Ischaemic preconditioning is related to decreasing levels of extracellular adenosine that may be metabolically useful in the at-risk myocardium: an experimental study in the pig

A. Waldenstrom, M. Haney, B. Biber, M. Kavianipour, T. Moritz, P. Stranden, G. Wikstrom, G. Ronquist

12 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Aim: 'Pre-treatment' with short repetitive periods of ischaemia (ischaemic preconditioning) has proved to be a powerful mechanism for modification of the extent of myocardial damage following acute coronary artery occlusion. The exact mechanism of protection induced by ischaemic preconditioning is not known. We herewith put forward a contributing component for protection with preconditioning involving a shift in the adenylate kinase (AK) equilibrium reaction in favour of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) formation. Methods: A coronary artery was occluded in anaesthetized thoracotomized pigs to induce ischaemic preconditioning as well as a longer period of ischaemia. Microdialysis probes were inserted in ischaemic and control myocardium and were infused with 14C- adenosine with two different specific activities. 14C-lactate was identified and measured in the effluent. Results: 14C-adenosine was taken up by non-preconditioned and preconditioned myocardium during ischaemia. Significantly increased levels of 14C-lactate were recovered in preconditioned myocardium. 14C-adenosine with high specific activity resulted in a specific activity of lactate that was 2.7 times higher than that of lactate after administration of 14C-adenosine with low specific activity. Mass spectrography verified the identity of 14C-lactate. Conclusions: Preconditioning up-regulates a new metabolic pathway (starting with 5′-nucleotidase and ending up with lactate) resulting in ATP formation in the micromolar range on top of another effect terminating in a useful shift in the AK equilibrium reaction in favour of ATP generation in the millimolar range. Although the up-regulation of the purine nucleoside phosphorylase pathway is clearly demonstrated, its biological relevance remains to be proved.

Original languageDanish
JournalActa Physiologica
Volume199
Issue number1
Pages (from-to)1-9
Number of pages9
ISSN1748-1708
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - May 2010
Externally publishedYes

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