Ischemic cardiac injury can be substantially alleviated by exposing the heart to pharmacological agents such as volatile anesthetics before occurrence of ischemia-reperfusion. A hallmark of this preconditioning phenomenon is its memory, when cardioprotective effects persist even after removal of preconditioning stimulus. Since numerous studies pinpoint mitochondria as crucial players in protective pathways of preconditioning, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of preconditioning agent isoflurane on the mitochondrial bioenergetic phenotype. Endogenous flavoprotein fluorescence, an indicator of mitochondrial redox state, was elevated to 195 +/- 16% of baseline upon isoflurane application in intact cardiomyocytes, indicating more oxidized state of mitochondria. Isoflurane treatment also elicited partial dissipation of mitochondrial transmembrane potential, which remained depolarized even after anesthetic withdrawal (tetramethylrhodamine fluorescence intensity declined to 83 +/- 3 and 81 +/- 7% of baseline during isoflurane exposure and washout, respectively). Mild uncoupling, with preserved ATP synthesis, was also detected in mitochondria that were isolated from animals that had been previously preconditioned by isoflurane in vivo, revealing its memory nature. These mitochondria, after exposure to hypoxia and reoxygenation, exhibited better preserved respiration and ATP synthesis compared with mitochondria from nonpreconditioned animals. Partial mitochondrial depolarization was paralleled by a diminished Ca(2+) uptake into isoflurane-treated mitochondria, as indicated by the reduced increment in rhod-2 fluorescence when mitochondria were challenged with increased Ca(2+) (180 +/- 24 vs. 258 +/- 14% for the control). In conclusion, isoflurane preconditioning elicits partial mitochondrial uncoupling and reduces mitochondrial Ca(2+) uptake. These effects are likely to reduce the extent of the mitochondrial damage after the hypoxic stress.

Background Cardioprotection by volatile anesthetic-induced preconditioning (APC) involves activation of protein kinase C (PKC). The current study investigated the importance of APC-activated PKC in delaying mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP) opening. Methods Rat ventricular myocytes were exposed to isoflurane in the presence or absence of nonselective PKC inhibitor chelerythrine or isoform-specific inhibitors of PKC-δ (rottlerin) and PKC-ε (myristoylated PKC-ε V1-2 peptide), and the mPTP opening time was measured using confocal microscopy. Ca2+-induced mPTP opening was measured in mitochondria isolated from rats exposed to isoflurane in the presence and absence of chelerythrine, or in mitochondria directly treated with isoflurane after isolation. Translocation of PKC-ε was assessed in APC and control cardiomyocytes by Western blotting. Results In cardiomyocytes, APC prolonged time necessary to induce mPTP opening (261±26 s APC vs. 216±27 s control; P<0.05), while chelerythrine abolished this delay to 213±22 s. The effect of isoflurane was also abolished when PKC-ε inhibitor was applied (210±22 s), but not in the presence of PKC-δ inhibitor (269±31 s). Western blotting revealed translocation of PKC-ε toward mitochondria in APC cells. The Ca2+ concentration required for mPTP opening was significantly higher in mitochondria from APC rats (45±8 μM mg-1 control vs. 64±8 μM mg-1 APC), and APC effect was reversed with chelerythrine. In contrast, isoflurane did not protect directly treated mitochondria. Conclusion APC induces delay of mPTP opening through PKC-ε-mediated inhibition of mPTP opening, but not through PKC-δ. These results point to the connection between cytosolic and mitochondrial components of cardioprotection by isoflurane.

