Effects of adenosine on cardiac performance and phosphate compounds in microembolised guinea pig hearts.
OBJECTIVE
The excessive release of adenosine has been reported to cause hyperaemia and to attenuate ischaemic injury in microembolised hearts. The direct effects of exogenous adenosine on cardiac performance were investigated in microembolised guinea pig hearts with the simultaneous measurement of phosphate compounds.


METHODS
21 male guinea pig hearts were perfused according to the Langendorff technique and microembolism was induced by injecting microspheres. Hearts were then treated as follows: group A, adenosine 20 microM and theophylline 60 microM; group B, theophylline 60 microM; group C, saline (control). Cardiac performance was monitored and phosphate compounds were measured by 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy.


RESULTS
Group A showed a significant increase in the left ventricular developed pressure and coronary flow, and a modest restoration of ATP content. Pi/(Pi+Pcr) remained virtually constant. There were no significant changes in left ventricular developed pressure or coronary flow in groups B and C. There was a gradual decrease in tissue ATP content and slight increase in Pi/(Pi+Pcr).


CONCLUSIONS
Adenosine improved cardiac performance without adverse effect on energy metabolism in microembolised hearts. Adenosine also restored the ATP stores in microembolised hearts. (Pi = inorganic phosphate; Pcr = phosphocreatine.)
Yanagi
S
S
First Department of Internal Medicine, Osaka City University Medical School, Japan.
Takeuchi
K
K
Takeda
T
T
Ishikawa
M
M
Miura
I
I
D000241:Adenosine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D004617:Embolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects*; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007773:Lactates / Q000378:metabolism; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008297:Male; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism; D010477:Perfusion; D010710:Phosphates / Q000378:metabolism; D013806:Theophylline / Q000494:pharmacology
D007773:Lactates; D010710:Phosphates; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D013806:Theophylline; D000241:Adenosine