CARDIAC Role of the Mitochondrial Ca2+ Transporters in the High-[K+]○ Cardioprotection of Rat Hearts Under Ischemia and Reperfusion: A Mechano-Energetic Study

The role of mitochondrial transporters in the cardioprotection of rat hearts exposed to high [K+]-low [Ca2+]cardioplegia (CPG) and ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) was studied through the mechano-energetic consequences of target drugs. The total heat rate (Ht) and the left intraventricular pressure (LVP) were simultaneously measured in isolated perfused hearts (30 degrees C and 1 Hz) inside a flow-calorimeter during 45 minutes of no-flow I and 45 minutes of R. After stabilization (C) they were pretreated with CPG and 100 mu M 5-hydroxidecanoate (5HD, selective mK(ATP) blocker) without and with 10 or 30 mu M clonazepam (Clzp, mNCX inhibitor), 30 mu M diazoxide (Dzx, selective mK(ATP) opener), 1 mu M Ru360 (selective Ca2+-uniporter blocker), and 0.2 mu M cyclosporine-A, (mPTP inhibitor, before I and during R). Before 1, 5-hydroxydecanoate in CPG increased the resting heat rate (17.83 +/- 3.55 mW/g) without changing the stunning. Clzp 30 mu M + CPG + 5-hydroxydecanoate reduced the postischemic P with diastolic contracture and high Ht. Dzx protected C-hearts from stunning but increased it in CPG hearts with low economy (P/Ht) as well as ROW. Cyclosporine-A did not modify the stunning of C or CPG ischemic hearts, suggesting that the mPTP was not opened. Conclusions: Mitochondria have a precise role for determining cardioprotection or stunning in high-K+ cardioplegic rat hearts under I/R. Known protective drugs, such as Dzx and Ru360, which reduce the mitochondrial Ca2+-uptake, increased the Stunning of CPG-rat hearts and reduced muscle economy, whereas 5-hydroxydecanoate and Clzp together increased the stunning by inducing mitochondrial Ca2+ overload.