We examined the cardioprotective profile of the new A 3 adenosine receptor (AR) agonist 903 [N 6 -(2,5-dichlorobenzyl)-3Ј-aminoadenosine-5Ј-N-methylcarboxamide] in an in vivo mouse model of infarction and an isolated heart model of global ischemia/reperfusion injury. In radioligand binding and cAMP accumulation assays using human embryonic kidney 293 cells expressing recombinant mouse ARs, CP-532,903 was found to bind with high affinity to mouse A 3 ARs (K i ϭ 9.0 Ϯ 2.5 nM) and with high selectivity versus mouse A 1 AR (100-fold) and A 2A ARs (1000-fold). In in vivo ischemia/reperfusion experiments, pretreating mice with 30 or 100 g/kg CP-532,903 reduced infarct size from 59.2 Ϯ 2.1% of the risk region in vehicle-treated mice to 42.5 Ϯ 2.3 and 39.0 Ϯ 2.9%, respectively. Likewise, treating isolated mouse hearts with CP-532,903 (10, 30, or 100 nM) concentration dependently improved recovery of contractile function after 20 min of global ischemia and 45 min of reperfusion, including developed pressure and maximal rate of contraction/relaxation. In both models of ischemia/reperfusion injury, CP-532,903 provided no benefit in studies using mice with genetic disruption of the A 3 AR gene, A 3 knockout (KO) mice. In isolated heart studies, protection provided by CP-532,903 and ischemic preconditioning induced by three brief ischemia/ reperfusion cycles were lost in Kir6.2 KO mice lacking expression of the pore-forming subunit of the sarcolemmal ATPsensitive potassium (K ATP ) channel. Whole-cell patch-clamp recordings provided evidence that the A 3 AR is functionally coupled to the sarcolemmal K ATP channel in murine cardiomyocytes. We conclude that CP-532,903 is a highly selective agonist of the mouse A 3 AR that protects against ischemia/reperfusion injury by activating sarcolemmal K ATP channels.A 3 adenosine receptor (AR) agonists have been shown to effectively limit infarct size and reduce contractile dysfunction in several different animal models of ischemia/reperfusion injury (Auchampach et al., 1997b(Auchampach et al., , 2003Tracey et al., 1997Tracey et al., , 1998Tracey et al., , 2003Jordan et al., 1999;Thourani et al., 1999;Ge et al., 2004Ge et al., , 2006. A 3 AR agonists are attractive as cardioprotective agents because they do not alter systemic hemodynamic parameters in nonrodent species and are effective if administered before the ischemic event or only during reperfusion (Auchampach et al

Photobiomodulation with near infrared light (NIR) provides cellular protection in various disease models. Previously, infrared light emitted by a low-energy laser has been shown to significantly improve recovery from ischemic injury of the canine heart. The goal of this investigation was to test the hypothesis that NIR (670 nm) from light emitting diodes produces cellular protection against hypoxia and reoxygenation-induced cardiomyocyte injury. Additionally, nitric oxide (NO) was investigated as a potential cellular mediator of NIR. Our results demonstrate that exposure to NIR at the time of reoxygenation protects neonatal rat cardiomyocytes and HL-1 cells from injury, as assessed by lactate dehydrogenase release and MTT assay. Similarly, indices of apoptosis, including caspase 3 activity, annexin binding and the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria into the cytosol, were decreased after NIR treatment. NIR increased NO in cardiomyocytes, and the protective effect of NIR was completely reversed by the NO scavengers carboxy-PTIO and oxyhemoglobin, but only partially blocked by the NO synthase (NOS) inhibitor L-NMMA. Mitochondrial metabolism, measured by ATP synthase activity, was increased by NIR, and NO-induced inhibition of oxygen consumption with substrates for complex I or complex IV was reversed by exposure to NIR. Taken together these data provide evidence for protection against hypoxia and reoxygenation injury in cardiomyocytes by NIR in a manner that is dependent upon NO derived from NOS and non-NOS sources.

Background and purpose:The volatile anaesthetic isoflurane protects the heart from ischaemia and reperfusion (I/R) injury when applied at the onset of reperfusion [anaesthetic postconditioning (APoC)]. However, the mechanism of APoC-mediated protection is unknown. In this study, we examined the effect of APoC on mitochondrial bioenergetics, mitochondrial matrix pH (pHm) and cytosolic pH (pHi), and intracellular Ca 2+ . Experimental approach: Cardiac mitochondria from Wistar rats were isolated after in vivo I/R with or without APoC (1.4%-vol isoflurane, 1 minimum alveolar concentration), and mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP) opening, mitochondrial membrane potential (DYm), and oxygen consumption were assessed. In isolated cardiomyocytes and isolated mitochondria I/R injury was produced in vitro, with or without APoC (0.5 mM isoflurane). Intracellular Ca 2+ , pHm, pHi and DYm were monitored with SNARF-1, TMRE and fluo-4, respectively. Myocyte survival was assessed when APoC was induced at pH 7.4 and 7.8. In isolated mitochondria oxygen consumption and ATP synthesis were measured. Key results: In vivo APoC protected against mPTP opening, slowed mitochondrial respiration and depolarized mitochondria. APoC decreased the number of hypercontracted cardiomyocytes at pH 7.4, but not at pH 7.8. APoC attenuated intracellular Ca 2+ accumulation, maintained lower pHm, and preserved DYm during reoxygenation. Isoflurane did not affect the regulation of cytosolic pH. In mitochondria, APoC preserved ATP production rate and respiration. Conclusions and implications: At reperfusion, APoC inhibited mitochondrial respiration, depolarized mitochondria and acidified pHm. These events may lead to inhibition of mPTP opening and, consequently, to preserved DYm and ATP synthesis. This reduces intracellular Ca 2+ overload and cell death.

