Expression of calcium regulatory proteins in short-term hibernation and stunning in the in situ porcine heart.
BACKGROUND
Myocardial hibernation and stunning are characterised by a reversible contractile dysfunction during and after ischaemia, respectively. Calcium homeostasis might be disturbed in hibernation and stunning due to altered expression of cardiac proteins involved in calcium handling.


METHODS
In enflurane-anaesthetised swine the coronary blood flow through the left anterior descending coronary artery was decreased to reduce regional contractile function (microsonometry) by approximately 50%. In transmural biopsies obtained during ischaemia and reperfusion creatine phosphate as well as the expression of sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase (SERCA), phospholamban (PLB), calsequestrin (CSQ), and troponin inhibitor (TnI) were determined.


RESULTS
During ischaemia creatine phosphate, after an initial reduction, recovered back to control values, and necrosis was absent (hibernation). After 90 min of ischaemia the myocardium was reperfused for 120 min but regional contractile function continued to be depressed (stunning). PLB, SERCA, CSQ, and TnI proteins were unchanged during ischaemia as well as reperfusion. Likewise, levels of PLB and SERCA mRNAs were unchanged.


CONCLUSIONS
It is concluded that other mechanisms than altered expression of these regulating proteins underlie the contractile dysfunction observed during acute ischaemia, short-term hibernation and stunning.
Lüss
H
H
Institut für Pharmakologie und Toxikologie, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Germany.
Bokník
P
P
Heusch
G
G
Müller
F U
FU
Neumann
J
J
Schmitz
W
W
Schulz
R
R
D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000252:Calcium-Transporting ATPases / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002155:Calsequestrin / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D003326:Coronary Circulation; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D017682:Myocardial Stunning / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D009206:Myocardium / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D010725:Phosphocreatine / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D012519:Sarcoplasmic Reticulum / Q000201:enzymology; D013552:Swine; D013556:Swine, Miniature; D000099211:Phospholamban
D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D000252:Calcium-Transporting ATPases; D002155:Calsequestrin; D010725:Phosphocreatine; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D000099211:Phospholamban