Soluble substances released from postischemic reperfused rat hearts reduce calcium transient and contractility by blocking the L-type calcium channel. (1/4)

OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to investigate the effects of cardiodepressant substances released from postischemic myocardial tissue on myocardial calcium-regulating pathways. BACKGROUND: We have recently reported that new cardiodepressant substances are released from isolated hearts during reperfusion after myocardial ischemia. METHODS: After 10 min of global ischemia, isolated rat hearts were reperfused, and the coronary effluent was collected for 30 s. We tested the effects of the postischemic coronary effluent on cell contraction, Ca2+ transients and Ca2+ currents of isolated rat cardiomyocytes by applying fluorescence microscopy and the whole-cell, voltage-clamp technique. Changes in intracellular phosphorylation mechanisms were studied by measuring tissue concentrations of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), as well as activities of cAMP-dependent protein kinase (cAMP-dPK) and protein kinase C (PKC). RESULTS: The postischemic coronary effluent, diluted with experimental buffer, caused a concentration-dependent reduction of cell shortening and Ca2+ transient in the field-stimulated isolated cardiomyocytes of rats, as well as a reduction in peak L-type Ca2+ current in voltage-clamped cardiomyocytes. The current reduction resulted from reduced maximal conductance--not from changes in voltage- and time-dependent gating of the L-type Ca2+ channel. The postischemic coronary effluent modified neither the tissue concentrations of cAMP or cGMP nor the activities of cAMP-dPK and PKC. However, the effluent completely eliminated the activation of glycogen phosphorylase after beta-adrenergic stimulation. CONCLUSIONS: Negative inotropic substances released from isolated postischemic hearts reduce Ca2+ transient and cell contraction through cAMP-independent and cGMP-independent blockage of L-type Ca2+ channels.  (+info)

The interaction between myocardial depressant factors in endotoxemic cardiac dysfunction: role of TNF-alpha in TLR4-mediated ICAM-1 expression. (2/4)

Multiple pro-inflammatory mediators contribute to cardiac dysfunction caused by bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The rapid TNF-alpha response is likely involved in the induction of down-stream myocardial depressant factors. Studies by our laboratory and others indicate an important role for ICAM-1 in endotoxemic cardiac dysfunction through leukocyte-independent mechanisms. The purpose of this study was to determine: whether ICAM-1 knockout improves cardiac function during endotoxemia and whether TLR4 and TNF-alpha regulate LPS-induced myocardial ICAM-1 expression. METHODS AND RESULTS: Mice were treated with Escherichia coli LPS (0.5mg/kg iv). Myocardial ICAM-1 levels were analyzed by immunoblotting and left ventricular developed pressure (LVDP) was assessed by the Langendorff technique. In wild-type mice, peak ICAM-1 levels were observed at 4h when myocardial contractility was depressed. Myocardial contractility was improved following LPS in mice lacking functional TLR4, TNF-alpha or ICAM-1. TLR4 mutation abolished ICAM-1 expression with abrogation of precedent TNF-alpha response. Similarly, TNF-alpha knockout reduced myocardial ICAM-1 level following LPS treatment. CONCLUSIONS: ICAM-1 contributes to the mechanism of endotoxemic cardiac dysfunction. TNF-alpha is involved in the regulation of myocardial ICAM-1 expression by TLR4.  (+info)

hemofiltration reverses left ventricular dysfunction during sepsis in dogs. (3/4)

Depressed left ventricular (LV) contractility in sepsis has been ascribed to the presence of circulating cardiodepressant substance (filterable cardiodepressant factor in sepsis [FCS]); however, this finding is controversial. The authors hypothesized that if a decrease in LV contractility indeed occurred due to a circulating depressant substance, then removal of this substance by hemofiltration would reverse by dysfunction. In this study, LV mechanics were examined before and after hemofiltration in anesthetized dogs during continuous intravenous infusion of live Escherichia coli. Left ventricular anterior-posterior and apex-base dimensions were measured by subendocardial ultrasonic crystal transducers implanted 4 weeks before the experiments. Left ventricular contractility was determined from the end-systolic pressure-dimension relationship. The slope of this relationship (Emax) is an index of contractility. After 4 h of sepsis, Emax was reduced by one half. Hemofiltration resulted in a return of Emax to control values. The FCS activity in the plasma was also assessed by the percent reduction in isometric contraction of electrically stimulated, isolated right ventricular trabeculae obtained from nonseptic dogs. The FCS activity reached a peak 4 h after sepsis and was reduced after 2 h of hemofiltration. The results show that during experimental sepsis, a circulating substance of less than 30,000 d produces a decrease in LV contractility and that this LV dysfunction may be improved by hemofiltration.  (+info)

Beneficial effect of arachidonic acid during hemorrhagic shock in the dog. (4/4)

Arachidonic acid (AA), precursor of the bisenoic prostaglandins was infused at a rate of 120 mug/kg per min into the vena cava of dogs subjected to hemorrhagic shock to assess the effects of stimulation of the prostaglandin (PG) synthetase system on the shock state. Hemorrhagic shock was induced by bleeding to a mean arterial blood pressure (MABP) of 40 mm Hg for 150 minutes followed by reinfusion of all remaining shed blood. In sham shock dogs receiving AA vehicle (0.1 M Na2C03), there were no significant changes in MABP, superior mesenteric artery flow (SMAF), renal artery flow (RAF), PGF2 or PGF2alpha concentrations, or in cathepsin D or myocardial depressant factor (MDF) activities during a 260-minute experimental period. During oligemia, untreated hemorrhagic shock dogs exhibited dramatic reductions in MABP, SMAF, and RAF which were transiently restored following reinfusion, but markedly decreased 100 minutes after reinfusion. Cathepsin D, MDF, PGE2, and PGF2alpha values increased significantly in these dogs. AA given during oligemia did not prevent changes in SMAF or RAF, but maintained MABP at near-normal values after reinfusion. AA also significantly protected against the plasma accumulation of both cathepsin D an MDF is hemorrhagic shock dogs. Circulating PGF2alpha and PGE2 values increased rapidly in AA-treated dogs and plateaued at 3.6 and 4.8 times control values, respectively, during oligemia. Hemorrhagic shock dogs receiving AA plus Na meclofenamate, a PG synthetase inhibitor, were not significantly different from shock dogs receiving vehicle except that the circulating PG concentrations did not increase. Thus, products of the PG synthetase system appear to prevent the plasma accumulation of lysosomal hydrolases nand of MDF, and may significantly preserve MABP after hemorrhagic shock in the dog.  (+info)