isolated rat hearts, after a prolonged ischemia and before reperfusion, promoted cardiac mechanical function recovery and maintained mitochondrial integrity. These effects were evaluated by mitochondrial swelling, calcium transport, and NAD⁺ content measurements; the improvements were established before restoring a long lasting reperfusion period. Mitochondrial integrity was associated with a diminution in oxidative stress, since carbonylation of proteins was prevented and aconitase activity was preserved in the post-conditioned hearts, implying that ROS might mediate mitochondrial dysfunction and mPTP opening. In addition, we found that cytochrome release was significantly abolished in the post-conditioned heart, in contrast with conventionally reperfused hearts.     

Post-conditioning protects rat cardiomyocytes via PKCepsilon-mediated calcium-sensing receptors

Protein kinase C (PKC) plays a role in cardioprotection through reduction of intracellular Ca(2+) concentration [Ca(2+)](i) during ischemic preconditioning (IPC). Cardioprotection against ischemic post-conditioning (PC) could be associated with reduced [Ca(2+)](i) through PKC. The calcium-sensing receptor (CaR), G protein-coupled receptor, causes accumulation of inositol phosphate (IP) to increase the release of intracellular Ca(2+). However, this phenomenon can be negatively regulated by PKC through phosphorylation of Thr-888 of the CaR. This study tested the hypothesis that the prevention of cardiomyocyte damage by PC is associated with [Ca(2+)](i) reduction through an interaction of PKC with the CaR. Isolated rat hearts were subjected to 40min of ischemia followed by 90min of reperfusion. The hearts were post-conditioned after the 40min of ischemia by three cycles of 30s of reperfusion and 30s of re-ischemia applied before the 90min of reperfusion. Immunolocalization of PKCepsilon in the cell membrane was observed with IPC and PC, and in hearts exposed to GdCl(3) during PC. CaR was expressed in cardiac cell membrane and interacted with PKC in IPC, PC, and exposure to GdCl(3) during PC groups. On laser confocal microscopy, intracellular Ca(2+) was significantly decreased with IPC, PC, and exposure to GdCl(3) during PC compared with the I/R and PKC inhibitor groups, and cell structure was better preserved and promoted the recovery of cardiac function after reperfusion in the same groups. These results suggested that PKC is involved in cardioprotection against PC through negative feedback of a CaR-mediated reduction in [Ca(2+)](i).     

后处理对心肌缺血再灌注致脑损伤中炎症因子及GFAP的影响

目的:探讨缺血后处理对心肌缺血再灌注致脑损伤中炎症因子及胶质纤维酸性蛋白的影响。方法:24只雄性SD大鼠随机分为3组(n=8),假手术组(Sham)、心肌缺血/再灌注组(IR)、后处理组(IPost)。结扎大鼠冠状动脉左前降支30 min,复流120 min建立大鼠心肌缺血/再灌注模型。后处理组于再灌注前进行缺血后处理,再灌注10 s,缺血10 s,共3次。断头处死大鼠取脑组织,光镜下观察病理学结果,Western blot检测炎性因子IL-6、IL-8、IL-10,免疫组化法检测GFAP。结果:与Sham组相比较,IR组脑组织炎症因子IL-6,IL-8表达增加,IL-10下降(P0.01),而后处理可以降低脑组织中IL-6,IL-8的表达,增加IL-10的表达(P0.01);与Sham组相比较,IR组脑组织GFAP表达增多(P0.05),而后处理可以显著增加脑组织中GFAP的表达(P0.01)。结论:心肌缺血后处理可以减少脑组织中炎症因子的表达,增加GFAP的表达,从而起到脑保护作用。     

Liver integrity after warm ischemia in situ and brief preservation ex vivo: the value of aerobic post-conditioning

We evaluated the respective effects of warm ischemic injury in non-heart-beating donor (NHBD) grafts and/or cold ischemia time on liver viability. Eventually, the restorative potential of oxygenated hypothermic perfusion after cold storage should be investigated. Livers were retrieved from male Wistar rats and preserved with HTK-solution for 6 h or 18 h by cold storage (CS). Organ retrieval took place either prior to (ctrl.) or 30 min after cardiac arrest (NHBD). Compared to 6 h CS of ctrl. livers, enzyme leakage and functional recovery (oxygen consumption, ammonia clearance, bile production) upon warm reperfusion were massively deteriorated after 18 h CS in NHBD-livers. By contrast, 6 h CS of NHBD resulted in an only limited impairment of all parameters, which was found quite similar to the results in ctrl. after 18 h CS. Induction of cellular apoptosis (cleavage PARP) was found equally influenced by preceding warm ischemia (NHBD) or extended times of CS, but significantly triggered only by the combination of both events. After 6 h of CS, 1 h of oxygenated hypothermic machine perfusion (‘post-conditioning’) was able to bring the performance of NHBD-liver into line with the controls. Based on this work, we concluded that a limited time of warm ischemia in the donor only multiplied graft injury after long-term CS, but does not need to preclude acceptable results if reperfusion is initiated after short periods of CS. Moreover, conditioning of those grafts is effective even 1 h prior to implantation and may help to judge liver viability according to adequate parameters after hypothermic machine perfusion has been established.