title: Free radicals, calcium homeostasis, heat shock proteins, and myocardial stunning.
abstract: Repeated brief ischemic episodes result in prolonged depression of contractile function despite the absence of irreversible damage, a phenomenon called myocardial stunning. Considerable evidence exists to suggest that oxygen radicals, particularly the hydroxyl radical formed as a result of Fenton reaction or nitric oxide-peroxynitrite pathway, may contribute to the pathogenesis of myocardial stunning. The generation of free radicals may cause sarcoplasmic reticulum dysfunction, and both of these mechanisms may lead to calcium overload, which in turn could exacerbate the damage initiated by oxygen radicals. Antioxidant therapy has been shown to effectively attenuate or even prevent the development of prolonged depression of contractility in many studies. In addition, preconditioning with brief ischemic insults is able to trigger protection, which appears to attenuate stunning 24 to 48 hours later. The mechanism of this protection is not known, although one or more members of the heat shock protein family may have a role in protection against stunning.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Medical College of Virginia, Richmond 23298, USA.
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Hess
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Kukreja
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002118:Calcium / Q000502:physiology*; D005609:Free Radicals / Q000494:pharmacology; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D006706:Homeostasis; D006801:Humans; D017665:Hydroxyl Radical / Q000494:pharmacology; D017682:Myocardial Stunning / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D005609:Free Radicals; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D017665:Hydroxyl Radical; D002118:Calcium