BACKGROUND Similar to volatile anesthetics, the anesthetic noble gas xenon protects the heart from ischemia/reperfusion injury, but the mechanisms responsible for this phenomenon are not fully understood. We tested the hypothesis that xenon-induced cardioprotection is mediated by prosurvival signaling kinases that target mitochondria. METHODS Male Wistar rats instrumented for hemodynamic measurements were subjected to a 30 min left anterior descending coronary artery occlusion and 2 h reperfusion. Rats were randomly assigned to receive 70% nitrogen/30% oxygen (control) or three 5-min cycles of 70% xenon/30% oxygen interspersed with the oxygen/nitrogen mixture administered for 5 min followed by a 15 min memory period. Myocardial infarct size was measured using triphenyltetrazolium staining. Additional hearts from control and xenon-pretreated rats were excised for Western blotting of Akt and glycogen synthase kinase 3 β (GSK-3β) phosphorylation and isolation of mitochondria. Mitochondrial oxygen consumption before and after hypoxia/reoxygenation and mitochondrial permeability transition pore opening were determined. RESULTS Xenon significantly (P < 0.05) reduced myocardial infarct size compared with control (32 ± 4 and 59% ± 4% of the left ventricular area at risk; mean ± sd) and enhanced phosphorylation of Akt and GSK-3β. Xenon pretreatment preserved state 3 respiration of isolated mitochondria compared with the results obtained in the absence of the gas. The Ca2+ concentration required to induce mitochondrial membrane depolarization was larger in the presence compared with the absence of xenon pretreatment (78 ± 17 and 56 ± 17 μM, respectively). The phosphoinositol-3-kinase-kinase inhibitor wortmannin blocked the effect of xenon on infarct size and respiration. CONCLUSIONS These results indicate that xenon preconditioning reduces myocardial infarct size, phosphorylates Akt, and GSK-3β, preserves mitochondrial function, and inhibits Ca2+-induced mitochondrial permeability transition pore opening. These data suggest that xenon-induced cardioprotection occurs because of activation of prosurvival signaling that targets mitochondria and renders them less vulnerable to ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Mitochondrial bioenergetic studies mostly rely on isolated mitochondria thus excluding the regulatory role of other cellular compartments important for the overall mitochondrial function. In intact cardiomyocytes, we followed the dynamics of electron fluxes along specific sites of the electron transport chain (ETC) by simultaneous detection of NAD(H)P and flavoprotein (FP) fluorescence intensities using a laser-scanning confocal microscope. This method was used to delineate the effects of isoflurane, a volatile anesthetic and cardioprotective agent, on the ETC. Comparison to the effects of well-characterized ETC inhibitors and uncoupling agent revealed two distinct effects of isoflurane: uncoupling-induced mitochondrial depolarization and inhibition of ETC at the level of complex I. In correlation, oxygen consumption measurements in cardiomyocytes confirmed a dose-dependent, dual effect of isoflurane, and in isolated mitochondria an obstruction of the ETC primarily at the level of complex I. These effects are likely responsible for the reported mild stimulation of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) production required for the cardioprotective effects of isoflurane. In conclusion, isoflurane exhibits complex effects on the ETC in intact cardiomyocytes, altering its electron fluxes, and thereby enhancing ROS production. The NAD(P)H-FP fluorometry is a useful method for exploring the effect of drugs on mitochondria and identifying their specific sites of action within the ETC of intact cardiomyocytes.

Bupivacaine decreases myofibrillar Ca2+ sensitivity in ventricular muscle, and this is coupled with the compound's inhibitory effect on the pathway beyond Ca2+ binding to troponin C, possibly on the actomyosin interaction. The current results may partly explain the overall cardiodepressant effect of bupivacaine in vivo.